BYU’s Judkins Getting Noticed

Jeff Judkins was the guy drafted by the Boston Celtics in the second round after they took Larry Bird. He spent 10 years as an assistant to Rick Majerus at Utah.

He’s not in the background any longer. The first-year women’s coach at Brigham Young has taken the surprising Cougars to the third round of the NCAA tournament.

“I’m real happy,” Judkins said Wednesday. “To be here in my first year as a women’s coach, I’ve been real blessed to have things bounce my way.”

BYU (24-8) was 0-4 in the NCAA tournament until last weekend, when the 11th-seeded Cougars beat Florida, 90-52, and then erased a 13-point second-half deficit to stun Iowa State, 75-69, on the Cyclones’ home court.

The Cougars had so much fun in Ames, Iowa, they’re heading back for the Midwest Regional semifinals.

Next up is Saturday’s game against perennial national power Tennessee (27-4).

“You’d be stupid if you didn’t realize this is a very awesome program,” said Judkins, or “Juddie” as his players call him.

The giant-killer theme is nothing new to Judkins, who worked under Majerus when the Runnin’ Utes upset Arizona to reach the 1998 men’s Final Four, then beat North Carolina before losing in the title game to Kentucky.

He compared the Tennessee matchup to Utah playing North Carolina that year.

“They had a great tradition. They put four guys in the NBA. Vince Carter was one of them,” Judkins said. “But we knew if we could play our game, we could stay with them. That’s something I’m going to bring up to our team.”

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DIVISION II

Six players scored in double figures for Cal Poly Pomona as the Broncos defeated Mars Hill, N.C., 88-69, in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II tournament in Rochester, Minn.

Lauri McIntosh led Pomona with 19 points and Heather Reeder had 12. Leah Whatley, Burgundie Porter, Marisa Lattin and Aprile Powell finished with 10 points each.

Pomona will play Glenville State (W.Va.) in the semifinals today.

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NIT

In Wednesday’s quarterfinals, Virginia Tech routed Vermont, 76-48; Houston defeated Valparaiso, 61-53, and Oregon beat Washington, 77-73.

In next week’s semifinals, Virginia Tech will face Houston and Oregon will play Michigan State.