Women's Basketball vs. Michigan State Friday, 7:30 p.m. Crisler Arena SPORTS Thursday, January 21, 1988 Hockey vs. Ferris State Friday, 7:30 p.m. Yost Ice Arena Page 8 The Michigan Daily Improved Badgers aim at Michigan I Yoder set for star wars in Ann Arbor By JEFF RUSH Wisconsin coach Steve Yoder was too busy to immediately join Tuesday's Big Ten teleconference. "Steve, are you there?" said Big Ten Service Bureau Director Mark Rudner into his phone in Schaumburg, Ill. "Steve?" No answer in Madison. What was Yoder doing? Making reservations for a possible NIT bid? In an era where a team only need be one of the nation's 96 best teams to make a post-season tournament, Wisconsin never has made the NIT. "STEVE?" Was he waiting for some sort of early NCAA Tournament bid? Wisconsin has not been invited to that tourney for over 40 years. "Steve?" asked Rudner again. "There appears to be some problem." Not according to Yoder and his Wisconsin players. Don't call them the badgered anymore, just the Badgers, thank you. WISCONSIN (2-2 Big Ten, 8-6 overall) - which faces Michigan (3-1, 14-2) tonight at 8 - won its first two Big Ten games, the first time they have done so since the 1979-80 season. That was three seasons before Yoder arrived. "Yeah, this is my best team," said Yoder. Except for some bad breaks at Indiana (a 55-53 loss) and a late col- lapse at home against Illinois (an 80-65 loss), the Badgers have played competitive Big Ten basketball. "We're not playing well the last five minutes of the game," said Yoder. But they still are only one game behind a team that had its 13-game winning streak ended on Monday. A win over Michigan tonight would leave the two teams tied at 3-2. Yoder, however, is not too confident of moving into a deadlock with Michigan. "I don't think Ohio State did us any favors," said Yoder, referring to the Buckeyes' 70-68 upset of the Wolverines. HE SAID it did not surprise him, however, that Ohio State beat Michigan. "I don't think anyone should be surprised. They have great support at home. It's hard for teams to play well on the road." Which brings us, or at least the Badgers, to Ann Arbor. Wisconsin has not beaten the Wolverines since 1984, and has not won in Ann Ar- bor since 1982, the year before Yoder arrived. Of all Michigan's current players, only Gary Grant and Steve Stoyko were on the roster the last time Michigan lost to Wisconsin. Say hi to Mr. Rice, Mr. Mills, and Mr. Robinson, Coach Yoder. Rice is averaging 20.5 points a game in the Big Ten, second only to Grant's 24.5 average. MILLS has been hot and cold, but decimated Michigan State in the second half of last week's game in East Lansing. Robinson is coming off his best game as a Wolverine. He scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and tossed out six assists against OSU. Wisconsin counters at guard with junior Trent Jackson, who is aver- aging 19 points a game, good for fifth in the conference.-Jackson scored 18 first-half points last year against Michigan in Madison, but Grant moved over to shut him down in the second half. Wisconsin's other big threat is sophomore Danny Jones, a 6-6, 240- pound rock of a forward who will remind Wolverine fans of Richard Rellford. "I think he's one of the best inside players in the league," said Yoder. "I'm sure he won't get recognized for this because he's only a sophomore, but he's one of the best." Glen Rice currently is second in the Big Ten in scoring. THE GREAT WALL RESTAURANT. Specializing in Szechuan, Hunan and Cantonese Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON Rumeal Robinson had his best game as a Wolverine Monday night at Ohio State. - Thompson finally' w 1ining rat race 4 $3.95 Luncheon Favorites 11 a.m.-4 p.m. -7 days Boneless Chicken Szechuan vegetables an Spicy Chicken Sweet & Sour Chicken Pepper Steak 1220 South University Ann Arbor Next to City Parking Structure Free Parking after 6p. m. 747-7006 Monday to Sunday 11a.m.-11p.m. While chef at Middle Kingdom, the restaurant was voted No.1 in town. His cooking experience Soriginates from Hong Kong to New York City to Ann Arbor. By PETER ZELLEN During the afternoon hours, just inside Crisler Arena, one can hear the sounds of scurrying. These sounds come from the rats. Not just any rats, mind you. They are the 'gym rats,' the rats on the Michigan woman's basketball team. A 'gym rat,' as characterized by Michigan head coach Bud Van- DeWege is, "a player who likes to pick up a ball and play. It's someone who keeps playing during vacations or even after the season is over." The leader of this rat-pack is 5- foot-7 senior guard Vonnie Thomp- son. Thompson, a native of Sagi- naw, transferred from Notre Dame to Michigan midway through her sophomore year. During her first year at Notre Dame she received plenty of playing time and played well. However, it was during her sophomore year that problems arose. A GENERAL lack of chem istry between Thompson and the Notre Dame coaches was cited as the reason for her transfer. She didn't see much action that year and she felt Stw t yLAV - wI[rivi is5 keiter Would you like to begin your nursing career in a hospital where there were no nurses stations, minimal overhead paging and no need to run all over to get supplies and medications? A hospital where modified primary nursing is more than a buzz word and nurses are respected professionals? Bon Secours is the hospital and our decentralized nursing system is the secret. We're the first hospital in Michigan to adopt this innovative system that frees nurses to provide direct patient care. A Nurseserver cabinet replenished by support staff ensures that supplies, records and medications are stored in each patient room. Nurses' stations are replaced by an Administrative Com- munication Control Center that answers phones, verbally responds to call lights and communicates patient needs and physician orders. Nurses keep in touch through a beeper system. To help you get your career started right, we provide individualized orientation and a very supportive administration. Continuing education is encouraged with tuition reimbursement and CEU's. We can also offer excellent compensation, a full range of benefits including on-site sick child care, and an exceptionally attractive facility. To find out how you can practice total patient care nursing visit us on Campus, Friday,. January 22, 1988 from 10:00am - 3:00pm at the Towsley Center for Continuing Medical Educa- tio~n.Ann Arbor Comous r 3cciI3132-343-1577 e grant Michidgan,24.S ir~e Micgan 2 mstrn g owa19.3 Lewis Purue 1 Jackson Wicnsn13.x' ewber Minnsotae16 =3 rs Na esteru0 1#. 763-1107 THURSDAY JANUARY 21 10PM $3.00 THE L NIVF. I iT CLUB that she was not given a fair chance to perform. So, with no ill-will or angry feelings towards Notre Dame, Thompson left the Fighting Irish to come to Ann Arbor in January of 1986. She was quickly inserted into the starting line-up the next year. Thompson led the team: in steals and minutes played. In addition, she set the Michigan record for assists in a single season withh147, enough to lead the Big Ten in that category. She proved to be durable also, averaging 36 minutes per game. Coach VanDeWegecan certainly testify to this. "I've only substituted for her two or three times this sea- son. She's getting what I need done out there. I'm very comfortable leaving her out there on the court all game," said the fourth-year coach. T H OMPSON has not let up this year. She's averaging almost nine points and four rebounds per game. She's climbing the list of Michigan's all-time assist leaders. Thompson is currently fifth on the list and is fifth in the Big Ten with a 5.2 average. She had a season high of 12 against North Carolina earlier in the season. Her play has not gone unnoticed by her teammates. Guard Sarah Bas- ford is very enthusiastic about her captain. "She's a complete player offensively and defensively. But most importantly she can pull the team together when we need to re-, group. Off the court she's a great, fun, smart person. Vonnie is a real asset to the program, " Basford said. Many of the younger players also admire Thompson. "She's a smooth player and a good dribbler, said Carol Szczechowski, a first-year guard. "She is a leader on and off the court. She keeps us together. She's going to be missed." Coach VanDeWege has a tough road ahead of him in replacing Thompson - and he knows it. "I wish I had been able to recruit her as a freshman. She's a great competi- tor. We'll have to look for someone with the same quickness and ball handling ability. Also for a great competitor, a person who does what it takes to win." The coaching staff will be con- ducting a search far and wide trying to replace the special 'gym rat.' But 4 0 I tV ''aM $. AAve 4 CAFE SOCIETY I Ad