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Spartan shortsBy ROD GIPSON © St. Petersburg Times, published January 19, 2001 TAMPA -- Moments after the Spartans topped Lynn 73-56 Wednesday, they received the good news. Florida Southern had went to Rollins and beat the eighth-ranked Tars 71-64 to spoil their unbeaten start in Sunshine State Conference play. What that means to the Spartans is they now are alone in first place at 4-0 in the league and 14-2 overall. That leaves Florida Southern, Florida Tech and Rollins tied for second at 3-1. The still-unranked Spartans will face all of those teams during their next five games while jockeying for the top seed in the conference tournament, which tips off in Lakeland on Feb. 25. Against Lynn, the Spartans had three players score in double figures. Yushonda Morse scored 17, Jessie McDowell, last week's SSC Player of the Week, scored 11 and Andrea Nordholt added 10. Nichole Blair almost joined that group, scoring nine points as UT blew open a close game in the second half. BASEBALL: New coach Joe Urso has the task of replacing All-Americans Ronnie Merrill and Jim Kavourias and will do so with help from three of the four top-rated prospects in Division II. Senior outfielder Dwight Edge, catcher Mike Rabelo and left-handed pitcher Charlie Manning return to a Spartans squad that lost five starters and 13 players in all. UT went 45-12 a year ago and won the Sunshine State Conference title. Ranked second in the Division II preseason poll by Baseball America, the Spartans have re-loaded with 14 new players. Junior college transfers Adam Bragg, Neal Maybin and Thomas Carrow will see time in the outfield while Angel Cruz and Jason Chevora will fill in at shortstop and third base, respectively. UT opens the season Jan. 26 at Lynn. MEN'S BASKETBALL: After blowing a 28-8 first-half lead, UT lost 75-73 on a buzzer-beater Wednesday at home against Lynn. The 10th-ranked Spartans (13-3, 2-2) are in third place in the Sunshine State Conference and are on the road for their next two games. UT plays at Barry on Saturday and at Florida Tech on Wednesday. UT returns home to host Rollins on Jan. 27.
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