ports Tuesday Trivia Who are the only two teams to lose two Super Bowls in a row? (For the answer, turn to the bottom of page 2) Inside Sports Tuesday v lXP A mg A::.+ 1 M=O-,K= 'M' Sports Calendar AP Top 25 Q&A Sheran My Thoughts Women's Basketball Extra Ice Hockey Men's Basketball Gymnastics 2 2 3 3 4-5 6 8 8 HALL The Michigan Daily - Sports Tuesday January 21, 1992 Icers earn split H"" with 2-1 victory If by Ken Sugiura Daily Hockey Writer CHICAGO - When speaking with the media, Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson has never been one to shy away from cliches. To wit, in the aftermath of Saturday's heart-stopping 2-1 overtime victory over Illinois-Chicago: "I don't know that anyone deserved to lose." So perhaps it shouldn't be surpris- ing that Berenson disciple and UIC coach Larry Pedrie - a Wolverine assistant for three years - came up with this classic gem: "It was a classic college hockey game." Hackneyed phrasing or not, the UIC Pavilion fans certainly got their money's worth. It was truly a barnburner, a textbook example of how hockey should be played. Winger David Roberts' blast Women cagers swept on road tri~p by Ryan Herrington *Daily Basketball Writer MADISON - The weather out- side wasn't the only thing that was cold this weekend for the Michigan women's basketball team. So was its shooting. As a result, the Wolverines were soundly defeated by Wisconsin (3-1 in the Big Ten, 10-3 overall) and Northwestern (2- 2, 8-4) in their first road trip of the Big Ten season. In what turned out to be a week- end so painful only Freddie Kruger m> i8s tIetr. > could have loved it, the Wolverines (0-4, 4-9) shot 36 percent from the field against Wisconsin Sunday afternoon, falling to the Badgers, 93-66, in front of the fourth largest crowd ever at Wisconsin Fieldhouse (2,224). Michigan didn't make its first hoop until 15:15 in the first half, where abouts the Wolverines were already down 8-2. A tough Wiscon- sin defense thwarted any possibility of a close game as it caused 33 Michigan turnovers. Led by senior Mynette Clark and rookie Barb See CAGERS, Page 5 from 35 feet with seven seconds re- maining in sudden death managed to trickle past Flame goaltender Jon Hillebrandt and send the dozens of Wolverines fans in attendance into hysteria. The victory earned Michi- gan (10-4-3 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, 16-4-3 overall) a split for the weekend, after falling Friday, 4-1. Roberts rushed in from the left wing, and accepted a pass from cen- ter Brian Wiseman, and skating to his right, turned a pirouette to set up his left-handed drive. "I saw a big crowd in front of the net, I just turned around and shot it," Roberts described. While he was given official credit for the goal, Roberts was uncertain what transpired after the shot. "I don't know. I just shot it on net. We only had a few seconds on net there, so I just turned around and fired it," he said. The dramatic score brought back memories of Mark Ouimet's last- second game-winner in Yost Arena, painful ones for Pedrie. "You play 120 minutes and eight seconds de- cides two games, that's pretty hard to swallow," he said. Robert's ninth goal of the season ended perhaps Michigan's most ex- citing game of the season and defi- nitely its most dramatic season se- ries, in which three of the four games were not decided until the game's conclusion. "I'm glad we're done with that team because we played four tough games against them," Berenson said. "We were lucky to have the edge in the series." Michigan opened the game as it had Friday, bombarding Hillebrandt with shots. In the first two periods, the Wolverines racked up 26 shots, many of them point-blank attempts, but the UIC netminder was equal to the task. Counterpart Steve Shields' play was just the beginning of a stifling Michigan defensive effort, permit- ting four shots on goal in the first period, and 11 more in the second. "You're not going to shut these teams out in their own building. To come in here and give up one goal is a pretty good," Berenson said. UIC (7-10-3, 7-10-3) got on the board first, at 11:41 of the third. Exploiting a 5-on-3 advantage, Rick Judson ripped a shot which caromed off the boards back to Shields' right, where defenseman Shannon Finn See ICERS, Page 6 Wolverines' talent evicts Illini,68 1 by Matthew Dodge Daily Basketball Writer CHAMPAIGN - After two consecutive Big Ten losses, the Michigan men's basketball team was ac- cused of committing errors associated with inexperi- ence. Coach Steve Fisher's Wolverines found the per- fect cure for their ills this weekend in Champaign: an opponent almost as young as they are. The result was a 68-61 victory over the Illini. Lou Henson's young Illinois squad (1-3 in the Big Ten, 7-7 overall) fell behind Michigan (2-2, 10-3) 47- 35 midway through the second half yet scrapped back into a 60-59-deficit with two minutes remaining. "We shouldn't have been in the ball game," Henson said. "We should have been down and did all we could do. We are not a great ballclub. We fought them hard, but it's pretty hard to beat a team like that on the boards when they want to play. They wanted to play tonight.' One could assume that the Wolverines want to play every night, especially Jalen Rose and Chris Webber who led Michigan in scoring and rebounding respec- tively for the eighth consecutive game. Rose poured in 17 points and handed out a team high four assists. Web- ber outrebounded Illinois' entire starting five in grab- bing 16 rebounds to complement his 16 points. "Most people believe its the best freshman class in NCAA history," Henson said. "I think it's obvious. They are not even playing well now. You wait 'til they start. They are so skilled in so many areas, I don't see how people can beat them." Maybe not, but the Wolverines almost beat them- selves in Champaign. As Illinois chipped away at the visitors' lead in the final minutes, it received six gifts See ILLINI, Page 7 KENNETH SMOLLEH/DaIly Michigan frosh Chris Webber slams down two of his 16 points in Saturday's 68-61 victory over Illinois in Champaign. Webber also paced the Wolverines with 16 rebounds. v " F U L L COURT o PR ESS Michigan proves to be chair of boards by Albert Lin Daily Basketball Writer CHAMPAIGN - The Wolverines re- bounded from their losses to Minnesota and Purdue Saturday against Illinois. Boy, did they rebound. It was a complete reversal of the Purdue game, in which Michigan was outrebounded, 40- 20. Players and coaches knew they hadn't given their full effort against the Boilermakers. Chris Webber, the Big Ten's top rebounder, led the team with only four grabs. No one could explain why a team with such size strength and ability could face such a deficit off the glass.. But the Wolverines responded with a 42-20 advantage during Saturday's 68-61 victory over Illinois, holding the Illini far below their sea- son average of 39.9 a game. Webber once again led the way, but this time with 16 - nearly matching Illinois' team total. "We had a lot of chances to get a rebound, but we're just not physical enough," Illinois coach Lou Henson said after the game. "We fought them hard, but it's pretty hard to beat a team like that on the boards when they want to play. They wanted to play tonight." People will tell you that rebounding is not all size and ability, it is also smart play and po- sitioning. And flat out hustle. After some lack- adaisical play of late, the Wolverines finally gave that extra effort Saturday, and it paid off in the last five minutes. Despite horrendous foul shooting down th stretch - Michigan missed six consecutive dur- ing a 6-16 streak from the line in the last 7:21 in the game - the Wolverines maintained their lead by holding Illinois to one shot. With 4:21 left, Ray Jackson missed two free throws. After Juwan Howard kept the ball alive, Chris Webber tipped it in over his head. With 3:44 left, Jalen Rose missed two free throws, Jackson got the rebound, and Rose missed a follow-up. Michigan again kept posses- sion, but this time turned the ball over. On the next trip down the floor, Webber . missed a short jumper, but was fouled by Tom Michael going for the rebound. As has been the trend, he missed both. Two possessions later, ahead by only one, 60-59, the Wolverines again got three shots at the basket, culminating in a. short Webber hook at the 0:52 mark. "It was just effort," said Jackson, who calmly dropped two free throws to ice the con- test. "We were able to apply more effort to our game with loose balls, rebounds and everything else." "I do think we got hustle points today," Michigan coach Steve Fisher said. "I was really pleased with the effort presented by our kids." But Henson knows his undermanned club had another distinct advantage. When asked if he could explain the large rebounding gap, Henson quipped, "I think I can. 6'9". 7-feet. 6'9". 6' 10". They jump about two feet higher than we do, they run faster, they are quicker. That's it right there." Drawing by Matthew Dodge Daily Basketball Writer Perry Watson is not what you would call a gambling man. He can not afford to be. For the past 14 years, the stakes in his life have been dauntingly high. Every decision he makes af- fects so many more lives than his own. Every action he takes influ- ences so many people. As one of the most successful high school basketball coaches in Michigan history, Watson had something to gain by leaving his job at Southwestern High in De- troit. College athletic departments knocked themselves out vying for his coaching and teaching talents. He could have earned money and prestige years ago by giving into their siren songs. But Watson, the newest mem- ber of the Michigan basketball coaching staff, felt he still had debts to repay. Debts~ to his hometown of D~e- Watson attracte card S nian asked Watson to become an as- sistant coach in the highly-success- ful Rebels' program. Watson said DS sno. "I couldn't see myself going to the far side of the country," Wat- son said. "I am involved in too many lives here. "I would always rationalize that where I was was a better job. I was so wrapped up in what I was doing - trying to get kids to.as- pire to something higher than high school basketball - that I didn't take time to say 'What about me?' I took my job very seriously and with a lot of pride." Stanford's Chris Baskett swims to victory in the 800-meter freestyle event as the Cardinal overwhelmed Michigan, 139-104, at Canham Natatorium Saturday night. Blue swimmers see red as Cardinal soar at Canhamn Birth of a Salesman Perry Watson came to Ann Ar- bor to fill many roles for the Wolverine coaching staff. He is a teacher on and off the court. He is an administrator in the office. And, of course, Watson can flat out re- cru it. "I am the most visible coach in ,