iwt'sM d v.T :.::; ,,"' r' When was the last time the Michigan men's basketball team went to the NCAA Final Four in consecutive years? (For answer, see page 2) , ; ., }} -. A1": { L".:.Y L': 1 y. . " "' "" .ti "S ';"} " '} 14 "y " .. 1V "" "y ..".ti:": :": ":'.... .1". " """::"1"ti t\ ":4"S ' " ""' """'""'"" " ".'K L'.". .. ' " ." ". i:ti2i .' a " ': . .m. '"f "1 .. . ' v 1 ."t:{".y1{;; +y' 4 ti"\ yS ''' ; .i ,""5 i flli ',y ~ 1,: -{"" . S .Y ~~t,1 L " f .1 f{ y { , v '' "L ' , 1Y 1: "'L". 1 ' " 11{ ' . ti; y::4: y'" ".;b {v: i:%:;,"::\; f 1:. y . y 'L.;;;rt :'ySf ", ' 1 {fi{ ".'" """.::.' \\St, '} D N'f' " "1 k L: A_ 0 }L\L' "y4 "'1} ' L1 ;t;;\;t 1:1 Tournament Brackets Q&A Blame it on Niyo. Men's Basketball Ice Hockey Men's Swimming 5 i :tiff: ti.' :;'t:'. M :; da'y 2 3 3 4-5 6 7-8 TeMcia DilyModaMah2,199 Pge1 Hockey beats on Wirsconsin, ' 43, in OT by Chad A. Safran Daily Hockey Writer DETROIT - The Michigan hockey team found a cure to the CCHA playoffs blues after losing to Lake Superior in the CCHA semifinals, 5-3 - winning during the NCAA playoffs. This weekend produced elation and satisfaction as the Wolverines overcame two one-goal deficits to defeat Wisconsin (24-15-3 overall) in a 4-3 overtime thriller at Joe Louis Arena. With the triumph, Michigan (30-6-3) earned its second consecutive trip to the NCAA semifinals. The play leading to the final goal began simply enough with Dave Roberts carrying the puck out of the Michigan zone. However, as the senior forward crossed the Badger blueline, Wisconsin defenseman Brian Rafalski attempted to ride Roberts out of the play. Roberts managed to squeeze past his smaller opponent, continuing his rush to the net as he skated in on Wisconsin goaltender Jim Carey from right to left. Between the hashmarks Rafalski's teammate, Chris Tok, attempted to sweep- check the puck away from Roberts. Tok got a piece of the disk, and it bounced off of Roberts' skate. Fortunately for the Wolverines, the puck glanced off of the blade in the right direction. Roberts picked up the loose puck and buried it be- hind Carey into the Badger net for the winning tally at 1:35 of the over- time period. "Roberts is a great player," Wisconsin captain Barry Richter said. "He just muscled his way Tankers " capture second in nationals by Brett Johnson and Antoine Pitts Daily Sports Writers INDIANAPOLIS - Michigan expected a tight battle for second, and through two days, it was. However, on the final day of competition at the NCAA swimming championships, something hap- pened. The Wolverines men's swimming and diving team was able to 'hook the horns and solidify the second-place finish that the team coveted. Stanford won their second con- secutive NCAA championship by accumulating 520.5 points. The Wolverines scored 396.0 points while Texas scored 326.0. But the story of the meet, as far as the Wolverines were concerned, was the final day of competition. In the five individual events on the final night, Michigan won three events and * earned one second and one third. Cagers trample Temple, 77-72, to play 'Cats in Cajun country Mike Stone and David Harlock celebrate following the Wolverine's overtime victory over Wisconsin in Saturday's NCAA West Regional playoff game. Michigan now plays Maine Thursday in the semi-finals. by Ken Sugiura Daily Basketball Writer SEATTLE - A year after rolling into the Final Four as the nation's darlings, as a lovable, irreverent band of basketball-playing toddlers, they are back. Only this time it is different. They play the heavy now, the bad guys. Black socks, black shoes and a nasty attitude to match. But some things may never change. To reach New Orleans they reverted to their old ways, to running and jumping and laughing, and it paid off handsomely. "We let something take that youthfulness away from us," said Chris Webber, the West regional tournament's Most Outstanding Player. "Everybody made an effort to have fun. We used to have fun whether we were down 17 or up 17. I think you will see that same team in New Orleans." Yesterday at the Kingdome, the Michigan basketball team solved the new upstart, Temple, 77-72, to champion the West Regional and return to the Final Four. The Wol- verines (30-4 overall) play Ken- tucky, Saturday evening in the Superdome. After an inspired first half by Temple (20-13), the Wolverines headed into the locker room trailing by eight, 35-27. To that point, the inside duo of Webber and Juwan Howard had been quieted by the Owls' matchup zone defense, which limited them to a combined eight points. "Coach thought that Chris and I weren't doing a good job as far as establishing position inside," said Howard who, along with Webber and Jalen Rose, were named to the All-Tournament team. "I felt that both of us weren't working hard in the first half as far as trying to get the ball inside." around the defenseman. It is frustrat- ing to lose in an overtime situation. It will be tough to sit with 15,000 of your friends (at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee)." The game winner was originally awarded to Dan Stiver, who swung at the puck the same time Roberts did. However, all Michigan cared about was that someone had sent the team on a trip to Milwaukee. "I doesn't matter who scores the goals," defenseman Pat Neaton said. "We've got to get scoring from all. We'll take it from who can get it." Revenge was good medicine for Roberts, after Michigan's sickly loss. to Wisconsin in last year's NCAA semifinals. "When we found out we were playing Wisconsin, everyone was excited about redeeming ourselves after last year," Roberts said. "It gave us some motivation. It was a long summer and I thought about last year's game -on more than one occasion."' The Wolverines were almost headed for another early vacation when Tok fired in his third goal of the season. He ripped a slapshot past Michigan goalie Steve Shields from the top of the left circle, at the 14:07 mark of the third period, to give the Badgers a 3-2 lead. "Any time you let in a 60-foot slapshot, you've got to take a look at what you did wrong," Shields said. "I've done it before and I am sure it's not the last time I will." "This team doesn't respond neg- atively to a goal against," Stiver said. "We've got a lot of character on this team." Despite the deficit, the See HOCKEY, Page 6 Jalen Rose cuts down the Kingdome's nets after Michigan's 77-72 victory over Temple. Saturday, the Wolverines play Kentucky in New Orleans. "(Fisher) gave me a challenge," Webber said. "He told me to play like a man, rebound and give it sec- ond and third efforts." Webber proceeded to catalyze the second-half revival, grabbing seven rebounds and scoring nine points. Howard added seven points and seven rebounds. Their bruising play spelled doom for Temple, which re- lied on its zone to hide its weak in- side game. By game's end, Michigan held a 40-32 rebound edge. After yielding one free-throw at- tempt in its regional semifinal win over Vanderbilt last Friday, Temple committed 22 fouls - 16 in the sec- ond half - and sent Michigan to the charity stripe 28 times. "They were just too strong in- side," said Temple guard Rick Brunson, who led all scorers with 21. "I thought William (Cunning- ham) and Derrick (Battie) did a great job, but their talent just beat us tonight." Both guard Aaron McKie and See TEMPLE, Page 5 I The by Brett Forrest Daily Hockey Writer Need or Ouimet looks to end Michi Imagine you are a CCHA defenseman facing Michigan's top line of seniors Mark Ouimet, Dave Roberts and Dan Stiver. Stiver controls the puck along the boards on the left side of the Wolverine defensive zone. As the Wolverines start the breakout,, Stiver sends the puck to Roberts cutting across the blue line, and you backpedal to center ice. As you reach your blue line, Roberts feeds a breaking Ouimet who happens to be charging down your side of the ice. It is alright, though, he is still in front of you. Ouimet closes the gap between the two of you quickly as you reach the top of the faceoff circle. You are positioned well to handle him as he makes a move wide toward the boards. Uh-oh, this guy is fast. As you turn to follow, all you can do is flail at him with your stick. His number 15 is a blur as he cuts in on your goaltender and feeds a pass to Stiver across the crease for an easy tap-in. It's a nightmare. Is Mark Ouimet fast? Maybe career with NCAA champio Speed played against," Michigan captain David Harlock said. "College %an hockey is a game of speed -it's Iff up-tempo. You can't catch him in sha one-on-one footrace. (Ouimet's speed) adds a really important ingredient to our team." That is what you would call an understatement. Ouimet centers Michigan's top line with Roberts on his left and Stiver on his right. Stiver has the shot, Roberts has the moves and Ouimet has the jets. Roberts and Ouimet lead the team in scoring with 64 and 60 points respectively and Stiver is sixth with 45 points - 29 more than he had last Ouimet has been turning countless defensemen into turnstiles and pylons this season without making moves on most of them. He just blows past them. But it wasn't always this way, though. "He is so strong per pound," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "He's always been fast, but I think he's faster now because he's so strong. He's turned it up even this year." Onniet a native oAf Ponlar Dill. I ~,- ~