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Page 8 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 6, 1985
ONE SMALL VOICE
By Jeff Bergida
Watch out Bo...
... basketball on the rise
I S THIS the school that brought you Tom Harmon, Rob Lytle, Anthony
Carter and Stefan Humphries finally beginning to recognize its basketball
team?
All of a sudden, people are starting to take notice of the 16-3 Wolverines,
the club that the Associated Press poll calls the eighth-best in the nation.
Saturday's clash with Illinois is sold out and only a couple of hundred tickets
remain available for tomorrow night's Purdue game.
"I need tickets for Illinois game" signs no longer refer only to football.
Walking to class, you can hear people talking about the possibility of a Big Ten
title, something that doesn't appear to be in the immediate future of a foot-
ball program trapped in a rut.
The winning streak stands at seven and the accolades are flowing in from
sources all over the country. The USA Today computer ranking lists
Michigan as the third-rated team in the country, behind Iowa and Duke.
Purdue coach Gene Keady, Michigan State's Jud Heathcote and Dick Vitale
of ESPN have all mentioned the Wolverines as a contender for the final four.
Obviously, things could go sour as suddenly as the team gelled but it's not
unreasonable to say that the present is bright and the future looks even
brighter.
That winning feeling
Michigan currently sits atop the Big Ten, tied with the equally surprising
Iowa Hawkeyes at 7-2. While the second-half schedule clearly favors George
Raveling's club (Iowa plays five home games to Michigan's four), the
Wolverines are developing the type of attitude that a winner needs. Even Bill
"The Eternal Pessimist" Frieder has very little to complain about.
"We do so much together and I haven't seen anything negative," said
Frieder, referring to his team's spirit. "On the road, we make them eat
together. A lot of schools give their kids meal money and let them go out.
"We're together all the time and I think that helps build unity. If the kids
aren't getting along, they've got me snowed because they look like a pretty
cohesive group."
Frieder laughs a lot more these days. For a while, it seemed like he was
waiting for the team to slump. Now, the Saginaw native possesses the self-
assuredness that his team has been displaying on the court. Frieder gave one
of the reasons why this club keeps winning where previous Michigan squads
would be inconsistent.
"When we recruited them (the junior class - Rich Rellford, Butch Wade,
Roy Tarpley and Rob Henderson), they didn't have any successful veterans
in the program to learn from," he said. "They really had to come along and
learn it their own way.
"Where now, a kid like (Gary) Grant can learn from a Butch Wade, as far
as physical and mental preparation, the importance of showing up for
weights, getting good rest on a road trip ... The kids coming up next year
will learn a great deal from a veteran club.
Perles snatching state recruits
Contrast this rosy picture with the news that George Perles is having a
banner year recruiting football players for Michigan State. All over the
midwest, papers are reporting that Perles is gathering in the local talent at
will. John Miller and Andre Rison, the top two high school players in the
state of Michigan, will both play in East Lansing.
Where does that leave the venerable Bo Schembechler and his program?
Probably back in the middle of the Big Ten. Michigan could be looking at its
first losing season since Bo came in and installed his Jesse Helms offense.
A 6-6 team that defined mediocrity will lose 12 starters to graduation.
Every year, Michigan's non-existent passing game becomes even more of an
anachronism. Chuck Long announced yesterday that he will return to pilot
the high-powered Iowa offense for one more year. It's going to take some
time to return the Wolverines to the lofty position they held for so many
years.
But that's okay. In the meantime, Michigan fans can watch the develop-
ment of Antoine Joubert, Grant and Co. Frieder loses only one player (Leslie
Rockymore) from the club with which everyone is so impressed.
Next year should be very interesting. For twelve months, the University of
Michigan might become a basketball school.
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Freshman sensation Gary Grant harasses a Kansas ball handler in
Michigan's 96-77 rout of the Jayhawks. Grant lit up the scoreboard for 20
points and stifled the Jayhawk guards before a national television audience
Daily Photo by DAN HABIB
and an endearing Crisler Arena crowd which chanted, "Gary, Gary."
Grant's electrifying play has helped lead the Wolverines to the top of the Big
Ten standings.
Good friends won't leave you flat.
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AP Top Twenty
W L
1. St. John's (60).........18 1
2. Georgetown (1) ..........19 2
3. Memphis St. (1).........17 1
4. SMU ................... 18 2
5. Duke ................... 16 3
6. Syracuse ............... 15 3
7. Oklahoma .............. 17 4
8. MICHIGAN ............ 16 3
9. Illinois ................. 18 5
10. Georgia Tech .......... 16 4
11. Nev. Las Vegas......17 2
12. Iowa .................. 18 4
13. Kansas ................ 18 4
14. Louisiana Tech ........ 18 2
15. North Carolina.......16 5
16. Oregon St.............. 16 3
17. Tulsa ................. 17 3
18. DePaul................ 14 5
19. Villanova ............. 14 5
20. Maryland ...........18 6
Pts
1238
1153
1126
1033
909
899
855
769
748
704
458
419
393
380
365
295
270
210
187
155
UPI Top Twenty
W L Pt
1. St. John's (38)...........17 1 613
2. Georgetown (3)..........19 2 562
3. Memphis State (1).......17 1 525
4. SMU ................... 18 2 424
5. Duke ................... 15 3 389
6. Illinois ................. 18 5 340
7. Georgia Tech ........... 16 4 338
8. Syracuse ............... 15 3 333
9. Oklahoma .............. 17 4 306
10. MICHIGAN ........... 16 3 260
11.Oregon St.............. 16 3 179
12. Nev. Las Vegas........17 2 123
13. Iowa .................. 18 4 106
14. Kansas ................ 17 4 94
15. N. Carolina...........16 5 89
16. Louisiana Tech.........17 2 88
17. Tulsa ................. 17 3 72
18. Villanova ............. 14 5 40
19. Maryland............17 6 37;
20. Ala. Birmingham.......19 5 29
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