Men's Basketball Men's Swimming
vs. George Washington at NCAA Championships
Tonight, 8:05 p.m. (CBS) Today and Tomorrow
Seattle Indianapolis
hMichi rdy Mr 2P1
Hockey seeks revenge at NCAAs
'M' looks to atone forthis season's loss to Miami, last year's loss to Badgers
by Brett Forrest
Daily Hockey Writer
Like sand through an hourglass,
time is getting short for the Michi-
gan hockey team.
For the second straight weekend
the team must wait and see who it
will play in a post-season tourna-
ment at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
Last weekend the Wolverines waited
for Friday's winner between Lake
Superior and Bowling Green only to
lose to the Lakers Saturday. This
time, though, it awaits a shot at re-
demption.
Michigan, the second seed in the
West region, must now wait to face
the winner of Friday's Miami-Wis-
consin matchup. The quarterfinal
game takes place 5 p.m. Saturday at
the Joe. Either way it turns out, there
will be some history Michigan hopes
to rewrite.
Miami and Michigan split their
season series, 1-1-1. But the Red-
skins won the CCHA regular season
championship by one point over the
Wolverines on the strength of a dis-
puted 4-3 overtime victory in Oxford
Feb. 6.
Michigan also yearns to exact re-
venge on the Badgers. Wisconsin
sent the Wolverines golfing last sea-
son, winning the NCAA semifinal
game over them, 4-2, in Albany's
Knickerbocker Arena.
"We owe them both," Michigan
right wing David Oliver said.
Friday's contest pits a team that
is making its first appearance in the
big show against a weakened
perennial powerhouse. The Redskins
enjoyed their best season ever this
year. They were disappointed in get-
ting the third seed in the West even
though they finished higher than
Michigan in both the regular and
post seasons.
The Badgers are one of the most
successful programs in college
hockey. They have five NCAA
championship banners - second
only to Michigan's seven - and
won their last title at Joe Louis in
1990.
Wisconsin will be without the
services of wings Jason Zent and
Blaine Moore and coach Jeff Sauer
for the Miami contest. The three
were suspended by the NCAA for
their first 1993 tournament game
following an altercation with the
officials after last season's
championship game against Lake
Superior.
Even though the Wolverines
probably want to face both of the
red-and-white-clad teams, many say
it does not really matter who they
play. The memories of Saturday's
loss and last year's defeat at the
hands of the Badgers are fresh on
their minds.
"After the loss last Saturday
night, we said we felt sorry for who-
ever we play this weekend," Michi-
gan captain David Harlock said.
"We're going to use them as a
punching bag to vent our frustrations
from last weekend."
"There's going to be a certain
bite in our game no matter who we
play," Michigan coach Red Beren-
son said.
Berenson is switching the line
combinations for the weekend. He is
moving junior center Brian Wise-
man to the line with Oliver and Cam
Stewart and placing freshman center
Kevin Hilton back with wingers
Mike Knuble and Ryan Sittler.
The "Boss Line" - B(rian)-
O(liver)-S(tewart) - played to-
gether earlier in the season until
Wiseman's back forced him to miss
the first game of his career.
"It's a good time, a good place
where one or two subtle changes can
make the difference," Berenson said.
Michigan hockey has improved
every year since 1987. Two years
ago, the Wolverines beat Cornell in
the opening round of the NCAAs
then lost to BU in the second round.
Last year, they got to the semifinal
round. That leaves this year, and if
you believe in the schedule ...
"All six of us (the senior class)'
want to win this thing," Michigan
senior David Roberts said. "It was
so disappointing to lose Saturday. I
don't think the team would let that
happen again. We always bounce
back from a loss. All six of us will-
do whatever is in our power not to
let that happen again."
Michigan junior goaltender Steve Shields stops rubber during the CCHA
semifinal game. The hockey team begins the road to Milwaukee Saturday.
Baseball looks to hit
'dome run' at Minnesota
SPORTING VIEWS
l
by Paul Barger
Daily Baseball Writer
The Michigan baseball team is
going "dome" for the weekend, as
it heads to Minnesota for a four
game set against the Golden Go-
phers. The venue for the contests
will be the Hubert H. Humphrey
Metrodome which in 1991-1992
was the site of the Final Four, the
World Series and the Super Bowl.
This is a far cry from the friendly
confines of Ray Fisher Stadium.
While Fisher Stadium has a ca-
pacity of 4,000, the Metrodome can
handle about 65,000 fans. Although
the dome will not even come close
to filling up, it could still be an in-
timidating site for some awe-
stricken Wolverines. No current
Michigan player has ever started in
a dome.
"It's obviously a bigger park
then were used to playing on,"
Michigan coach Bill Freehan said.
"Minnesota has an advantage be-
cause they have already played six
games there."
With the winter lasting an ex-
tended period of time the
Wolverines (5-13) have gotten used
to playing indoors, using the indoor
football building as a practice facil-
ity. The weather caused a scheduled
March 23 home game against
Saginaw Valley to be postponed.
"We're able to practice in the
building so the surface of the
Metrodome will be about the
same," Freehan said. "We haven't
been practicing outside so we're
used to playing under a ceiling
structure, but it will still take an
adjustment."
This game marks the beginning
of the Big Ten season. The squad
should be well prepared for the
Gophers as Freehan's team has
seen one of the nation's most diffi-
cult schedule. The season has al-
ready included games against
Louisiana State, Miami and Florida.
The Wolverines will be thrown
right into the fire because
Minnesota (9-6) is considered one
of the favorites to take the confer-
ence title. The Golden Gophers are
coming off an 18-10 season that
placed them second in the Big Ten
during the regular season and first
in the playoffs.
"Michigan's record is very de-
ceiving," Minnesota assistant Rob
Fornasiere said. "They have done
remarkably well with such a diffi-
cult schedule. On top of that they
Ul
Here's why hockey is
the best -from A to Z
by Brett Forrest
Daily Hockey Writer
Minnesota's Metrodome, site of the Final Four, Super Bowl and World
Series in 1991-92, hosts Michigan baseball's Big Ten opener Saturday.
have played all those games on the
road. We expect them to have com-
petitive pitching, timely hitting and
solid defense."
Coach Freehan said he agrees
with the idea that the Wolverines
took on a grueling schedule, but
disagrees with the Minnesota assis-
tant's statement that Michigan has a
competitive pitching staff.
"Pitching has been our biggest
problem and we need to improve
it," he said. "We don't have enough
depth, especially in relief."
Minnesota's weakness comes by
way of its pitching staff as well.
Eight out of ten pitchers are fresh-
men or sophomores. Overall, the
Golden Gophers' strengths lie up
the middle with good hitting and
fielding at catcher, second, short
and in center field.
"When we've pitched well
we've looked good," Fornasiere
said. "We don't know much about
the pitchers except that they have
been unable to achieve consistency.
We know much more about our
position players."
This game will allow both clubs
to gage their talents and weaknesses
heading into the Big Ten season.
Freehan will be able to see if the
early season scheduling has been as
beneficial as he had hoped.
When the Wolverines invade the
Metrodome this Sunday they won't
be playing in the World Series, but
they will be engaged in their most
important battle to date.
Hockey is the greatest sport in the world - period. Certainly, other pas-
times do have their merits, but nothing features the combination of enter-
tainment, history, ritual and personality of the game played on the pond.
Do you doubt what I say? Well, then read my 26 reasons why hockey is
the greatest show on Earth.
A - Accessibility. Hockey competitors are the most unassuming of any
players in the four major leagues. Whether the game was a huge win or a
crushing defeat, NHL players will almost always have time for a post-game
autograph, interview or photograph.
Certainly there are players in other sports who can match these feats of
selflessness, but compared to NHL players, they are the exceptions in their
sports.-
B - Hobey Baker. The Princeton hockey and football star of the 1900s
was arguably the greatest American athlete of all time. Baker also extolled
the virtues of good sportsmanship and amateurism and was an opponent of
publicity.
As legend has it, although he lived in the upstairs of a rooming house
while at Princeton, his feet never touched the stairs. Baker transported him-
self up and down with his hands on the railings.
He is remembered today through the Hobey Baker Memorial Award,
given to the most outstanding U.S. college hockey player.
C - The Canada Cup. This international professional hockey tourna-
ment is unmatched by any other sporting tournament. It provides high-cal-
iber competition between the top hockey nations of the world.
Players are motivated to win for their country. Unlike in an Olympic
format, these athletes are the best in the world of the sport.
D - Dynasties. The NHL is the one major sports league which has al-
ways housed dynasties.
The same team has won the Super Bowl in successive years only five
times in the 27-year history of the event. Three times during the 1970s a
team won back-to-back World Series. Since 1978, no team has won back-to-
back titles. Three NBA teams have repeated as champions in the past six
years. However, from 1969 to 1987 -no repeat champs.
The same team has won The Cup in consecutive years 19 times. The
same team won it three years or more in a row on six occasions and the
Pittsburgh Penguins owned the championship the past two seasons.
E - Edmonton Oilers. The dominant team of the mid-1980s, the Oilers
were possibly the most exciting team in the history of sport. With players
such as Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Grant Fuhr, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurrii
Kevin Lowe, Glenn Anderson and Andy Moog, the Oilers were practically
See HOCKEY, Page 13
Women netters experience a tale of two universities
).y Dave Kraft treacherous potholes. Rather, the State before being dismantled last "Simone had a good pra
1Eaily Sports Writer difference in caliber between the week by the Wolverines, 8-1. De- terday," Ritt said. "It's just
ctice yes-
a matter
Tomorrow, after the Michigan
women's tennis team competes
against Ohio State in Columbus, it
will embark on a 214-mile journey
to Bloomington to face Indiana in a
Sunday morning contest.
While the trip from Columbus to
Bloomington only takes about three-
'and-a-half hours, by the time the
Wolverines (1-1 Big Ten, 5-5 over-
ll) face the Hoosiers, they may feel
s if they just traveled to Timbuktu
and back.
It is not that the roads between
0 Columbus and Bloomington are
"known for their long traffic jams or
'I
Buckeyes and Hoosiers may make
Michigan believe there is something
more than 214 miles separating the
two Big Ten foes.
Ohio State (0-3, 4-4) enters Sat-
urday's contest in the Big Ten cellar
while six-time defending Big Ten
champion Indiana (2-0, 8-2) heads
into Sunday's match looking to capi-
talize on a No. 11 Intercollegiate
Tennis Coaches Association (ITCA)
ranking.
One common opponent for the
Wolverines and Buckeyes is West-
ern Michigan. The Broncos
squeaked out a 5-4 victory over Ohio
spite an apparent advantage, Michi-
gan coach Bitsy Ritt said she does
not think the Buckeyes will be a
pushover.
"Based on their results, we would
be the favorite. At the same time, we
have to be ready," Ritt said. "Ohio
State is sick of being at the bottom
of the Big Ten."
The only uncertainty in the
Wolverine lineup at this point is Si-
mote Lacher who is battling an
Achilles problem in her right foot
and a sprained left ankle.
of how ready she'll be."
Lacher's status will not be the
only obstacle Michigan faces in its
match against Indiana.
Coach Lin Loring's Hoosiers
hold a 12-2 series advantage over the
Wolverines and easily defeated
South Florida earlier this year, 7-2.
When Michigan faced the Bulls in
Tampa a month ago, the Wolverines
came up short, 5-1.
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