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The Michigan Daily
Friday, March 6, 1981
Pag
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83-67 WIN SNAPS SIX-GAME DROUGHT
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Cagers clobber Gophers
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gettin to';
By JON MORELAND
Before the season even began, every Big Ten
basketball follower knew that Michigan's success
would hinge on its front line's ability to produce
against the opposition's big men. That production,
which was lacking throughout Michigan's recent six-
game losing streak, re-appeared in last night's 83-67
win over Minnesota at Crisler Arena.
It would have been a much closer ball game if the
points of Michigan's starting forwards and center
were totaled against those of the entire Gopher
squad. The front line trio of Mike McGee, Thad Gar-
ner and Paul Heuerman combined for a total of 66
points, one below the entire Minnesota output.
McGEE, WHO LAST night became the Big Ten's
all-time leading scorer, led the Wolverine attack with
36 points. The offensive assistance McGee had lacked
in recent games was finally provided, as Heuerman
tallied 18 points and Garner added 12.
Even more impressive was their shooting percen-
tage over the giants from Minneapolis. Heuerman hit
Gopher broke
nine of 11 shots from the floor and Garner hit six of
ten and McGee was 16 for 28 as Michigan hit an even
60 percent from the field.
"We felt there were only two we could lay off of,"
said Minnesota coach Jim Dutcher. "One of them
goes six for ten and the other goes nine for 11."
MICHIGAN COACH BILL Frieder was especially
pleased with the play of Heuerman. The senior center
came into the game averaging only 6.6 points per
Big Ten game. His 18 points equalled a season high.
"It's good to see him play a good game," said
Frieder. "He's a great shooter and I'm glad to see
him finally break out of his slump."
Frieder was also pleased with the rebounding of his
crew. Anytime the Wolverine cagers can break even
in the rebounding category, it's considered a plus,
and last night they grabbed 28 caroms to the much
taller Minnesota's 27. "Our rebounding was definitely
a key," said Frieder.
DUTCHER HAD A different perspective, however,
"They (the Wolverines) were just quicker g
the ball," he said. "We were moving awfully slow,
and that made Michigan look a lot quicker."
THE FIRST TEN minutes of the second half was
see-saw battle with neither team able to build up a
lead in excess of three points.
An eight point Michigan streak, however, proved.
decisive when it put the Wolverines ahead 65-56 witk
seven-and-a-half minutes left.
"in the first ten minutes of the second half it was-,
anybody's ball game," said Frieder.
"ONCE WE GOT in the lead, though, we were able
to settle back into a zone and shut down their inside
game."
The all-important streak began when Heuertnan hit
a 15-footer from the right corner. A Garner layup,
sandwiched between a pair of short jumpers by-
McGee provided the Wolverines with a cushion they
never relinquished.
MINNESOTA
MICHIGAN
Min
Min
McGee..........
Garner ............
Heuerman.........
Johnson ...........
Bodnar, Mt ........
McCormick .......
Bodnar, Mk ...
Person.........
Team Rebounds
Totals...........
37
40
31
25
33
14
9
11
ifg/a ft/a R
16/28 4/6 3
6/10 0/1 6
9/11 0/0 8
3/7 0/0' 4
2/3 1/1 3
0/1 0/0 0
2/3 0/0 0
1/2 0/0 3
1
39/65 5/8 28
A
0
7
3
4
3
0
2
PF Pts
1 36
2 12
2 18
1 6
2 5
3 0
14
1 2
Holmes............ 15
Howell.............33
Breuer .. .........37 .
Tucker.............33
Hall .............. 38
Whley............ 13
Mitchell............31
Team Rebounds
Totals..........
fg/a ft/a R
2/2 2/3 2
2/7 0/1 7
7/12 1/2 8
7/15 0/0 3
8/9 1/2 1
1/2 0/0 1
4/11 1/1 3
2
31/58 5/9 27
A
0
4
2
i
3
0
2
PF
0
3
4
2
3
2
1
Pts
6
4
15
14
17
2
9
Daily Photo by BRIAN MASCK
MICHIGAN CENTER Paul Heuerman lunges to save a ball headed out of
bounds during the second half of last night's 83-67 Wolverine victory over
Minnesota. The 6-8 senior had his finest night of the season, scoring 18 points
on nine of 11 from the field and grabbing a game-high eight rebounds to help
subdue the giant-sized Gophers.
10 15 67
20 13 83
Fouled Out-None
Halftime-MICHIGAN 34, Minnesota 32
Attendance- 10,900
-Satisfying, streak-ending victory
keeps slim NCAA chances alive
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By DREW SHARP
Don't cancel Michigan's NCAA
basketball tournament reservations
just yet. The Wolverines' 83-67 victory
over Minnesota lastnight coupled with
the Purdue Boilermakers' 93-92 triple
overtime defeat at the hands of Ohio
State have kept the Wolverines' faint
hopes of an NCAA bid alive, but accor-
ding to head coach Bill Frieder,
Michigan must win Saturday against
those same Boilermakers to secure a
post-season tournament bid.
"I told the .guys during practice that
no tournament would accept a team
that has lost eight consecutive games,"
said Frieder. "To justify receiving a
bid we would have to win our final two
games. We got one tonight against Min-
nesota, but we must defeat Purdue on
BILLBOORD
The deadline for all team entries for
the 5-6 (women) and 5-9 (men) All-
Campus intramural basketball leagues
is today. Rosters and entry fee must be
in by 4:30 this afternoon at the I-M
Building on Hoover St.
SCORES
College Basketball
vanderbilt 60, Kentucky 55
Virginia 76. Georgia Tech 47
0 North Carolina 69, North Carolina State 54
Wake Forest 80, Clemson 71
Georgetown 58, Seton Hall 52
Providence 67, Boston College 65
Villanova 65, Connecticut 54
Iona 41, St. Peter's 38
Cincinnati 67, Tulane 66
Virginia Tech 72, Memphis State 66
Georgia 88, Alabama 80
Mississippi 81, Tennessee 71
Alcorn State 90, Prairie view 79
Texas Christian 56, Baylor 47
Rochester 75, Salem State 62
Holy Cross 63, Maine 54
Northeastern 76, Vermone 69 OT
San Jose State 63, Fullerton State 54
Centenary 76, Samford 69
Professional Basketball
New York 104, Detroit 101
Kansas City 106, Portland 100
"If we win on Saturday,
we will be in a tour-
nament somewhere."
-Bill Frieder
Iowa City and Indiana's 69-66 triumph
over Illinois, which formed a deadlock
for the top spot in the conference.
INDIANA WILL travel to East Lan-
sing on Saturday to take on the red-hot
Spartans while the Buckeyes play host
to Iowa. Since there is no playoff format
for the Big Ten in case of a tie, both
clubs will be dubbed co-champions and
each will receive ma bid to the NCAA
tournament.
Although the Illini lost last night, they
are virtually assured of an invitation
whether they win or lose their con-
ference finale. It will be up to the
discretion of the NCAA whether more
than three Big Ten teams will be in-
vited.
The NCAA will be selecting 48 teams
in all whereas the NIT, picking up the
NCAA leftovers, will choose,32 clubs,
making a total of 80 post-season tour-
nament invitations given to teams
throughout the country.
Saturday. If we win on Saturday, we
will be in a tournament somewhere."
A WIN OVER Purdue coupled with a
Wisconsin victory over the Gophers
would create a three-way tie for fourth
place in the Big Ten with the Boiler-
makers and Minnesota. The Wolverines
would have the better overall record of
the three teams, and if the NCAA selec-
tion committee decided to take four
teams from the Big Ten, tabbing the
Wolverines would be the logical choice.
Minnesota head coach Jim Dutcher
realized that his team now has its back
to the wall regarding an NCAA bid.
"If we win in Wisconsin on Saturday
and go 10-8 in the conference, we can
freeze out Michigan," said Dutcher.
(The best the Wolverines can hope for is
a 9-9 conference finish.) "A Purdue vic-
tory tonight would really put us on the
spot against Wisconsin."
LAST YEAR, Minnesota tied owa for
fourth place in the conference, but the
NCAA invited the Hawkeyes to the
tournament, who wound up advancing
to the Final Four in the tournament.
"Our season boils down on Satur-
day," continued Dutcher. "Some good
things could happen to us if we win, but
if we fall, we'll be heading right back to
the NIT's." The Gophers lost to
Virginia in the final game of last year's
NIT tournament.
The Big Ten championship will go
right down to the wire due to Michigan
State's 71-70 upset of first place Iowa at
CAMeUS M A ST'S
619 E. Liberty
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