Sutton fulfills dream with tournament appearance

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, March 16, 2000 | 11:07 a.m.

Growing up, Paige Sutton dreamed of earning a college scholarship so she could play in the Women's NCAA Tournament.

It turns out the Bishop Gorman graduate didn't have to wait long to fulfill that goal.

On Friday, Sutton's freshman season at Nebraska will culminate with an appearance in this year's tournament, as her Cornhuskers take on Boston College in Charlottesville, Va., in the first round.

"This season's been everything I hoped it would be," Sutton said on Wednesday as she prepared for her team's plane ride to Virginia. "You start your first game, then you play in your first Big 12 Tournament and then you play in your first NCAA Tournament. It's exciting."

Sutton, a member of the Sun's all-state first team last year, made the transition from high school to the college level smoothly this season.

After averaging fewer than 10 minutes for the early part of the year, she emerged as a consistent performer off the bench and has played 14 or more minutes in nine of Nebraska's last 11 contests.

"The Big 12 is a tough, physical conference, and it's a big jump from high school to college," the 6-2 Sutton said. "But I really feel like the style in the Big 12 fits me pretty well."

Nebraska coach Paul Sanderford rewarded Sutton for her strong play with three starts late in the season, against Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State. She finished the season averaging 4.7 points, scoring 11 twice, and averaging 3.3 rebounds, pulling down seven boards on three occasions.

With an 18-12 overall record, a fifth-place finish in the Big 12 and a semifinal appearance in the Big 12 Tournament, the Cornhuskers huddled around the television last Sunday to see where they'd be placed in this week's NCAA Tournament.

Sutton said her team wasn't worried about making the field of 64, however.

"We were comfortable because we've been playing well lately," Sutton said.

Now all that remains to cap off Sutton's stellar freshman experience in Lincoln is a tournament victory -- something she and her teammates are confident they can achieve.

"We've had a good couple days of practice and we're expecting a victory in our first game," Sutton said. "We're not just happy to be there. We want to win."