The Michigan Daily - Friday, January 6, 1995 - 11 ,Women cagers to battle Spartans, Wildcats By RAVI GOPAL Daily Basketball Writer This weekend, the Michigan women's basketball team will face two teams that are direct opposites of each other in terms of experience. Wichigan State and Northwestern will play the Wolverines today and Sunday, respectively. The Wolverines' (0-2 Big Ten, 5-7 overall) opponent tonight, the Spartans (0-1, 6-4), are led by the senior threesome of Kisha Kelley, Tanya Place and Chris Powers. The 5-10 Kelley averaged 19.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last ; eason, garnering team Most Valu- able Player honors in the process. "Those three are experienced players," Michigan coach Trish Rob- erts said. "It's going to be a battle of experience against youth." Michigan State can score a lot of points, but gives up a lot of points as well. In their most recent outing, the Spartans fell to No. 5 *Fenn State, 99-70. Michigan State's up-tempo game is keyed by the aforemen- tioned three seniors. Aside from this trio, however, the Spartans lack depth. This could be their undoing tonight. "(The Spartans) just have certain players, that if we can stop them, then we can stop Michigan State," Roberts said. The fact that the Spartans are a loathed intrastate rival figures into the Wolverines' equation for suc- cess. Michigan's returning players are up about the ogame, and are looking to avenge two losses from last year. "There is that rivalry,"junior Jen- nifer Brzezinski said. "We definitely are more pumped." Added sophomore forward Silver Shellman, "I don't think we knew what (the rivalry) was last year. After we lost the two games, now we know." The Wildcats (5-7, 1-0) bring a very young team to Ann Arbor. Two top players from last season, center Patricia Babcock and guard Moira Kennelly, have graduated. Last year they combined for 29.9 ppg. Their offensive production is sorely missed, as evidenced by Northwestern's lack- luster record. Senior Maureen Holohan keys this year's Wildcat attack. A second-team All-Big Ten selection a year ago, she averaged 16.7 points and five re- bounds a game. Besides Holohan, though, North- western is green, as no less than nine underclassmen dot its roster. "They're down this year," Rob- erts said of the Wildcats. "They're very inexperienced, and are playing up-and-down." Northwestern's flex offense is its main weapon. If Michigan can find a way to combat this Wildcat weapon, as it did last year when the Wolver- ines were able to maintain a 14-point lead going into the half at Evanston, then Michigan could be looking at a two-game sweep to begin the new year. "I think it's very possible that we could come out of the weekend with two victories," Brzezinski said. LIONS Continued from page 10 been doing." However, Michigan's main ob- stacle Sunday could be themfrustra- tion that will come trying to score against a stingy Nittany Lions de- fense. The Wolverines have shot above 50 percent only once this season (against Detroit Mercy) and face a team that has held its oppo- nents to 36 percent shooting. "We've been struggling - we have not been playing well," Fisher said. "I am not going to let them or me or the staff get frustrated with our play. If they play hard, and good shots don't go in, there is nothing we can do about it except to work on our shooting.Ws The Wolverines laid some of the "We've been struggling - we have not been playing well." - Steve Fisher Michigan men's basketball coach season-long frustration to rest in their victory over Purdue. Yet, after a 6-5 pre-conference record, Michi- gan knows that any hopes for postseason play rests on whether it steps up in Big Ten play. "We have to be one of the top- three teams in the conference in order to have a chance at the (NCAA) tournament," Jackson said. "I think everyone is feeling the pressure. We have to continue to build on the things we did against Purdue." A t University Towers, we've got room just for you... W 0 V\E R sN TA ...or the whole team Exercise Room e Study Lounge * TV Lounge " Computer Room * Laundry Facilities 24 hour Attended Lobby * Game Room " Outdoor Pool . Heat and Water Included JOE WESTRATE/Dally basketball team takes on Michigan State tonight. The Michigan women'sI 1universitTowers Apartents 536 S. Forest Ave. 761-2680 l l can't belcieve their selection!1 t \ r~ f tr~a.+.* , .*. \ 1',M t: , }"W r,' ?~ 1{y x3M,^" ':1". IN, N M1\t' . I.M1M1A" I've got the t Michigan books you need Book & Supply The largest selection of used textbooks for all University of Michigan classes! 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