Who was the first CCHA player
to win the Hobey Baker
Award?
(For answer, see page 2)
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Wolverines
pass
the
Buckeyes
'M' survives scare in
Columbus, 66-64
Talent finishes
Fisher's streak
COLUMBUS - It was news to Steve Fisher.
"I didn't even realize it until you told me," he replied
to the writer who informed him that his team's win
yesterday was his first at St. John Arena.
And to be honest, it's not too surprising - the
losing streak, that is. Because for the first time in his
tenure, Fisher brought a squad that
Ken not only had a chance to win, but
Sugiura also should have won.
Which they did, 66-64.
Last season, Michigan came to
Columbus as a band of young
whippersnappers. They were raw
talent, who weren't ready for the
rigors of the Big Ten play on the
road against the defending
Sxconference champs.
o It showed,- as the Buckeyes broke
n down the upstarts, and pulled away
for a 77-66 victory.
The year before that, if Fisher's cupboards weren't
bare, then suffice it to say, the cupboards were in dire
need of restocking. Michigan got throttled, and were
Jimmy Jacksoned back to Ann Arbor, on the wrong end
of a 81-65 score.
In 1990, the defending NCAA champion Wolverines
and defending Big Ten champion Buckeyes fought at
even strength, and Ohio State stole a 64-61 decision
from Michigan.
Two of the three years, Randy Ayers' club was the
favorite - i.e. had more talent - and won. The other
year, it was a wash, and the Buckeyes pulled it out.
So finally Fisher came to town with a clearly better
club - his Wolverines are No. 5 in the country, while
the Buckeyes have sunk to ninth in the Big Ten.
Forget those who think coaches are the be-all and
end-all. When it comes down to it, it's a players' game,
and the best usually win.
Bob Knight is a mastermind you say? Let him coach
Northwestern for a week. All the masterminds in the
world won't give the 'Cats a fighting chance in the Big
See SUGIURA, Page 4
by Ken Davidoff
Daily Basketball Writer
COLUMBUS - The Michigan
men's basketball team's spring break
could favorably be compared to the
early eighties dumb teenage film
"Spring Break."
In both circumstances, the
protagonist had to overcome difficult
obstacles - whether it was the
Minnesota Golden Gophers and the
Ohio State Buckeyes, or a corrupt,
out-of-touch stepfather - and in
both cases, a happy ending occurred.
The Wolverines (11-3 Big Ten,
22-4 overall) sandwiched their week
of rest with an 84-69 victory over
Minnesota (7-8, 15-9) Saturday, Feb.
20 at Crisler Arena, and a 66-64 tri-
umph over Ohio State (6-9, 13-11)
yesterday in Columbus.
The contest in Columbus proved
to be one of Michigan's toughest
victories of the season. Down 36-31
at the break, the Wolverines came*
back with a strong second half, but
they never led by more than five.
"I thought it was a tenaciously
fought game for both sides,"
Michigan coach Steve Fisher said.
"I'm thrilled to get in and out with a
victory."
With Michigan leading 61-56,
Buckeye guard Derek Anderson
stole an errant Chris Webber pass
and slammed it home with 3:04 left
in the second half, inspiring the St.
John Arena crowd to achieve its
volume zenith. Michigan called a
timeout, but after Jalen Rose threw a
pass out of bounds, Anderson
returned with two free throws on a
Ray Jackson foul.
With Michigan clinging to a one-
point lead, Jackson strolled through
the lane for a surprisingly simple
finger roll.
"We let Ray Jackson get that
easy score," Ohio State forward
Lawrence Funderburke said. "We
had the game. We just gave it to
them."
The Buckeyes immediately called
a timeout, and when play began,
Funderburke missed a difficult
twelve-foot jumper. Jackson hauled
down the rebound and quickly drew
the foul from Funderburke.
"We wanted to try to get the ball
to the basket right there," Ohio State
coach Randy Ayers said. "Lawrence
ended up taking the best shot we
could take on that possession."
Jackson missed the front end of
the one-and-one, but Buckeye guard
Greg Simpson missed a three-point
attempt, locking up the victory for
the Wolverines. Rose hit three free
throws, and after Anderson made a
layup with seven seconds remaining
to make it 66-64, the Wolverines
merely held on to the ball as the
buzzer sounded.
"Michigan stepped up late in the
game," Ayers said. "Jackson's drive
and, of course, the free throws at the
end of the game really sealed the
game for them."
After the first half, the Buckeyes
seemed like the only club that would
be doing any sealing. Ohio State did
See OHIO STATE, page 4
Michigan's Ray Jackson and Jalen Rose try to steal the ball from Ohio State's Derek
Anderson during yesterday's game in Columbus.
.. . . ...... ....... ..
9 The Victors ... for a seventh consecutive time
Swimmers roll a seven
Women tankers take Big Ten championship again
by Wendy Law
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan women's swimming and diving team
saw purple the last two days of the Big Ten
Championships (Feb. 19-20) as it competed neck-and-
neck with archrival Northwestern for the meet champion-
ship at Canham Natatorium.
The Wolverines pulled victory from the Wildcats'
claws, winning the meet 676-628 - a decidedly closer
margin than last year's Michigan domination over the
Wildcats, 887-463.
Little overall competition was seen from the rest of
the field. Ohio State (436), Penn State (378), Purdue
(356), and Minnesota (327) snagged the third through
sixth spots. The last five places were filled by Iowa,
Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan State.
With this win, Michigan clinched its seventh straight
Big Ten title and set a record in women's athletics. No
other women's team has ever accumulated seven con-
secutive championship victories.
"I think two or three days from now, I'll realize more
how special (this victory) was," Michigan coach Jim
Richardson said. "It wasn't easy. It was the hardest of the
(seven). It was a total team effort - diving and swim-
ming together - which is the way it should be."
Michigan swept six events and finished strongly in
five others to take the title.
In one of the closest races of the meet, senior Kirsten
Silvester, sophomores Lara Hooiveld, Alecia Humphrey,
and freshman Beth Jackson defended Michigan's title in
the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:42.40, estab-
lishing a Big Ten meet-record and qualifying the relay
team for the NCAA Championships. Northwestern fin-
ished second in 1:42.71.
"I knew we were going to win because the backstro-
ker and breaststroker we have are national quality and
Northwestern doesn't have that type of quality right
now," Silvester said. "(Northwestern is) great. They're
swimming awesome. I have all the respect for them, but I
know our back and breaststroker are just better. I knew
that we were going to be leading (the 200 medley) and I
knew that we could win it."
Senior Mindy Gehrs qualified as well for NCAAs
See TANKERS, page 7
Alecia Humphrey celebrates with teammates after setting a Big Ten record in the 200-yard backstroke with a time
of 1:56.15. The Wolverines sweptthe event with Beth Jackson and Jennifer Almeida finishing second and third
respectively. The event, held on the final day of competition, helped Michigan pull away from a feisty Northwestern
squad and capture their seventh consecutive Big Ten championship.
- I
* lers down Lakers, 5-3,
clinch second in CCHA
Blue 's
by Jaeson Rosenfeld
Daily Basketball Writer
Mighty
Hail' Stacie Mc Call
by Andy De Korte
Daily Sports Writer
Big leads have been common for
the Wolverine hockey team during
the stretch drive of the CCHA sea-
son. Going into last Friday's game
against Lake Superior, the last nine
0 Michigan victories had been by an
average of seven goals, with the
overtime loss to Miami the only
close game in the last 10.
The 5-3 victory against the Lak-
ers, including a empty net goal by
Dan Stiver, was just what Michigan
coach Red Berenson said his team
needed.
"A lot of the last few games have
been won in the first period and that
* didn't happen tonight and we needed
"I think it's great because it
shows if we play our best we can
beat these guys," Michigan goalie
Steve Shields said. "I've got the last
two years to make up for and coach
has the ten years before, so its good
that we have finally caught them."
In stark contrast to last year's
10-0 shellacking in Sault Ste. Marie
to which he referred, Shields' strong
play early it the game played an
integral part in the Wolverine
victory, stopping 11 shots in the first
two periods. Michigan's fast-paced,
hard-hitting game gained a more
defensive posture as it continued.
In the final period Michigan took
control of the play, taking 16 shots
while limiting the Lakers to five.
When life hands Stacie McCall a
lemon, she makes lemonade.
"She always sees the bright side
of everything," teammate Shimmy
Gray said of McCall, Michigan's
senior point guard. "When I was
struggling early this season she told
me, 'Things aren't always as bad as
they seem.'"
It is exactly that attitude that got
McCall where she is today. For if
she had listened to her detractors,
McCall would never have worn a
Michigan uniform.
"People always used to say,
'Stacie's good, but she's too
small,"' McCall said. "People said I
directs women cagers
Mite
stature as a disadvantage, McCall
saw it as a way to get ahead of the
taller girls, who wouldn't take the
time to work as hard.
With the help of her father,
William, McCall made up for her
lack of size with strength.
"My dad and I would get up (to
lift weights) in the morning while
the other girls were sleeping,"
McCall said. "He used to say,
'You're going to be that much
more ahead of everybody else."'
"I used to tell her, 'You may be
the shortest, but this (weight
training) is going to make you a
foot taller,"' McCall's father said.
"She was stronger than a lot of the
guys."