Men's Tennis vs. Illinois Today, 2:30 p.m. Liberty Sports Complex SPORTS Women's Basketball vs. Michigan State Tonight, 7:30 p.m. Crisler Arena 'f4 *R A The Michigan Daily. Friday, March 6, 1992 Women cagers stage home series finale Page 10 Blue looks for upset versus No. 2 Indiana by Ryan Herrington Daily Basketball Writer The Michigan women's basket- ball team concludes its home season this weekend with games against Michigan State and Penn State. As Michigan State (7-8 Big Ten, 13-12 overall) heads to Crisler Arena tonight, the Wolverines are finally able to boast a more success- ful record than their opposition - at least in the last five games. The Spartan Express, which defeated Michigan, 76-55, in the teams' first meeting of the season last month, has since been derailed and is on a five-game losing streak. "We're not looking so much at the last time we played Michigan as we are looking at how we have played the last couple weeks," Michigan coach Karen Langeland said. "We've lost five straight, so we're looking at that and saying we definitely want to make an improve- ment on those five games." In contrast to Michigan State, Penn State (24-6 overall) seems to be peaking at just the right time, with the NCAA tournament looming on the horizon. Heading into Sunday's contest, the Lady Lions have won seven straight and are the No. 9 team in the nation. They are led by a solid group of four seniors, including All- America candidate Susan Robinson. "We just depend so much on our four seniors," said Penn State and 1991 national coach of the year Rene Portland. "The four of them are really the heart of our team. It's ac- tually been like that for the last four, years. They have started together for four seasons." The Nitny Lions are in limbo this season, competing as an independent while waiting to join the Big Ten next year. Despite the theatrics of the final weekend - which include a raffle of a new car at halftime of tonight's contest - the Wolverines will need to maintain the focus they have had in recent games to have any success. by John Niyo Daily Basketball Writer Michigan will get its last chance to knock off a highly-rated opponent Sunday afternoon, when Indiana brings its No. 2 national ranking into Crisler Arena. The Wolverines rebounded from a 96-78 whipping at Wisconsin with a gritty performance at fifth-ranked Ohio State. But after leading for much of the game in Columbus, Michigan committed key turnovers and saw its upset bid denied by the Buckeyes, 77-66. It was Michigan's fifth loss in six games against ranked opponents, with the only victory coming at Michigan State Jan..29. So Sunday's matchup provides the young Wol- verines with one final regular-season chance to pull off a big upset. Ohio State coach Randy Ayers thinks this Michigan squad is dan- gerously close. He noticed im- provement in the team's play over the last Michigan-OSU contest, where the Wolverines stumbled out of the gate, scoring only 13 points in the first half. "They're a lot more patient than they were early in the season," Ayers said following Tuesday's game. "With a young team like Michigan, you better beat them now, because they're going to be a real good club down the road." But the Wolverine players are growing tired of waiting. Sunday provides the opportunity for Mich igan to progress to that next level. A victory also goes a long way in securing a tournament bid. At 17-8 overall (8-7 in the Big Ten), Michigan seems a lock. But three victories to close out the sea- son - Sunday against Indiana, Wednesday at Purdue and next weekend against Illinois at home - would leave no doubt, and the stronga: finish could give the Wolverines a top-four seed when the NCAA pair- ings are announced Mar. 15. Meanwhile, Indiana has loftier goals. "We should win the Big Ten, that's all there is to it," Hoosier cen- ter Eric Anderson said earlier this season. "If we don't, it's our own, fault." And with a 13-2 record in the conference, including two wins over. the Buckeyes, the Big Ten title is Indiana's to lose. As well, a No. I tournament seed is within grasp, provided the Hoosiers (22-4) don't" stumble in the last two weeks. Indiana won the first contest ver sus Michigan, 89-74. The Wol- verines hung tough, but a huge free- throw advantage - the Hoosiers had-' a whopping 50 attempts - was too much to overcome. Juwan Howard enjoyed his best * game of the year in Bloomington' scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Bormet out for Big Tens by Shawn DuFresne Daily Sports Writer The Michigan wrestling team will try to rebound from a pair of Big Ten losses two weeks ago as it heads to Wisconsin this weekend for the Big Ten Championships. However, the Wolverines will not be at full strength because Sean Bormet, ranked seventh in the nation at 158 pounds, is out for the remain- der of the season. He suffered a knee injury during practice last week. Coach Dale Bahr will start Chad Biggert, a redshirt frosh who is 11-6 this season, in Bormet's place. "Sean finished second at Big Tens last year, so it's really going to hurt us," Bahr said. "We hope that (Biggert) can step up and keep the pace." Five Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 15. Iowa, the reigning Big Ten and national champion, is ranked first in the country and has nine returning starters. Ohio State is No. 5, while Michigan and Wiscon- sin claw right behind at No. 6 and No. 7, respectively. Purdue rounds out the top 15. Bahr said "there is no question" that Iowa will dominate the meet. "If you put together an all star squad from around the country to face them, they would probably win," Bahr said. Six Michigan wrestlers are ranked in the top 20 of their respec- tive weight classes, including the in- jured Bormet. All-American Joey Gilbert is No. 3 at 134, while fellow All-American Lanny Green is No. 9 at 177. In addition, Brian Harper is No. 11 at 150, James Rawls is 13th at 142, and Jason Cluff is 20th at 126. Michigan guard Jimmy King looks to pound the ball in to his teammates in the post. The Wolverines host the second-ranked Hoosiers Sunday. Spikers by Dan Linna Daily Sports Writer bat In the last ten months, Min- neapolis has been at the center of the sports world while hosting the Stanley Cup Finals, PGA Champion- ships, World Series, and Super Bowl. In April, sports fans' eyes will be on Minneapolis for the NCAA Basketball Final Four. However, this weekend belongs to Big Ten Championship volleyball tle for conference crown as the Michigan men's team will bat- for Minnesota by car at 8:30 this tle eight other Big Ten teams for the morning for the 12-hour trip to conference title. Minneapolis. The Wolverines enter the tour- Upon their expected 8:30 p.m. ar- nament with a 9-4 record. Mich- rival, Michigan will take the floor igan's only losses in the Big Ten for their allotted practice time. have been to Minnesota, Purdue, and Latham feels that this grueling l Michigan State (with whom the schedule may be the biggest chal- Wolverines split). lenge of the weekend for the "Minnesota is definitely very Wolverines. tough and has to be considered the "If we can survive the 12-hour l favorite," rookie Stan Lee said. road trip there, we can survive the "Michigan State will also be tough tournament," Latham said. and Purdue did beat us earlier. But, While travel may present a prob- if we play them again, we should be lem for the Wolverines this week- able to beat them." end, the main obstacle for Michigan Pool play will begin Saturday at this season has been emotional 9 a.m. with the tournament winding preparation for games. up Sunday afternoon. Many team members have said "I like our chances," co-captain they feel the team can play with Rico Latham said. "I think the guys anyone when it is running on emo- are ready and psyched to get the Big tion, and that could be the key this Ten out of (last year's champion) weekend. Michigan State's hands and back "We especially need to be into Michigan's hands." pumped up for this tournament," Lee Michigan recently returned from said. "We have to be ready to go as a four-date Spring Break road trip soon as we step on the court. We that wore the team down with a rig- really need to get emotional and with orous travel schedule. The team left that focus on being a team." = ,. . 1 l l. Gun Gunn misfires in 200m butterfly by Chad Safran Daily Sports Writer b 0 ~i , . , N q. . *. . . :y.. R 1 . aY +rt r 4 rti k n . f . i At the 1992 Olympic Team Selection Meet, the men's 200-meter-' butterfly was going to be a race for second-place. Everyone would be followidg event world-record holder Me}l Stewart in the wide-open competi- tion for the runner-up position. Among those aiming for the othef spot was Michigan's Brian Gunn. Last night, he fell short of his goal. Gunn finished in seventh place with a time of 2:00.75, more than five seconds behind Stewart. Mich- igan's Eric Bailey could not make the finals when he completed his 15th-place swim with a time of 2:03.57. But this was Stewart's race. Stewart came within three hun- dredths of a second of his world record when he clocked a time of 1:55.72. He is the only man ever tQ go under 1:56, and he has now done it twice. Following Stewart was Dave Wharton of Team Foxcatcher with a swim of 1:59.66. Stanford's Summer Sanders quat ified for her third individual event:. with a victorious swim in the won en's 200-meter individual medley, She completed the race with a per sonal best of 2:13.90. Also makingt the team in her third event wasa Nicole Haislett of Florida, with a personal best 2:14.49. Michigan's- Mindy Gehrs ended up 18th with a time of 2:21.72 The men's 50-meter freestyle pit- ted 1988 Olympic gold and silvers m