Men's Basketball vs. Ohio State Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Crisler Arena, PASS TV SPORTS '." CCHA Finals Friday, Saturday Joe Louis Arena _# The Michigan Daily Thursday, March 6, 1986 Page 9 KILLER 'B's' PUT PRESSURE ON 'M' Blue to battle with Buckeyes By STEVE WISE For once, Bill Frieder isn't down- playing the significance of a basket- ball game. He's spelling it out plainly. "It's a big week," Frieder said, "no question. It's big with a lot of B's." LIKE'B'FOR Big Ten Champion- ship, which will be decided by the results of Michigan's games with Ohio State tonight and Indiana (20-6) Saturday, along with the latter two's contests with Michigan State (20-6). That particular situation is somewhat bewildering, since it reads like a "Who's in first?" schtick. Currently tied for the conference lead, the Wolverines and Hoosiers each must win both games to take the title outright. If the Saprtans beat both OSU and Indiana, and the Hoosiers beat Michigan, MSU shares the top spot with Indiana, assuming that is, the Bucks can beat the Wolverines tonight. Otherwise, Michigan could share the crown with Michigan State, if the Wolverines lose to OSU but beat Indiana while MSU wins both games. Finally, if the Wolverines beat the Bucks, lose to In- diana, and the Spartans don't lose, everybody wins, whats on second and I don't know's on third. Now put your lips together, twiddle them with your finger, and say "B-B- B-B-B-B..." BUT THIS was supposed to be plain language, right? So take it from the Michigan-centric view: Two wins give the Wolverines the championship un- contested; a loss tonight and win Saturday lead to sharing it with someone and two losses give the title to someone else. Getting back to our regularly scheduled story, the primary 'B' on Frieder's mind stands for Buckeyes, even though Indiana is a better team and the prime contender in the Big Ten race. "We cannot underestimate or overlook Ohio State," Frieder said. "Everything our kids are hearing is about the game on Saturday and we can't allow that." NOR CAN FRIEDER and co. allow Ohio State's other offensive threat is Dennis Hopson a 6-5 guard. Though the Wolverines held him to just 12 points and rendered him almost inef- fective in January, Hopson still ranks seventh in league scoring and also ranks high on Frieder's list of worries. "WE HAVE TO be concerned about Hopson and Sellers, but we can't let somebody else get away and have a big game," said Frieder. Give the coach a 'B' for boundless guard Kip Lomax and freshman for- ward Jerry Francis. HOPSON SAID Ohio State is not so much concerned with scoring punch as it is with another 'B' ballhandling. "We've got to try not to turn the ball over, The last game we had something like 20 turnovers (actually 16) and that had a big effect. "We've got to handle the ball stronger when we go to the middle," he continued. "Last time we tried to penetrate the middle and they knocked the ball out of the way." In that area, both teams are thinking alike. Frieder's plan for Hopson is to keep him out of the paint. "WE'RE GONNA try to not to let him drive the middle," Frieder said. "We want to make him drive the base line and get a big guy to step up and stop him." The sixth-year coach also wants to cut off the Buckeyes emotionally. They represent not a team playing the spoilers role, but one fighting for a coach who will not return next season. "To play Michigan and win one for coach (Eldon) Miller, I think they'll be juiced up," said Frieder. According to Hopson, the emotional current isn't running as high. He said neither Michigan's fight for the title nor Miller's end-of-season departure are heavy on his mind. "We're not thinking aobut them winning the championship," said Hupson. "We just want to play out game." "Coach Miller doesn't want us to think about (his leaving)," Hopson added. "He wants us to play like he's going to be here forever." room for OSU's king 'B,' Brad Sellers. The 7-0 senior stung Michigan with 25 points in Columbus and is third in the league in scoring. Sellers also puts the 'B' in boards for Ohio State. He led the Buckeyes with 15 rebounds the first time against Michigan and leads the league with an 11.9 average. imagination. Center Keith Wesson, a 6-9 junior, is the only Buckeye other than Hopson or Sellers to lead the team in either scoring or rebounding. He did each just once with a 19-point, 10-rebound game against Wisconsin. Normally, Wesson averages more like six points, about the same as OSU's other two starters, sophomore TARPLEY, GRANT GARNER HONORS UPI CHICAGO (UPI) -1 State's Scott Skiles, who m off the court problems to lea Ten in scoring, sharpshootin guard Steve Alford and O center Brad Sellers lead th All-Big Ten team announce day. Skiles, who led MSU to division in the conference, A Sellers were unanimous c the conference coaches for team. ROUNDING OUT the f were Roy Tarpley of Michi year's Big Ten player of the; Illinois high-scoring pivot Norman. The player of the coach of the year will be a next week. All-Big Te Michigan Tarpley was the lone repeater from weathered last year's all-conference team. Skiles ad the Big was only an honorable mention per- g Indiana former last season. )hio State But the senior guard from he 1985-86 Plymouth, Ind., burst upon the scene ed yester- this year, leading an unheralded Michigan State team into the first the first division and a likely NCAA bid this Alford and year. hoices by "I COULDN'T understand why the first everyone wasn't taking us seriously at the beginning of the year," said irst team Skiles, who averaged nearly 28 points igan, last per game this season. "I don't think year, and we're a surprise team at all." man Ken Alford, a junior, was a second team year and selection last year but returns to the announced first team for the second time. He was chosen as a freshman to the first unit. n team named Alford, an excellent free throw shooter and like Skiles, an excellent outside shooter, helped lift Indiana into title contention against Michigan heading into the final weekend of the regular season. TARPLEY OVERCAME an assor- tment of injuries to again lead the Wolverines into the top 10 and into title contention. The 6-10 senior did not have the offensive statistics of either Skiles or Alford but that was more due to Michigan's style of balanced offen- se. Sellers, a third-team selection last year, blossomed into one of the nation's finest centers this year. An excellent shot blocker and rebounder -he led the league in both categories nearly all season - the 7-0 Sellers is expec- ted to be a first round NBA draft choice. A pair of Purdue sophomores, Troy Lewis and Todd Mitchell, highlight the second team chosen by the coaches. The pair combined to again make the Boilermakers one of the surprise teams in the conference. Joining Mitchell and Lewis were last year's freshman of the year, Gary Grant of Michigan, Minnesota Pivot- man John Shasky and Junior Dennis Hopson of Ohio State. Daily Photo by STEVE WISE Freshman Glen Rice shoots against Ohio State in Michigan's 78-68 vic- tory earlier this year at St. John Arena. *...u amns mmmmmumuuuEEEEE uummnumuuuuuuuumu SOTTINI'S SUB SHOP Giant Italian Style Submarine Sandwiches I B769-S-U-B-S -BUY I SUB - GET 1 FREE 205 S. 4th Ave. (between Liberty & Washington) * WITH THIS AD Eat In Or Carr Out t epes 4larch 31stI)ru * Usm m e s a m n m e m s a m m g m n s e *1In Pleasing Brides" BRIDES * BRIDESMAIDS FORMALS TUXEDO RENTALS C4'd & tde4 S4owc'e 3360 Washtenaw Avenue Mon.-Thurs. 10 - 8:30 Fri. & Sat. 10to 6 971-6455 THE BUS STOPS HERE Let Them Know How You Feel! ! 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