A Baseball vs. Bowling Green Tomorrow, 3 p.m. Ray Fisher Stadium SPORTS Softball vs. Wayne State Wednesday, 3 p.m. Varsity Diamond w } The Michigan Daily Monday, March 27, 1989 Page 1 Bo, give Fisher the job Steve Blonder r2 Blonder's Ponders LEXINGTON, Ky - For the past two weeks, nearly every Michigan press conference has started out: "On behalf of those of you who don't know, I'm Steve Fisher, I've been with the program for seven years, and under circumstances I don't want to go into, I'm now the head coach..." With the Wolverines' post-season success, Steve Fisher's name has been bantered around as much as John Tower, albeit for different reasons. Fisher may prefer relative obscurity, but the time has come for him to make an American Express commercial so that CBS announcer Tim Brandt won't call him "Steve Frieder" at the next interview. And after being around the team at the tournament, I've come to a conclusion: Steve Fisher should be named as Michigan's basketball coach on a permanent basis. According to alumni close to the team, members of the University administration, and athletic department personnel, Athletic Director Bo Schembechler has come to a similar conclusion. An announcement was originally planned for tomorrow night at the annual Basketball Bust, but has been put off until right after the NCAA tournament in order to keep attention focused on the team. RIGHT NOW, though, Fisher is the man, and for good reason. When the North Carolina game was on the line, there was Fisher - calm, cool, and collected - reminding his troops about their roles. He remained in control, as opposed to the familiar scene of a Michigan coach flailing his arms, while yelling and screaming in an effort to gain some respect. Fisher and the players were on the same wavelength, each knowing what the other expected. Assistant coach Brian Dutcher commented: "with Steve, it's like a lightbulb goes off in the players' heads. He reasons with the kids and hits the key theme that unites them behind a common goal." And as a result, the players finally have some respect for their coach. They know he will be with them, come hell or high water, because he believes in this Michigan team. Wherever Fisher walks, he exudes class, which until recently was a missing ingredient in Michigan's success. He has made all of the right moves since being named the interim coach, and the Wolverines look like a new team. Despite being subjected to a media barrage, Michigan has remained focused on its goal. The result -Michigan's first Final Four visit since 1976. The reason they've remained on track - a coach who won't let them give up and who has made every player feel like a part of the team. Steve Fisher has done the unexpected, and in doing so, has demon- strated qualities which should land him the Michigan job. At least the media, the alumni, and the players all think so. Now we just need to hear it from you, Bo. Higgins, Rice bomb Cavs from long range BY STEVE BLONDER LEXINGTON, Ky - The shooting display put on by Sean Higgins and Glen Rice, Saturday, resembled a scene from Robocop more than a basket- ball contest, and played a crucial role in the 102-65 Wolverine victory. The two shot a combined 24-31 from the field, and left teammates won- dering what to do. "It got to a point where I was standing around watching," Terry Mills said. "I felt like I should buy a ticket and go sit in the stands. Going for the rebound wouldn't do any good, because by the time I'd get to the hole, it would be time to run back down the floor. "Usually one is hot and the other is not. Virginia tried to put a box-and- one (defense) on Glen, but then Higgins started hitting threes. There was nowhere for them to run, as long as we got him the ball." Point guard Rumeal Robinson found his job simplified, as the 1989 version of the dynamic duo "made me feel as if I didn't have to do anything but pass them the ball." Higgins and Rice planted themselves and just waited for Robinson to do just that. During a four minute stretch in the second half, Higgins connected on six consecutive three-pointers (he was 7- 10 for the game), and his 31 points in only 20 minutes of play, set a new career high. Rice, who is now only 56 points shy of the All-Time Big Ten scoring record, hit four of his five three- pointers enroute to a game-high 32 points. So far in the NCAA tournament, he has scored 125 t points, which eclipsed the Michigan Sean Higgins celebrates with Loy tournament record, and is averaging Vaught after his 11-15 shooting over 31 points per game. spree from the field. Michigan interim coach Steve Fisher was not surprised that Rice now holds a Michigan record with 20 three pointers in the tournament. "Taking a three-point shot for Rice is like shooting an open 8-10 footer," Fisher said. Virginia coach Tery Holland added, "He couldn't have been much better." Cavalier players both knew the game was over when Rice and Higgins started hitting. "I wish I could have the same fire they had in their eyes, when I shot," Virginia forward Bryant Stith said. "I was guarding Higgins and sometimes I hated to turn around and look because everything was going in." The endless parade of points deflated the Cavaliers, who felt "like Michigan couldn't miss a shot if they tried." To Mark Hughes, watching Higgins and Rice hit "was sweet like a circus. "Sean shot the ball as well as I've ever seen him do in his life. With Glen this was not a surprise - he does this so often." 4 DAVID LUBLINER/Daily 4 I 'On behalf of those of you who don't know, I'm Steve Fisher, I've been with the program for seven years, and under circumstances I don't want to go into, I'm now the head coach...' - Michigan interim coach Steve Fisher TANNING CENTER * Ph. 747-8844 Campus location. 216_S. State. 2nd Floor, across from State Theatre Duke, Illinois and The Hall join 'M FROM STAFF REPORTS The Duke Blue Devils, Illinois Fighting Illini and Seton Hall Pirates each won their games last weekend to earn their place next to the Michigan in the 1989 NCAA tournament's Final Four. Christian Laettner won the battle of rookie centers, hitting nine of his first 10 shots on the way to scoring 24 points and leading Duke into its third NCAA Final Four in four years with a 85-77 victory over George- town in the East Regional final yesterday. Georgetown's Alonso Mourning, the 6-foot-10 rookie who almost made the U.S. Olympic team last summer, was limited to 11 points and spent the last five minutes of the game sitting on the bench. Phil Henderson scored a career- high 23 points and Danny Ferry 21 for Duke, 28-7. Charles Smith led Georgetown, 29-5, with 21 points, 16 in the second half. Duke used three 8-0 spurts in the first 13 minutes of the second half to take a 68-56 lead. Georgetown, however, refused to fold and stormed back to a two point deficit, 75-73, with 3:32 left. Duke staved off the Hoya threat by hitting 10 of 12 free throws down the stretch. ILLINOIS beat the Syracuse Orangemen, 89-86, to earn its first bid to the Final Four since 1952. Nick Anderson and Kenny Battle scored 27 and 25 points, respect- ively, to help erase a 13-point first half Orangemen lead. Anderson scored five points in a 7-2 run that broke the final tie of the game and put Illinois, 31-4, ahead to stay in the final six and a half minutes. Rookie Billy Owens scored 22 points for Syracuse, 30-8. in Seattle Seton Hall reached the Final Four for the first time in the school's history with Saturday's 84-01 thrashing of the Nevada-Las Vegas Running Rebels. The Pirates used junior Andrew Gaze's 19 point performance with a bench that scored 38 to disptadh UNLV, 29-8, from the tourna- ment. Seton Hall, 30-6, expanded its 34-30 halftime lead with a 14-0 run early in the second half. The Pirates' Daryll Walker and Anthony Aveot each scored 12 and 11, respectively. -The Associated Press contributed to this report "" I Maximum - 15 Sessions I No Coupon Required CLASSIFIED ADSI Call 764-0557 4 I 4 Discover Canada by train with VIA's Youth Canrailpass. All you can see, for one great price. Up close. That's the unforgettable adventure of Canada by train. VIA Rail, Canada's passenger rail network,. is now offering for coast-to-coast travel, the West, the East, the Maritimes, or the area between Quebec City and Windsor, Ontario. 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