The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 2, 1990 - Page 9
Women cagers hope to
end season with surge
Lory Knapp
Frm heKappac
Smith steals the show
in big Spartan victory
EAST LANSING - For Michigan, the beginning of the end came at
10:51 when Ken Redfield fouled Wolverine guard Rumeal Robinson. At the
line shooting two, Robinson proceeded to brick both free throws which then
led to a Matt Steigenga fast break lay-up.
Despite the heroic efforts of Michigan center Terry Mills, who had 31
points including a perfect 13-for-13 from the free throw line and seven
rebounds, things went down hill from there for Michigan.
Spartan guard Steve Smith pounded in the nails of the Blue coffin, one
by one, basket by basket. Smith, probably the most underrated guard in the
country, did everything humanly possible to lift the Spartans over a
Michigan team that refused to quit.
Certainly Smith had a supporting cast in his efforts. Redfield hit for 11
points, not to mention the strong play of the sophomore combination of
Mike Peplowski and Steigenga.
Sophomore guard Mark Montgomery added 13, including two-for-three
from three-point range, but was well guarded in the second half.
But the game was all Steve Smith.
"They didn't give me a shot in the second half," said Montgomery.
"Steve took over and I just watched."
Smith tied his career-high 36 points as well as grabbed nine boards. He
was deadly from the three-point line, hitting five-for-seven from that range
en route to 13-for-21 shooting.
"My hat's off to him," said Michigan coach Steve Fisher. "(Smith) was
sensational. It would have to rank as one of the best games we've seen from
an individual. He got into a flow, where it wouldn't have mattered if Wilt
Chamberlain was on him."
When Smith was asked if he was feeling unstoppable, especially in the
second half, he smiled: "Somewhat. Just a little bit."
But Smith's game was more than just impressive statistics. Far more.
From the opening tip-off until the end of the game, Smith was racing
from one end of the court to the other, waving his hands up in the air
inciting the crowd to join in raucous chants and firing up his team to give
that extra effort.
"I couldn't sleep last (Wednesday) night," said Smith. "This was the
Michigan game and this is the best I've ever played because this is
Michigan and this is my first win against them."
"This was Steve's week," said Montgomery. "He prepared, he watched a
lot of films. He wasn't going to lose to them again. Steve was the show."
In fact, Smith's enthusiasm and intensity overflowed at one point
resulting in a shoving match with Robinson.
Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote summed up Smith's performance
quite well: "You would have to equate it (the performance) with perfection."
by Theodore Cox
Daily Basketball Writer
The Michigan women's basket-
ball team's first ever NCAA tour-
nament bid is dangling in front of its
eyes like a big juicy steak. If the
Wolverines (17-7 overall, 9-5 in the
Big Ten) finish strong in their final
four games their hunger pangs
should disappear.
The NCAA will announce the 48
teams qualifying for the tournament
Sunday, March 11.
"I think realistically we need
three wins before the NCAA will be-
come a reality," Michigan coach Bud
VanDeWege said. "Obviously, if we
win three and get in that 'magical'
20 win area, maybe that's something
that will put us over the edge."
However, the squad can not think
too far ahead, because it still has to
face Illinois, Purdue, Iowa, and Min-
nesota.
"We're happy with what we're
doing right now," VanDeWege said.
"It truly is a case of one win at a
time and trying not to get caught up
in it. Our attitude is we haven't qual-
ified for anything yet."
Illinois will get the first crack at
ending the Wolverines' six game
winning streak tonight at Crisler
Arena. Michigan's winning ways be-
gan against the Fighting Illini four
weeks ago in Champaign.
The Wolverines won by con-
taining Illinois forward Sarah Sharp,
the focal point of the Illini offense.
A recent shooting slump, though,
has dropped Sharp's shooting per-
centage to 33%.
Purdue will knock on the door of
Crisler Arena this Sunday. The Bail
ermakers started the season strong,
leading the Big Ten. But their inex-
perience surfaced when they lost for
the second time to first-place North-
western last weekend. The loss drop
ped Purdue to third place at 11-4.
The Boilermakers shellacked
Michigan the first time the two
teams met in early February, 75-51;
Purdue's tall squad was able to nee'-
tralize the height advantage Mich-
igan usually has over teams.
"Defense is what we need to beat
Purdue," VanDeWege said. "They re=
ally beat us up inside last time."
The Wolverines will finish off
the regular season on the road, ai
Iowa and then Minnesota. The
Hawkeyes (11-3) just moved into
second place. Iowa features the fast-
est guard tandem in the league, Jo
lette Law and Stephanie Schueler.
"The key is you need to slow (ihd
Iowa guards) down and make sure
it's a half court game," VanDeWege
said.
Occupying the basement of the
league, Minnesota should be littl6
trouble for the Wolverines. Michi;
gan easily defeated Minnesota in
their first Big Ten game of the sea-
son, 70-53.
Michigan's Loy Vaught throws down two points in a game earlier this
year. Vaught chipped in 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds last night
in a losing effort.
SMITH
Continued from page
1
level of performance in lieu of a foot
injury to three-point star, Kirk
Manns, saw his prophecy come to
life. Smith sunk key three-pointers
and baskets to build an 11 point
Spartan lead with 9:25 left which
proved to be invincible. He hit a six
foot jumper, followed with a layup
off a miss and was fouled, completed
the three point play, then sunk a
three pointer after a Ken Redfield
basket.
"I'm still dizzy over what he did
at his offensive end," Fisher said.
"He play hard. He did a good job at
the defensive end just as he did at the
offensive end. He was spectacular at
the offensive end. Smith was in
there stirring the water."
And for Smith, who initiated a
shoving match with Robinson,
shutting down Michigan's premier
playmaker and then being mobbed
by a jubilant home court crowd
afterwards was the ultimate revenge.
"I figured he got the best of us
down there and I got the best of him
here," Smith said. "I think this is
the best I have ever played because it
was against Michigan."
Mills scored 31 points on nine
for 13 shooting and a perfect 13 for
13 from the foul line. Only former
Wolverine C.J Kupec's 14 for 14
foul shooting in 1975 against
Illinois bested Mills' effort. "It took
us a little too long to find out how
good Terry Mills was," Fisher said.
"We didn't give him the ball
enough. They hit some key buckets
down the stretch, especially the three
pointers, that hurt us.
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