Hockey vs. Michigan State Tonight, 7 p.m. (PASS) Yost Ice Arena Si 'TS Women's Swimming vs. Northwestern Today, 3 p.m. CanhamNatatorium Michigan to Gopher jug Trophy on the line tomorrow against Minnesota By MICHAEL ROSENBERG Daily Football Writer When the Minnesotafootball team takes the field at Michigan Stadium at 1 p.m. tomorrow, itwill beplaying for the Little Brown Jug. And not much else. The Golden Gophers are playing like a team on a mission - a Mormon mission. Minnesota (1-5 Big Ten, 3-6 overall) is staring up at the rest of the conference standings. Jim Wacker's club has allowed over 33 points per game in conference play. "We're not where we want to be," Wacker said. "But regardless of our record we're a pretty good football team." But still, a win tomorrow would mean Minnesota can take home the fabled Jug for the first time since 1986. If the Golden Gophers are to have any chance against Michigan, they'll need a big game from Chris Darkins. Thejuniortailbackis sixth in the nation in rushing with 1,162 yards on 225 carries. "Nobody in the country knows who Chris Darkins is," Wacker says. "Next year everybody will know who Chris Darkins is." Consider yourself a year ahead of 250 million people. While Wacker has one great tail- back, Michigan coach Gary Moeller Regardless of our record we're a pretty good football team.' - Jim Wacker Minnesota coach has two. Tyrone Wheatley and TshimangaBiakabutuka will get most ofthe carries against adefense which is allowing 4.4 yards per rush. But the Gopher defense is improv- ing. Last week, it almost helped Min- nesota upset Illinois. "They had 23 yards rushing," Wacker said. "One thing our teams generally do is bounce back. How will we respond? I don't know. Only one person knows and he ain't talk- ing. We had a very aggressive de- fense." Aggressive is not a word normally associated with Michigan's defense. The Wolverines have given up over 500yards in threedifferent games this season. They currently rank 10th in the conference in pass defense. That could mean trouble against Minnesota's "Air Wacker" offense. The Gophers have attempted 313 passes, more than any other conference team. Minnesota will need an improved passing attack in order to avoid a repeat of last year, when Michigan kept the Jug in a 58-7 rout. Despite the apparent mismatch, Wacker likes hisyoung team'schances. "They're a great group of kids," Wacker said. "We're playing much better football right now. The lastfour games we lost we had more yards than our opponent. When those kids grow up and shave, we'll be pretty good. Next veairwe'll hnv them ranrs" EVAN PETRIE/Daity Tyrone Wheatley leaps into the endzone against Minnesota last season in the Metrodome. Wheatley needs two points to pass placekicker Mike Gillette's 307 points for first place on Michigan's all-time career points scored list. Women's basketball picked to finish last in Big Ten By RODERICK BEARD Daily Basketball Writer INDIANAPOLIS - Conference coaches gathered to discuss their out- looks for the season, the new postsea- son tournament, injuries and new play- ersatthe sixth annual Big Ten Women's Basketball Tipoff Luncheon. One of the main topics of discus- sion was the postseason conference tournament, which will be held March 3-6 at Butler University. The Big Ten switched to the tournament format from the double round-robin schedule, where each team played each of the others twice. The winner of the tournament will receive theconference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Now, the Pac-10 remains as the only major conference without a women's postseason tournament. The Big Ten's only other tournament was in 1981. Coaches had mixed reviews of the new format. "I think it's going to be great," Michigan coach Trish Roberts said. "I think it gives us something to look forward to at the end of the year." "I think the tournament is a tremen- dous help for the young teams and teams that start out injured. They jell at mid-season, and by the end of the season, they're really good," Purdue coach Lin Dunn said. "It gives them a chance to get into the tournament." Dunn's Boilermakers, who tied for the Big Ten championship and ad- vanced to the Final Four, were picked to repeat as champions by the I think (the Big Ten tournament) gives us something to look forward to at the end of the yea r. Trish Roberts Michigan coach conference's eleven coaches. Leslie Johnson, last year's national Freshman of the Year and a pre-season All-Big Ten this season, will lead the team. The Boilermakers return all of last year's starters, and add 6-foot-6 freshman Michele VanGorp, who can dunk, to the mix. Roberts' Wolverines, who were 0-18 in the Big Ten and 3-24 overall last season, can only improve over their last-place finish. The coaches picked Michigan to finish last in the conference again this year. The Wolverines only had seven players on their roster and lost Yeshimbra Gray, one of their top players, to graduation. To make matters worse, last year's starting point guard, sophomore Jennifer Kiefer, is out for the season with an injury. This year's Michigan team will fea- ture seven true freshmen, comprising the No.11 recruiting class in thecoun- try, and three returning starters. The Michigan women's basketball team will hold a scrimmage open to the public tonight at 7:00 at Crisler Arena. Columbus North 888 East Dublin-Granville Road Columbus, Ohio 43229 (614) 888-8230 BEST RATE BEST WESTERN $49.99 plus tax includes Buffet Breakfast for two adults . Complimentry use of our full-service Sports Club featuring junior olympic indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, steamroom and more. " Whitney's Restaurant and Fortune's Lounge "'Located on SR 161 and 171 * Shoppping within a ten mile radius includes Columbus City Center, Northland Mall, French Market and others. 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