The Michigan Daily-Saturday, February 18, 1978-Page 7 4-3 VICTORY FIRST IN FIVE GAMES 0 0 leers win in overtime By BRIAN MILLER Dan Lerg took a right wing pass from Mike Coffman with 2:25 gone in the overtime period and beat Colorado College goaltender Scott Owens to give Michigan a 4-3 victory over the Tigers last night at Yost Arena. The exciting overtime saw CC's Dean Magge miss an open net as well as Frank Zimmerman making two big saves on the Tigers' star center Dave Delich before Lerg sewed it up. Dave Delich's goal at 2:15 of the third period tied the score at 3-3 for Colorado College and sent the contest into over- time. Delich's goal came with the Tigers; shorthanded as CC's Greg Whyte was, sitting out a two minute minor for slashing. The game between the fifth place Tigers and the seventh place Wolverines could hardly be called ex- citing or well played and the 2,922 people who showed up comprised the quietest, as well as the smallest, crowd of the year. Michigan scored the game's first goal halfway through the first period as Dan Hoene blazed a shot. past CC's netmin- der, Scott Owens, after Michigan's Mike Coffman was penalized for crosschecking. Bill Wheeler started the scoring play when he picked up the puck at the Wolverines' blue line, skated down ice with Hoene and set up the senior right winger in alone on Owens. Hoene drilled the puck high over Owens' right shoulder, giving the Wolverines a short lived 1-0 lead. The goal sparked something within Colorado College, and instead of Michigan having the momentum, the Tigers put on the pressure. In fact, for the next five minutes, Michigan never got the puck out of its own zone and CC finally cashed in on its hard work by scoring at 14:39. The goal, scored by Gary Reinking, came on a shot thru a huge jam up in front of Michigan goalie Frank Zim- merman. Zimmerman never saw the, bouncing shot as it barely slid by him into the net. Colorado College took a brief 2-1 lead in the second period on another shot that couldnt have broken tissue paper. With the Tigers applying a little bit of pressure, Whyte was able to pick up an unsuccessful Wolverine clearing pass and drilled a shot towards the Wolverines' net. However, the shot hit someone or something in front of the net and.the change of speed on the shot threw Zimmerman's timing off. He missed the puck and CC had broken the tie. But at 15:38, Michigan tied the game up again on the first of Kip Maurer's two goals for.the night. That goal, and his second one less than two minutes later gave Michigan a 3-2 lead before Delich's goal tied the score once more early in the third period. Oh boyin OT! FIRST PERIOD Scoring: 1. M - Hoene (Wheeler) 8:13; 2. CC - Reinking (ReillySeguin) 14:39. Penalties: M - Coffman (cross-checking) 3:46; CC - Whyte (slashing) 4:26; M - Turner (interfer- ence) 8:06; M - Lerg (elbowing) 10:39; M - Pachol- zuk (roughing) 15:17; CC - Seguin (high-sticking o and roughing) 15:17.SECOND PERIOD Scoring: 3. CC - Van (Whyte. Warner) 6:03; 4. M = Maurer (Olver) 15:38; 5. M - Maurer (Debol) 17:24. Penalties: M - Waymann (interference) 12:10; CC - Ileckler (elbowing) 16:13. THIRD PERIOD Scoring: 6. CC - Delich (llaedrich, Knoke) 2:15. Penalties: CC - Whyte (slashing) 1:26; CC - Christofferson (tripping) 16:30. OVERTIME Scoring: 7. Lerg (Coffman, Miller) 2:25. No penalties. SAVES Daily Photo by PETER SERLING FRANK ZIMMERMAN sums up a total feeling of frustration as Colorado College slipped a puck behind him in the first period of last night's game. Michigan had the last laugh, however, as Dan Lerg's overtime goal clinched a 4-3 win. CC's Mike Konke (3), Ged Seguin 423) and Michigan's Ben Kawa (27), partially hidden, complete this portrait. full court PRESS Not a typical season .. . e.o. intensity a factor? By CUB SCHWARTZ BLOOMINGTON THE FELLOW WITH the red sweater began to gab before we had fully slid into our seats at Wisconsin fieldhouse. "You guys from Ann Arbor, huh," he asked? "Yeah, came up to cover the basketball game," we responded in unison. "You oughtta kill us," he charged, violating any faint pretense of re- porter objectivity. "Why's that," Hank countered, "You think we're that good?" "Sure, I mean after all, you're..." "Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer boomed over the public address system, drowning out the guy in the red sweater's concluding words. It didn't matter. What he planned to say is the same thing every other casual observer of Michigan basketball has thought all along. Michigan basketball is good-it's a fact of life, the reasoning goes. Why should this year be any different than those in the past? Thrillers and killers Well the fact is that this year is different. Not just because Phil Hubbard is lost for the season, not just because John Orr lost the best backcourt in the Big Ten and not because John Robinson is gone. Those guys were good-make that great. All of the seniors were drafted into the NBA, and not even the most naive observer could doubt Hubbard's ability. But the talent was replenished by an eagle-eyed McGee, a reborn Thompson and a group of super subs opposing coaches drooled to have in their starting lineup rather than on Michigan's bench. So why didn't Michigan blow the Badgers off the floor Thursday night? How have the Wolverines managed to kill Wisconsin on a Thursday in January, lose badly to Ohio State four nights later, follow with an impressive win over Indiana, a depressing rout by Purdue, the thriller in East Lansing, the killer in West Lafayette and a respective win and loss to the Buckeyes and the Spartans? Where is the consistency? Where is the appetite to win? Where did they lose the intensity between victories? "This is the first time in four years we are not right up there," Orr noed after Thursday night's narrow victory. "Everything's a little different when you're not on to You worry about the kids' attitude-you think you're playing hard, but ou're not." Therein lies part of the problem. "You think you're playing hard, but you're not." But it's not that easy. The '77-78 Wolverines don't loaf. No sir, Orr wouldn't stand for that type of behavior. The man demands hustle and for the most part he gets it. DON'T GET OUTHUSTLED the Frieder-made sign in the varsity locker room warns. The consequences for violation of the rule are apparent. So if everybody hustled, why did the coach say some of his troops aren't playing as hard as they think? I think we're talking about the percentage points over 100 that some players can muster in a performance. A guy that gives 100 per cent on the floor hustles. A guy that gives 110 per cent plays with intensity. Searching for intensity On the road to the NCAA final in 1976, the Wolverines played with intensity. When Michigan copped the Big Ten title last year it played with in- tensity. And this year they had it against Louisville, Minnesota, Indiana and a handful of others. "I didn't think we played with great intensity until we were eight points down," said Orr in reference to the game with Wisconsin, "then I think we played very hard." That surge put them over the hump in the waning moments in Madison. Apparently intensity is what Orr is searching for. He hoped to start Mark Lozier in front of Dave Baxter, hoping the moody senior would be helped to kick out of his slump by the added determination of avoiding the bench. And in Orr's own opinion, the plan worked. "I thought he came in there and played a little better. He was more active." Paul Heuerman's 20 minutes of playing time, giving Alan Hardy 15 on the bench may have been tried for the same reason. Michigan plays so well when it plays with intensity. The team is a pleasure to watch. But on those other occasions, it can be a real disappoin- tment. Why? There is no easy answer, but it may be the pressure Orr has alluded to all vear The underdn ean always bite a little harder-right Mr. Sinks? Idle cager Johnson somber; questions By HENRY ENGELHARDT Johnny Johnson doesn't say much to the press these days. He doesn't play very much either. F It's hard to say what has happened to the 6-4 freshman who hit eight of 11 from the field against Fordham and totaled 18 points that afternoon back in early December. HE PLAYED 23 minutes that day and looked like the perfect replacement for the all-important sixth man slot, which was left up for grabs when Dave Baxter moved into a starting role. The former Buffalo prep star could be inserted at either guard or forward and showed a flair for doing things a good sixth man must do, like: making a steal, hitting a couple of shots in a row and penetrating to get things going on offense. Johnson played 17 minutes against Central Michigan and had eight points. He saw 18 minutes of action against Toledo and had 10 points. In the Big Ten opener against Northwestern he played 11 minutes and tallied four points. THROUGH THE Northwestern game he had played in all nine contests, averaging 11 minutes and 6.8 points per outing, while hitting 56 per cent of his shots from the field (26-46). In the last 12 games he has played a isfuure a total of 23 minutes and has taken but eight shots, hitting two. Where have you gone Johnny John- son? "No comment," says the somber Johnson. "No comment, no comment, no comment," he replies, no matter what the question. JOHNSON HAS BEEN relegated to the bench and last minute of the game clean up duty because, according to coach Johnny Orr, "He isn't playing well. He hasn't played well in a long time. He just made a lot of mistakes and then didn't get to play. I'm sure he got down a little bit." Does Johnson give 100 per cent effort in practice? "No," says Orr, "but he's getting much better.". Johnson's effort has always been questioned, both by Orr and by himself. In the second week of November Orr was quoted as saying/ "Defensively he's (Johnson) not so strong, and we would like him to work harder." That same afternoon Johnson said "Defensively I have to think and hustle. I'm lackadaisical." But he has always known that hustle, especially in prac- tice, is something the Michigan coaches look for. "It's not like high school,". Johnson said after just the first prac- tice of the season. "You can't quit or t Michigan you won't play." TODAY JOHNSON'S displeasure at lack of playing time is evident in his ac- tions. During timeouts, while the rest of the bench huddles around those cur- rently in the game while listening to Orr's words, he can be seen, arms folded, scouting the crowd or needling Mike Robinson. And at the end of one practice Orr had the players line up single file and run the length of the court. Orr would feed them a bounce pass which each player would take and slam, twist or un- derhand through the hoop with great flair. Johnson attempted the simplest of layups. In the Orr system, where the five starters get most of the playing time, a bunch of people have to lose out. John- son, who averaged over 30 points and 15 rebounds a game his senior year in high school, finds sitting so much difficult, just as Joel Thompson, Alan Hardy and Dave Baxter did for years. BUT ORR has not given up on one of last year's recruiting prizes. The usually articulate Johnson an- swered but one question with a reply other than "no comment." He was asked whether he would return to Michigan next year. "Who knows?" He wondered aloud. 1 2 Zimmerman (NI)........... 1! 8 Owens (CC) ................ 9 i 31 9 9 OT T. 2 29 2 25 Johnny Johnson Home bodies Cagers after first road win at IU since 1966 By HENRY ENGELHARDT Special to The Daily BLOOMINGTON-Remember when policemen were callel the fuzz? How about a war in Vietnam and the draft? What about the last time .Michigan defeated Indiana here? 1966 was the eventful year. Since Cazzie Russell's senior season the Wolverines have been turned back by the Hoosiers nine times on IU's home court. However, Michigan does have a one game Bloomington win streak going, as they downed Holy Cross in first round NCAA playoff ac- tion at Assembly Hall last year, 92-81. The starting time of today's contest has been pushed back to 4:00 p.m., to accommodate TV. The Big Ten's game- of-the-week can be seen on Channel 4 locally. The Wolverines should not feel too bad because nobody but the Hoosiers wins consistently in Bloomington. This season Indiana is 10-1 at home after beating the likes if Notre Dame, Alabama, Purdue and Michigan State, and would like nothing better than to add Michigan to that list. "Indiana may be the best team in the Big Ten at home," said Johnny Orr. A win would tie Indiana with Michigan for fourth place as the Wolverines stand 8-5 and IU is 7-6 in the conference. Michigan must win to stay alive in-the fight for an NCAA berth and unfor- tunately for its chances, the Wolverines are running into a sizzling Hoosier squad. Since Michigan beat Indiana 92-73 in Crisler a little over three weeks ago the Hoosiers have won 5 of 6, losing only at Michigan State. They have done it by moving to a smaller, quicker lineup than the Wolverines faced last time. The Big, Ten's third leading scorer, Mike Wood- son (19.2 ppg), has moved from guard to forward as has burly Wayne Rad- ford. Jim Wisman and Tommy Baker now start at guard. Ray Tolbert, a terrific rebounder, remains in the pivot. SPORTS OF THE DAILY Women cagers travel to MSU Michigan played one of its best games of the year the first time the two teams met. The front line of Mike McGee, Alan Hardy, and Joel Thom- pson tallied 51 points that afternoon. Mark Lozier had a season high 12 points in a relief role. It is unclear at this junction whether Lozier will get the starting nod over Dave Baxter as he did Thursday night. Lozier played the first five minutes against Wisconsin before Baxter replaced him and he never returned to the action. Orr made a similar move three years ago when he brought Steve Grote, then a sophomore, off the bench instead of using him.as a starter. Grote responded as the coaches wish Baxter would, with some of the best basketball of his life. The rest of the Wolverine lineup remains intact: McGee, Thompson and Hardy up front with Tom Staton, who will most likely have the chore of covering Woodson, at guard. WOLVERINE TALES: Baxter needs only 10 more assists to become 'Michigan's single season leader in that department. Dan Fife currently holds the record with 139. . . Orr is 4-9 against Bobby Knight . . . even en route to Wisconsin and Indiana, one cannot escape thoughts of MSU star Earvin Johnson, as there are numerous restaurants along the way sporting his last name. Perhaps Howard is a relative. Pistons popped By SCOTT M. LEWIS Special to The Daily DETROIT - The Pistons playoff drive continued in reverse gear last night, falling to the New York Knicks, 128-108 at Cobo Arena. THE LOSS dropped Detroit's record to 25-31, and left them four games behind Los Anotf ntorn h By BILLY NEFF They were nipped by the number six team in the nation by one point on its own floor and in its own tournament (Queens College). They lost to eventual Big Ten Tournament champion Ohio State by a mere five points, a quintet that destroyed Michigan, 94-47. Who is this highly rated power? It is none other than arch-rival Michigan State whose women's basketball team stands in the way of Gloria Soluk's Michigan squad this Saturday at East Lansing. "They are one of the finest teams in the state and in the country," Soluk said. AND WHAT DOES Michigan 'State expect from the Wolverines' women's basketball team? "Not much! I saw them play in the Big Tens and was not impressed; we're not taking them too heavily. We'll have to plan a little special attention to Abby Currier," related Spartan mentor Karen slots, forwards Abby Currier and Terry Conlin and center Natasha Cender. After the Blue cagers fight their uphill battle against the 13-5 Michigan State group, they must confront two teams that have already upended MSU this season, Western Michigan and Nor- thwestern. "If we come away from these games with one or two wins, I'd be so happy," Soluk concluded. Synchro's swim Michigan's synchronized swimming team ends a long layoff today as they host a five-team routine meet at Margaret Bell pool. THE SYNCHROS, who last competed in early January, will be facing defend- ing NCAA champion Ohio State, as well as Michigan State, Western Michigan, and Youngstown. The Wolverines, runners-up to Ohio State last year, want to prove to the the nation as they defeated the Blue grapplers 31-11 last night at Crisler arena. Even with four wrestlers (including 158 pound Big Ten champ Lee Kemp) out with the flu, the Badgers dominated Michigan, winning in seven of the 10 weight classes. SENIOR CAPTAIN Karl Briggs (150 - decision), NCAA champ Mark Churella (158 - pin) and sophomore Steve Fraser (177 - draw) were the lone winners for the Blue. Briggs, com- peting in his last dual meet for Michi- gan, topped the night's excitement with a last-second, come-from-behind vic- tory. "I knew I could beat the guy (Wiscon- sin's Paul Lawinger). It was just a mat- ter of time. I'm really elated to win in my last meet. It gets me going and ready for the Big Tens." Churella, who was supposed to wrestle the Badger's Kemp in "the matchonf the nigit" insead easil nin-