Hockey vs. Western Michigan Today, 7:30 p.m. Yost Ice Arena The Michigan Daily Friday, February 3, 1989 Wrestling vs. Minnesota Today, 5:30 p.m. Crisler Arena Page 9 Big Ten Young Spartans ready for Blue BY DOUG VOLAN It has been an uphill struggle for Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote, but he's almost there. After finishing 10-18 and 11-17 the last two seasons, the Spartans (12-5 overall, 3-4 Big Ten before Thursday's game with Wisconsin) are a threat to any Big Ten team they encounter. Michigan State will invade Crisler Arena tomorrow at 1 p.m. with a heralded corps of newcomers - known around East Lansing as "The Magnificent Seven." All of them came from the state of Michigan, and their contributions have helped bring about the Spartans' surprising turnaround. Indeed, Heathcote has inserted three of them into the starting lineup - Matt Steigenga, Parish Hickman, and Mark Montgomery. "We're trying to play three freshmen," Heathcote said. "My theory is that if you're going to play freshmen you better start them and see how much you can get out of them because they don't come off the bench very well. They're often confused and nervous." STEIGENGA, last season's Michigan's "Mr. Basketball," has helped strengthen the Spartans' front line by averaging 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Hickman stepped into a starting role in the pivot after highly recruited Mike Peplowski, runner-up as "Mr. Basketball," had.reconstructive knee surgery last winter. Montgomery, who was heavily recruited by the Wolverines, is the team's point guard. Last year's returning Spartans, however, have not bowed to the stiff competition for playing time. Sophomore guard Steve Smith is the team's leading scorer (18.8 points per game) and rebounder (8.7 rebounds per game), and has already been named Big Ten Player-of-the-Week twice this season. Forward Ken Redfield has put up equally impressive stats, averaging over 16 points and seven rebounds per game. Recently, the Spartans have also received a lift from an unlikely source. After averaging just five points per game last season, reserve guard Kirk Manns has almost doubled that this year, helped by 64 total points in two games last week. IN VICTORIES over Purdue and Minnesota, Manns poured in 40 and 24 points respectively. For his efforts, Manns was named the Big Ten and Sports Illustrated's Player-of-the-Week. "To get in the 40's you join an elite group," Heathcote said. "But to have a kid come off the bench and accomplish that is unbelievable. "Kirk's confidence level has risen and we're trying to set him up with screens for a few more shots." The Spartans' recent success has Michigan coach Bill Frieder very concerned. "We expect a very tough basketball game," he said. "Michigan State always plays well against Michigan, and they're on a high right know. They're playing with tremendous confidence and the younger guys are playing better and better." Michigan State's versatility, however, is what worries Frieder the most. "Where some teams, including Indiana, you can key on a player or two, with Michigan State you've got a lot of them capable of having big games and so you can't neglect any of them," he said. Blue Banter -Michigan leads the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 58.7 percent. According to Frieder, in any one game the Wolverines will have to shoot 55-60 percent to have a chance to win. *Frieder said he plans on giving guard Kirk Taylor more playing time, not only by relieving Rumeal Robinson when he goes out for a rest, but by playing alongside of Robinson as well. Previously, when Robinson went out of the game, the Wolverines went with 6-foot-9 Sean Higgins and 6- foot-8 Mike Griffin at the guards. basketball barrage ROBIN LOZNAK/Doily Michigan guard Rumeal Robinson will have to have a strong game if the Wolverines are going to beat Michigan State tomorrow at Crisler Arena. Twin Towers to try to topple two BY ADAM BENSON Fans have called the Michigan women's basketball team many names, ranging from chaotic to confused to potentially brilliant. Now you can add a new one - big. This Friday and Sunday, Michigan coach Bud VanDeWege will send his tall lineup onto the Crisler Arena court for the first time when his team faces Purdue and Illinois. This new unit features former 6-foot, 2-inch center Joan Rieger at the power forward spot and 6'3" Val Hall moving into the middle for the Wolverines. The backcourt is composed of two first-year players, Leah Wooldridge and Char Durand, while forward Tanya Powell retains her spot in the lineup. This lineup battled Michigan State to a 47-45 finish last weekend. More than the result, VanDeWege likes the new style of play this squad has shown. "OUR REBOUNDING totals are up and our turnover ratio is down," VanDeWege said. "This lineup gave us something on defense which we haven't had this season." Hall, who left the team in 1987, surprised many by getting the start against the Spartans. After missing part of the Big Ten season because of meningitis, Hall scored six points, snagged seven rebounds, and blocked two shots in 28 minutes against the Spartans. "In September, she dominated practice all the way into the pre-conference schedule," VanDeWege said. "We were so anxious to have her back, and then she got sick. Last week, she did just a great job." Hall's efforts must be even greater on Friday against the Boilermakers (15-2 overall, 6-1 in the Big Ten), now ranked ninth in the nation after their upset of Iowa last weekend. "(Purdue) is a legitimate contender for the Big ten title," VanDeWege said. "They are big and they have good speed. More than anything, they are physically imposing and they will crash the boards hard." BOILERMAKER FORWARD MaChelle Joesph averages 19 points per game and VanDeWege calls her, "the best freshman in the country around the perimeter." Sophomore forward Joy Holmes is second on the team in scoring and leads the conference in steals. Rhonda Mateen averages 10 points a game, giving the Boils a legitimate post-player. This lineup is just fine for second-year coach Lin Dunn, who has known which Michigan team to prepare for this weekend. "We'll go with the same five starters we have gone with," Dunn said. "I don't change a lineup based on a opponent. If they go with the same lineup they did against Michigan State, they'll be taller, but we'll have have fan edge on quickness." Illinois' offense depends on the talents of Dee Dee Deeken. The forward averages 19.6 points per game, placing her second among the conference's scoring leaders. "(Deeken) does damage inside and out," VanDeWege said. "We are going to have to make her work for everything she can get. She will be tough to stop, this year nobody else has been able to." LAST SEASON, the Illini (8-10, 3-4) lost several key players hindering their hopes of success in the Big Ten, much like Michigan this year. Although the Illini have won two in a row, Michigan scares Illinis coach Laura Golden. "They're capable of doing a lot of damage," Golden said. "When you lose key players, it takes a while, but the others eventually will make the needed adjustments. That could happen this weekend." 4 While many fans may be watching the spectacular play of Deeken, thre Illini star might be overshadowed by the return of Michigan guard Temple Brown. After keeping Brown from making the trip to Michigan Stato, VanDeWege said Brown showed "improvement" in practice and hopes 4o give her more playing time this weekend. ROBIN LOZNAK/Daily Tempie Brown, a pre-season All-Big Ten selection at guard, has had her playing time limited because of inconsistency. She may see more action this weekend. Golden Gophers gnaw at 'M' title hopes BY DAVID HYMAN One down, two to go. The Michigan wrestling team has accomplished one of its three season goals - winning the Great American Wrestling Classic while knocking off Iowa for the first time in 99 consecutive conference dual meets. However, the fourth-ranked Wolverines (13-2 overall, 8-0 in the Big Ten) need to put their laurels behind them in order to attain two other goals - the Big Ten Cham- pionship and the National Cham- pionship. Michigan continues its quest Friday at 6:00 p.m. in Crisler Arena, hosting tenth-ranked Min- nesota. The Golden Gophers finished fifth last weekend at the Great American Classic losing to Iowa by only five points, 22-17. Michigan beat Iowa 23-17. "I HOPE we don't have a mental letdown," Michigan head coach Dale Bahr said when asked if the Wolverines will easily take care of the Golden Gophers after defeating the once invincible Hawkeyes. "They're (Minnesota) a good wrestling team and they've got several outstanding individuals," Bahr said. Michigan Wrestler Mike Amine added: "We can't take them lightly, they've got a real good lineup." Although Minnesota does not possess as strong a lineup from top to bottom as Michigan does, its top ten ranking proves the Golden Gophers are a contender. "The question is can we stay close with them or will they run away with the meet," Minnesota assistant coach Jim Zalesky said. "WE'VE got a lot of good matchups with them. And these matches will be important for Big Ten seeds," Zalesky added. The two matches which should be the most interesting are at the 167 and 177 weight classes. Fifth-year senior and NCAA runner-up Dave Dean (20-1-1) at 177 pounds is Minnesota's strongest weapon, but will have his hands full against James Dye. Dye needs a victory against a major competitor in the conference in order to gain a top four seed at the Big Ten Championships. If he can not collect some big wins, Dye may face a tough draw. "James has come up sometimes with some good matches against some real good people," Bahr said. "James has proven himself many times this year," Amine said. "He just has to wrestle his match and if he wrestles like he's capable of, he'll beat (Dean)." MARTY MORGAN (18-5), 167 pounds, will be another tough opponent for the Wolverines. He will go against Amine, who is undefeated in the Big Ten (5-0-2) and is coming off a decisive major decision against Rick Novak of Iowa. Amine, who hurt his knee at the Virginia Duals in January, has been returning to the form which earned him All-America honors. "He's still coming back, but he's not one to complain," Bahr said. "I'm confident," Amine said. "And I know if I wrestle my match, I should come out winning." Jim Hamel, 134 pounds, has been another solid wrestler for the Golden Gophers this year, but will have his work cut out for him when he faces All-American John Fisher (30-0). Fisher overwhelmed Hamel in a match earlier this year at the Northern Open according to Zalesky. "He's probably the most dominant wrestler in the Big Ten," Zalesky said. Added Bahr: "He's just a step above everyone else." Another of Michigan's All-Amer- icans, Joe Pantaleo, 158 pounds, will face a formidable opponent in Gordy Morgan (23-2-3). Pantaleo, however, is coming off one of his best performances with a 33-second pin against Iowa's Mark Reiland, his first of the year. 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