Men's Basketball
vs. Duke
Saturday, 1 p.m. (CBS)
Crisler Arena
Sl
Hockey
vs. Kent State
Friday, 7 p.m.
Kent
HOCKEY NOTEBOOK
Wolverines claim league,
World Junior honors
By ANTOINE PITTS
and MICHAEL ROSENBERG
DAILY HOCKEY WRITERS
Three Michigan hockey players will see extended playing and travel time over
the holiday break.
Forwards Kevin Hilton and Ryan Sittler, and defenseman Blake Sloan were
named to the U.S. World Junior Team that will compete in the World Junior
Championships from Dec. 26 to Jan. 4 in Czechoslovakia.
This is Sittler's third appearance on the U.S. select squad. He traveled to
Sweden with the team for last year's championship.
A fourth Wolverine, right wing Jason Botterill, has been invited to tryout for
the Canadian team next week in Kitchener, Ont.
MORE HONORS: The Wolverines earned their third Player-of-the-Week award
this season as Steven Halko was named CCHA Defensive Player-of-the-Week.
The sophomore defenseman was part of the Michigan penalty-killing unit that held
Western Michigan to 2-for-18 with a man advantage over the weekend.
The Michigan penalty-killers on the season have been busy as the Wolverines
have given their opponents 106 power-play opportunities in 14 games. Michigan
has killed 88 of those chances (83 percent).
"A lot of the time we're aggressive on the forechecking, so (the power play
unit) doesn't even have a chance to set up," Halko said. "In the zone, we just try
to be aggressive and don't let them gain control. If we don't let them set up, that's
half the battle."
Sittler and Botterill previously took league Player-of-the-Week honors for the
,Wolverines, but Halko is the first to claim defensive honors.
CHASING six: Before last Friday's game at Yost, the Wolverines were presented
with a commemorative plaque signifying their five straight triumphs at the Great
Lakes Invitational.
This year's event at Joe Louis Arena takes place Dec. 29 and 30 with Michigan
facing Notre Dame and Michigan State facing Michigan Tech in first round action.
Only one other team has captured five in a row at the Joe - Michigan Tech
from 1976 to 1980.
PACKING THEM IN: Friday's crowd of 7,057 was the largest crowd so far this year
at Yost Ice Arena. Through four home games, the Wolverines are averaging 6,644
*spectators.
Michigan is ahead of last year's record attendance average of 6,290 and has yet
to play Michigan State and Lake Superior State, which are usually sellouts.
GET YOUR TICKETS: A few seats are left for the Jan. 7 showdown with Lake
Superior. Meanwhile, tickets for the Jan.21 game against Michigan State continue
to be sold. Today is the last day they will be sold on a priority basis to Michigan
students, staff and faculty at the Athletic Ticket Office.
LEGG OUT: Freshman right wing Mike Legg will not practice with the team this
week and will not travel to Kent State this weekend so he can keep up with his
classwork. Although Legg is eligible to play, he met with coach Red Berenson and
they decided he should take the week off and concentrate on his studies.
"We're giving Legg a week to get caught up in school," Berenson said. "We've
been concerned about him. It's not apunishment. It's achance for him to get caught
up."
To succeed, Derricks
must be a force inside
EVAN_ F I fliLnuny
Sophomore center Leon Derricks had a career high 10 points in Monday's
victory over Detroit-Mercy. He was filling in for the injured Juwan Howard.
First Teaem
Offense
Running Backs: Tyrone Wheatley, Michigan; Brent Moss, Wisconsin
Quarterback: Darrel! Bevell, Wisconsin
Center: Cory Rayrner, Wisconsin
Guards: Jason Winrow, Ohio State; Joe Rudolph, Wisconsin
Tackles: Joe Panos, Wisconsin; Korey Stringer, Ohio State
Tight End: Michael Roan, Wisconsin *
Receivers: Joey Galloway, Ohio State; Bobby Engram, Penn State
Placekicker: Bill Manolopolous. Indiana
Defense
Linemen/Outside Linebackers: Dan Wilkinson, Ohio State; Simeon Rice,
Illinois, Mike Wels, Iowa; Lamark Shackerford. Wisconsin; Hurvin
McCormack, Indiana
Linebackers: Dana Howard, Illinois; Lorenzo Styles, Ohio State; John
Holocek, IllinoisI
Backs: Ty Law, Michigan; Jeff Messenger, Wisconsin; Jimmy Young,
Purdue
Punter: Jim DiGuilio, Indiana
Second Team
Offense
Running Backs: Raymont Harris, Ohio State; Ki-Jana Carter, Penn State
Quarterback: Jim Miller, Michigan State
Center: Greg Engel, illinois
Guards: Rob Rogers, Minnesota; Joe Marinaro, Michigan
Tackles: Shane Hannah, Michigan State; Matt O'Dwyer, Northwestern
Tight End: Kyle Brady, Penn State
Receivers: Omar Douglas, Minnesota; Lee DeRamus, Wisconsin
Placekicker: 'Tim Williams, Ohio State
Defense
Linemen/Outside Linebackers: Buster Stanley, Michigan; Lou Benfatti,
Penn State; Rob Fredrickson, Michigan State; Steve Shine, Northwestern;
Jason Simmons, Ohio State
Linebackers: Yusef Burgess, Wisconsin; Brian Gelzheiser, Penn State;
Charles Beauchamp, Indiana
Backs: Chico Nelson, Ohio State; Derek Bochna, Penn State; Shelly
Hammonds, Penn State; Reggie Holt, Wisconsin
Punter: Nick Gallery, Iowa
By TIM RARDIN
DAILY BASKETBALL WRITER
When sophomore forward/center
Leon Derricks was announced as a
starter before Monday's game against
Detroit-Mercy, fans must have won-
dered why.
And certainly, I would have too,
had a sports information guy not told
me beforehand that starting center
Juwan Howard was out with a strained
right Achilles tendon.
Knowing the injury wasn't serious,
and knowing that the setback would
make little, if any, difference against
the hapless Titans, I realized that
Howard's injury was actually a bless-
ing in disguise for the Wolverines.
The change provided Michigan
coach Steve Fisher a premature, risk-
free glimpse of what life could be like
for the team if and when Howard gets
into foul trouble - or worse, if he
gets injured more seriously than he
was Monday night.
In his first-ever start, Derricks
nearly reached a triple-double, notch-
ing 10 points, 13 rebounds, seven as-
sists and one block in his 32 minutes of
play. Previously, Derricks barely accu-
mulated such numbers in his career.
In short, he filled in admirably for
Howard.
"We always knew that he had it in
him," Howard said of his replace-
ment. "He's got real good vision out
there. He had an all-around game."
However, the problem for Michi-
gan was that Derricks had an all-
around game all around the paint.
The 6-9, 215-pounder (a generous
figure, for sure) barely set foot inside
except when cutting through on his
way to the opposite wing spot.
"I like facing the basket because I
can dribble the ball well and pass the
ball well," Derricks said.
Sure, Derricks proved he has a
knack for the pass and a nice touch
from 10 to 15 feet. But if Howard's on
ice, Michigan doesn't need Derricks
to show off his skills outside. It's not
as if the Wolverines have a shortage
of perimeter players.
Derricks has to play with his back
to the basket, especially when Howard
is out of the lineup. Against Detroit-
Mercy, it doesn't really matter, but
against Big Ten teams, it will.
In the game of basketball, inside-
outside balance is important, if not
essential. The effectiveness of one
bears heavily on the effectiveness of
the other. If teams have to respect you
inside, you will be better able to ex-
ploit them outside, and vice versa.
Case in point - Juwan Howard.
Against Tennessee-Chattanooga, for
instance, the Moccasins had to re-
spect Howard's game inside, thus
opening up the outside for the rest of
the Wolverines.
Michigan shot 51 percent from the
field, and nailed I I of 22 three-pointers.
When Derricks chooses to spend
his time roaming around the perim-
eter rather than throwing his lanky
frame into the paint, a Howard-less
Michigan team quickly finds itself
about as balanced as American gym-
nast Kim Zmeskal was on the beam
during the 1992 Summer Olympics.
No, Leon Derricks is not the stron-
gest power forward ever to lace 'em up.
Nor is he the biggest. But, if Derricks
takes his game outside, opposing teams
won't have to worry about clogging the
lane to protect the middle.
And if that's the case, Big Ten
'We always knew that
(Derricks) had it in
him. He's got real good
vision out there. He
had an all-around
game.'
-- Juwan Howard
Michigan center
defenses will be able to focus on
Michigan's perimeter players, which
then limits what guys like Jalen Rose,
Jimmy King and others are able to do.
Monday night, for instance, the'
Wolverines took most of their shots:
from outside, and ended up shoot-
ing a season-low 48 percent from
the field, including 45 percent in the
second half.
Now, that may or may not have
been attributable to the lack of inside
presence for Michigan. Regardless,
Monday's game pointed out a poten-
tial sore spot.
With Howard very susceptible to
foul trouble during the rigorous Big
Ten schedule, that success could fall
considerably on the frail shoulders of
Leon Derricks.
No, when Howard is out of the
game, Derricks doesn't have to drop
his perimeter game altogether, but he
does have to be willing to utilize his
skills more on the blocks.
Hopefully, it won't take a loss in
the Big Ten to teach him that lesson.
U
EVAN PETRIE/Daily
Ryan Sittler crosses the blueline in the College Hockey Showcase.
"
COME ENJOY:
12-inch Pizza w/ 1 Item...$4.89
Pitchers of Coors Light...$3.25
1220 S. University
Call 665-7777 for deliveries
B YPASS THE BOOK STORE
Buy or sell
71
Holida
Party
Gifts b
voted Ann,
Gifts shippe
S N. Uni
COOKIES <
y Greetings
Specials
)y Mail
Arbor's Best Cookie
Id anywhere in US
versity 761-CHIP
n
%. N.,O'
.....
V V '
...
'J ''°
, v
Department of Recreational
Sports
INTRAMURAL
SPORTS PROGRAM
JOSTENS
Used Textbooks
With Other Students from your College.
Stop by and see a Jostens representative
Dec. Sth * 11 a.m. to 4 v.m.
1994 WINTER TERM
i
w