The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 16, 1989 -Page 10 1989 NCAA Tournament Preview Vaught orchestrates move I into basketball's forefront Steve Blonder BY JULIE HOLLMAN During the past few months, Michigan center Loy Vaught has moved from second fiddle to first trumpeter, and the tune he's cur- rently tooting sounds sweet. As the 1989 NCAA Tournament begins, Vaught no longer lingers in the shadows of his big-name team- mates. During the regular season, Vaught stepped to the forefront of Michigan's all-around game plan and emerged as the team's leading re- bounder and third leading scorer. Only the Big Ten's most prolific player, Glen Rice, and guard Rumeal Robinson topped Vaught's offensive production. He is currently the *nation's second best shooter with a 69.4 field goal percentage. His 67.7 percent in conference play is the best in the Big Ten and his accuracy places him atop Michigan's season field goal per- centage list. THE NOISE Vaught has made around the basket has forced people to take notice. "I was worried about Rice. I was worried about (Terry) Mills. I was worried about Robinson. Now I've got to worry about Vaught too," Central Michigan coach Charlie Coles said after losing to Michigan. "Hell, he's going to be a first-round draft pick. I can't take much more worrying." Despite his recent accolades, the Grand Rapids native maintains a humble attitude. "I'm a good player on a team of great players," Vaught said. "I'm the dark horse on the team, behind Glen, Rumeal, Terry, Higgins. Those are the guys that came in with all the ink. They're great players, and when I get my name mentioned in the same breath as theirs, it's a great feeling." This season, however, Vaught is getting his own share of the ink. His 13.9 points and eight rebounds per game earned him Associated Press third team All-Big Ten honors and United Press International All-Big Ten honorable mention. BUT MORE than personal accomplishments, Vaught covets a national championship. He and the Wolverines enter the tournament to- morrow realizing that past Michigan teams have not satisfied post-season expectations. The Wolverines have been plagued by average or sub-par performances. "In the past, instead of guys playing over their heads, it's been the reverse," Vaught said. "Maybe guys are getting too emotional. When you start relying on your emotions, they can take you down as fast as they can bring you up." But if a more business-like atti- tude is the solution to Michigan's tournament blues, then Vaught is the last player to set an example. When Michigan is on a roll, the 6- foot-9 junior is the first to initiate animated celebrations. Said Vaught: "I'm a happy per- son. I'm happy for my teammates when they do something and I'm happy for myself when I do something positive. I like to yell or give a guy a high five. That's one of the more enjoyable parts about basketball. I'm like a kid out there when things are going good." "(Loy's) an emotional player, who if he gets going, can be sensational," Michigan ex-coach Bill Frieder said. V A UG HT, redshirted his first year, started playing basketball later than most college stars. When he was just starting out in the ninth grade, Vaught was tall enough to block a lot of shots, but he was skinny and timid. Eventually, though, he progressed into a high school All-American. Now in college, Vaught is a force in the middle and has even been called a "thug" by some opponents. "He's got a Big Ten body," Frieder said. "When we recruited him, we didn't know if he'd be good offen- sively, but we knew he was strong." No one questions Vaught's shot anymore either. Said coach Jud Heathcote after the Michigan State game: "He didn't miss. What do you want me to say? He never seems to miss." Although his success has stirred talk .of an uNBA career, Vaught only thinks of it as a possibility. He sees himself as much in a NBA jersey as in a business suit. "I JUST HAVE the idea that whatever I do, I'll be successful and A list to check twice before 'M' starts the tournament From watching ex-coach Bill Frieder's squad struggle through a season of inconsistency, several things are evident for Michigan to begin April in Seattle. Glen Rice: Michigan needs his scoring and his leadership if the, Wolverines aren't to make a quick exit. On the road in past seasons, the basket has had a tendency to move after Rice's shots are in the air. He seems: to have overcome the "away-gitters" this season, but Rice still has had his problems getting open because defenses are now keying on him. Frieder joked earlier this season that he would put a sign reading "Shot Glen, Shoot" in Rice's locker, but shooting more is not the answer. Rice needs to shoot better than he has recently and provide Michigan with better rebounding. Terry Mills: He has certainly been one of the great mysteries this season. Sometimes he shows up to play, and in other games, such as last week against Illinois, Mills tends to disappear. It seems as if Mills gets discouraged if he doesn't get the ball during the first two or three trips down the floor. Once he gets discouraged, Mills puts his head down, his intensity level decreases, and his whole game suffers. Also, when defenses play with any intensity against Mills, he tends to move farther and farther away from the basket. I recognize your true desire is to play point guard, Terry, but Michigan needs you inside. The team needs Mills blocking shots and banging with other players his own size for rebounds. Loy Vaught: The best shooter in the Big Ten this season, hitting on nearly 68 percent of his shots. And fourteen rebounds against Iowa? Not bad for one game. Vaught hitting 8-10 from the field and not 8-16 can help this Michigan team, especially when teams start keying on Rice. Mark Hughes: Just plays good steady basketball off the bench. Hughes comes over and provides weakside help on defense and eats up a lot of space in the middle. Most importantly, Hughes plays smart basketball when he comes in - you don't see him make a lot of mistakes - and this should help in the tourney. Rumeal Robinson: Certainly the key to this basketball team. Robinson is expected to run the offense, run the defense, and be the on-court leader. In the recent stretch when the team won five in a row, Robinson got everyone involved in the game and showed no problem handling pressure defense( But Rumeal has a tendency to get into quick foul trouble, and force thing. If he regresses into the Rumeal of old, Michigan will not be spending much time in Atlanta. Mike Griffin: He really sets the tempo for Michigan by diving on th floor after loose balls, taking the charges, and the like. Doing th intangibles Michigan needs to win. If he could just shoot a little more whei open, maybe the fans wouldn't yell "shoot" when he steps up to the charity stripe. But then again, Frieder told us before he resigned that if Griffin takes fo shots per game instead of three, someone else won't get their fair share. After all, the team only gets about 50 shots a game. Sean Higgins: If he's on, watch out. But if his shots aren't falling, run for cover. If Higgins is going to take six shots, he's got to hit four of theni. Consistency is the key, or rather the missing, ingredient for Higgins J offense. The only two constants are that he will shoot the ball, hence the nickname "Trigger," and not play defense. While scoring a lot of points usually wins basketball games, a litle defense can make that job even easier. Demetrius Calip: When Calip comes in, he can not afford to make mistakes. Calip needs to move the ball around, and get everyone into the game. Five on five isn't an even game if three players on your side are standing around. Size is a disadvantage for Calip defensively, and he needs to compensate. But the key is not giving Michigan any minuses, as Calip's ball handling will be needed to get Michigan past pressing teams such as Oklahoma. All in all, what does this mean? On paper, Michigan has tremendous talent, but the team must play together. Teams that have been successful against Michigan are primarily those that slow up the tempo of the game, and force the Wolverines to play 30-40 seconds of defense every trip down the floor., Rebounding. With Michigan's size and strength up front, there is no reason why the Wolverines should not dominate the boards. Against Illinois, the smaller Illini players were able to get inside position, and get a lot of second chance points. Shooting. Michigan led the nation in field goal percentage for the second straight year, and Frieder used to tell us this team will "live or die by the three-point shot." If the shots are falling, teams will have a hard time competing as Michigan's line-up causes match-up problems for many teams. Once Michigan dispenses with Xavier and the South Alabama-Alabama winner, Michigan vs. North Carolina should be a good game. A third loss in as many tries is too much for me to handle, but it ends there. I guess I've spent too much time listening to Frieder say, "We don't have the guards." Sorry guys, but a trip to Seattle doesn't seem to be in the cards. Oklahoma should prove too tough in the Regional final. But at least you get to see Atlanta and Lexington. C Michigan center Loy Vaught has made people name. Vaught enters the NCAAs scoring 13.9 grabbing an average of eight rebounds. happy. I just have that confidence in rapper or si myself," Vaught said. "I don't need a even though lot of money, just enough where I him to give could be happy and have some nice things." But whet DAVID LUBLINER/Daily take notice of his own points per game while nger. He loves to sing some people have told it up. her he can sing or not is Although Vaught has achieved a a secondary concern. If Michigan level of athletic accomplishment wants to avoid hitting a sour note in most can only dream of, he would the tournament, it will need a stellar trade it in a second to become a performance from Loy Vaught. q Everything you wanted to hear, and more BY ADAM SCHRAGER With the end of the regular season upon us, it is time to reflect upon what insights, revelations, and general comments we have heard throughout the nonconference and Big Ten seasons. Following are my awards and comments. Most confident with reason 1) Purdue coach Gene Keady- "The referees are kind of like my players, I don't think they understand the game." Purdue finished eighth in the Big Ten this season. 2) Minnesota coach Clem Haskins before the season-"For the first time, I feel like we can win some ball games." The Gophers are going to the NCAAs for the first time since 1982. Most confident with no reason 1) South Dakota State coach Jim Thorson-"We play a better zone than Oklahoma." South Dakota State is a Division II team. Okla- homa is the No. 2 team. 2) Ex-Michigan coach Bill Frieder-"You can check my record against the Wisconsins, Minnesotas, and Northwesterns. In order to win the conference, you have to beat the bottom teams. In the past we've taken care of business against those teams." Michigan lost to both Wisconsin and Minnesota and al- most to Northwestern. Is that why it didn't win the conference? Most Hypocritical 1) Indiana coach Bobby Knight- "No matter how poor the officiating is, you don't throw things on the floor." Need I say more? 2) Frieder on Loy Vaught- "Sometimes, he plays like he's got nothing up there." The pot calling the kettle black? Most Creative 1) Michigan State's Parish Hick- man on the first M-MSU game-"I think we played well in the first half but we broke down in the second. It was two different games. We won the first, they won the second. Too bad this isn't the CBA where you get a point for winning a half." 2) Sean Higgins on playing guard-"I have to run the whole game. I get tired of chasing those little mice around the entire time." Sean, when you're the big cheese, that's what happens. Most Cruel 1) Frieder-"Chris Seter (Mich- igan forward) is injured; he's been injured; and will probably always be injured." 2) Indiana center Brian Sloan on Michigan-"If you put five guys out on the floor who are better prepared and conditioned, then it doesn't matter if they are better athletes." The subtle kind hurts. Most Complimentary 1) Iowa coach Dr. Tom Davis-"I think Glen Rice is the No. 1 player in the country. If he's not No. 1, then he's definitely up there. You don't think about shutting him out. He's too outstanding for that." 2) Ohio State Jamaal Brown- "Rumeal Robinson...he's a great player. You can't stop him. You can only try to contain him. He can do whatever he wants on the court." 3) Central Michigan coach Charlie Coles-(Michigan) has five first-round picks on their team with three or four possible lottery picks. It is one of the greatest assemblages of talent that I've seen. Despite all that we're looking forward to play- ing the game." Most Idealistic 1)Williams-"We'll get over the loss of Jay Burson." What have they lost, eight in a row since his injury? 2) Frieder-"Tell (Dick Vitale) when he comes in to bring all his bullshit because we need some for some patch-up work around Crisler Arena. We can just throw it around there and fix up some of the stuff that needs fixing." Why Coach, you won't be around to see it? 6 12. Loyola Mar mount 20-10 4. Louisville 22-8 13. Ark.-Little Rock (23-7) 1989 NCAA 4. Ioa 2w2- -4 . Rutoners lt(18-12) 6: Georgia Tech (20-11) MIDWEST EAS~T 6. Kansas State (19-M0 11. Texas (24-8) 3. Missouri 27-7 14. Creighton 20-10 ' 7. Florida 21-12 10. Colorado State 22-9 2. Syracuse 27-7 1. Oklahoma 28-5 16. East Tenn. State 20-10 8.L alie (-51 9. Louisiana Tech 22-8 ,5 Viroinia 119-10L = I I 40 SEMIFINALS Saturday, April 1 Seattle Kingdome NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Monday, April 3 11.Ariznona 27-1 1.Retan Morris21- 8. Wet.Vina Caif-4 9.Clemneson 1-10 56.RoetMoris . 21-80 0 1-= < 1