Page 8 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, January 21, 1987 NORTHWESTERN SEEKS FIRST BIG TEN WIN N Blue looks to wallon (Continued from Page 1) loss to Ohio State a couple of weeks ago, Foster put him on the bench and started freshman Bryan Ross. Ross (averaging 3.3 points a game) should start tonight against the Wolverines, but Cucuz will also play. Also up front is Northwestern's best player, Shon Morris. The 6-10 junior forward is a legitimate Big Ten player, who should see the ball a lot against Michigan's smaller and inexperienced big men. Earlier this year, Morris scored 27 points against Purdue and 22 against Illinois. Last year, Morris (16.5 overall) was the only player other than league MVP Scott Skiles to score 15 or more points in 11 consecutive Big Ten games. In an attempt to open up the inside for Morris, and to add some offensive punch to an impotent Wildcat attack, Foster is inserting 6-2 Jeff Gross into the lineup, and moving Elliot Fullen (6-2) to small forward. Foster had refused to do this in earlier games because of the severe height disadvantage the three-guard offense presents. But against Michigan, a team that also utilizes three guards, Foster thinks he can get away with it. "We need some scoring, and the threat of scoring from outside could help alleviate the double-teaming and triple-teaming that we've seeing on Morris inside," said Foster. Despite the talent advantage Michigan seems to have, Wolverine coach Bill Frieder is not taking lightly the Wildcats or Wisconsin (also 0-6 in the conference), who Michigan will play Saturday. "What I tell my kids every year about this trip is that (Northwestern and Wisconsin) are probably going to be the ninth and 10th place teams but they're going to win. three, four, or five games every year," said Frieder. "You have to make sure that you're not the one that gets it because they rise to the occasion and they catch someone." Miller Time BY SCOTT G. MILLER Recruit to Michigan?.. .one life to live_ D rama, intrigue, and selfishness. The recruiting of high school basketball player Sean Higgins had it all. Only a demented soap opera writer or professional wrestling choreographer could have created a more bizarre scenario. The 6-9 Higgins, considered by basketball experts to be one of the top five seniors in the nation, is currently averaging 27 points and 13 rebounds per game for Fairfax High School in Los Angeles. Fairfax's 14-0 record places the school second in the USA Today's high school rankings. Higgins, who lives with his mother, narrowed his college selections to Michigan and nearby UCLA and planned to announce his decision during the NCAA early-signing period at a press conference on November 18. He never appeared at the press session. During that morning Higgins contacted his sister Jamie, a freshman at Michigan, and his father, Earle, who lives in Detroit, to tell them he would attend Michigan. But later that day, he signed a national letter-of-intent with UCLA. "He had more than pressure from his mother," said Jamie Higgins. "It was something along the lines that she made his mind up for him." HIGGINS' PARENTS are divorced, which led to speculation his mother wanted to either keep her son close to her or away from his father. Regardless, it appeared fate had dealt Michigan basketball coach Bill Frieder a cruel rejection. This writer contacted UCLA to ask about their good fortune. Coach Walt Hazzard was out so I spoke with his secretary, who had not heard the circumstances surrounding Higgins' decision. After I told her the story, the conversation went as follows: "Hah, haaaaah, haaaah. Who are you? You're awfully funny." "I'm a basketball writer, and that's a true story." "Please call coach Hazzard later. He'll love a good laugh. Bah, hah,hah." Nobody in the Bruins program is laughing now. Claiming he signed under duress, Higgins has petitioned the NCAA to release him from his commitment to UCLA. Higgins waited until he turned 18 on Dec. 30 to appeal. HIGGINS DESPARATELY wants to come to Michigan. He follows the Wolverines on. television and is impressed with their play this season. "I like Coach Frieder and his staff," said Higgins. "I like.all the players and not just basketball-wise. It seems that they all jell together." The thought of Higgins' jelling with next year's Wolverines has to resemble the sight of black jack for noted card-counter Frieder. The combination of Higgins and Proposition 48 victims' Terry Mills and Rumeal Robinson would give Michigan the best group of newcomers in the country. Visions of grandeur, though, are not filling Frieder's mind just yet. He cannot cite a precedent for this situation and is not expecting much from the NCAA. According to Higgins, Hazzard will free him from the commitment, but it must be done through NCAA procedures. He sounds like Mikhail Gorbachev telling a prospective defector to first consult the KGB for correct procedure. Hazzard this week refused comment. His office issued a statement saying they are aware of the situation, and it has been referred to the Pacific 10 Conference office. PAC-10 OFFICIALS said yesterday they had not been contacted by UCLA regarding Higgins. They also said that letters of intent are handled by the Collegiate Commisioners Association headed by the Southwest Conference chairman Fred Jacoby. Jacoby did not return my call. Considering past rule violations by SWC members, don't be surprised if Higgins plays for Southern Methodist University next season. Wherever Higgins enrolls next season a basketball program will greatly benefit. Where is anyone's guess. "I would like him to come here," said his sister. "But I just want him to go wherever he is going to be happy." And that would be a switch. A soap opera with a happy ending. ; .. Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON Sophomore forward Glen Rice leads the Big Ten with 11 rebounds per game this season. A)ST L LEIN A M ER ICA S C O.LLE GE R IN G Stop by and see a Jostens representative this week to save on the gold ring of your choice. Monday Jan. 19th-Friday Jan. 23rd, 11a.m. to 4p.m. 5 YEA RS MORE THAN A BOOKSTORE 549 East University Ann Arbor, MI (313)662-3201 (at the corner of East U. and South U.) I I %w UniversittjLibrary note4duauthor ama aunnm i F"l .. Taylor m COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) - Lawrence Taylor, playing in his first Super Bowl following the best of his six NFL seasons, hinted yesterday that he might retire when 190. . . ay retire his contract expires in two years. "I don't want to be like Tom Jackson and stay around 12 or 13 years," the New York Giants linebacker said in a reference to the 35-year-old Denver linebacker who will face the Giants in the Super Bowl. Taylor will turn 28 Feb. 4. "They keep coming up with new kinds of offenses and I'm taking a pretty good beating," Taylor said. "I don't know if I can take it much longer than a few more years." /p''y11-N QTR C S tbI UIT Wt~mf 1.)Z I) t tcM Al I . mi Af B~ ml' *t Are you between the ages of118 and 24? Date: January 27, 1987 Sign up at your I I ~ ~ na ME WKuA