I 14 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 21,_1997 Bottoms up for Michigan icers in Ohio By Fred Unk Daily Sports Writer When the Michigan hockey team travels to Ohio this weekend, they will be facing two teams at the bottom of the CCHA standings. Michigan faces 10th-place Bowling Green (1-3-1 CCHA, 2-8-1 overall) Friday night and ninth-place Ohio State (2-3-0, 5- 4-) on Sunday afternoon. O1espite the Falcons' and Buckeyes' records, Michigan coach Red Berenson says the Wolverines can't take these games for granted. "I don't think these teams are weak," Berenson said. "Bowling Green lost some players and we lost some players, so I know they'll be tough to beat." Like Michigan, Bowling Green lost nine players from last season's team. As a result, the Falcons must rely heavily on eight freshmen and six sophomores to fill the void. So far, things aren't going very well for the Falcons. Excluding their 9-2 victory ovr Waterloo, the Falcons have averaged only 2.1 goals per game, while giving up 4.1 goals per game. As a result, Bowling Green has lost three straight games and eight of their past I1. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes will be look- ing for their first win against the Wolverines in more than eight years. Since a 7-3 victory on Nov. 19, 1989, Ohio State has gone 0-26-5 against Michigan. Defensively, the Buckeyes have played well, with goaltender Ray Aho giving up only 2.7 goals per game. Offensively, how- ever, Ohio State has had trouble putting the puck in the net, scoring an average of only 2.6 goals per game in league play. But the Wolverines have problems of their own to worry about. Michigan will be looking to regain its confidence after giving up a three-goal lead in a hard-fought 3-3 tie against Ferris State last Sunday. "That second period affected the whole team," Berenson said. "The offense didn't like it, the defense didn't like it, the coach- es -everyone didn't like it. "It's up to the team to learn from that by staying focused to prevent that from hap- pening again." To keep it from happening again, the Wolverines defense will have to do a better job of limiting their opponent's scoring chances. Against Ferris, all three of the Bulldogs' "I don't think these teams are weak." - Red Berenson Michigan hockey coach goals were the result of defensive break- downs that gave the Bulldogs open chances in front of Michigan goaltender Marty Turco. With better defense, Berenson hopes the offense will get going as well. "The team has to play better defensive- ly," Berenson said. "When our defense plays well we can get more chances offen- sively, more opportunities to score." Offensively, the Wolverines will have to get some production from someone other than Bobby Hayes and Bill Muckalt. In the last three games, Hayes and Muckalt have scored all six of the Wolverines' goals. "Bill Muckalt is our best scorer, and he's proven that," Berenson said. "More players need to score. "But Bobby Hayes is playing well, and we're getting good production from that line. But we need more contributions from other players." Michigan right wing Sean Ritchlin will be trying to smash CCHA cellar-dwellers Bowling Gre State this weekend. Tar Heels begin r era under Gutbri SPORTSWEA By Albert Lee The Chronicle DURHAM, N.C. (U-WIRE) - Although the Dean Smith era is over, it certainly does not mark the end of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's dominance in basket- ball. In fact, this year's Tar Heel squad is as good as ever. With four out of five starters return- ing and six of its top seven players back from a team that won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament and advanced to the Final Four, the Tar Heels are viewed as one of the nation's top teams, with a No. 4 pre- season Associated Press ranking. But questions still linger for this squad. While North Carolina does have one of the most talented teams in the nation, whether the Tar Heel's 60-year -old rookie coach Bill Guthridge will be up to the task of coaching in such a tough conference is up is a major question. He realizes that there are the inevitable high expectations after fol- lowing a coach as accomplished as Dean Smith. "Of course Dean did an unbeliev- able job," Guthridge said. "I'm fol- lowing him, I can't replace him - no one can replace Dean Smith." Dean Smith is the total embodiment of not only North Carolina basketball, but also basketball as we know it today. Many of his former players have played NBA basketball, and many of his former assistants are currently head coaches. Some of his prized pupils include Michael Jordan, Sam Perkin Brad Daugherty, Phil Ford, Lar Brown, Roy Williams, George ar and the list goes on and on._. ' Smith also is the NCAA's all-tin winningest coach, a record he set wit his 877th victory over Colorado in thi past spring's NCAA tournamen Under Smith's guidance, the T Heels have recorded 27 consecutiv seasons with at least 21 wins. In add tion, North Carolina has been in th NCAA tournament an NCAA igeor 23 consecutive seasons, a mar h begun in 1975. However, one n people often forget is that Guthridg has been at Smith's side for years coaching at Carolina. "Instead of me having to give hit suggestions and he deciding whetht to accept them or not, he can give suggestions and I have to decid whether to accept them or not. Guthridge said. Although Guthridge has never bee a coach, he knows his Xs and n has been able to learn from. a leg endary coach and teacher. He realizt that winning isn't something that easily achieved - it will require effo from everyone involved. "It was pretty certain that Dea Smith would do a great job coaching Guthridge said. "Now we'll have to.s how this coaching staff and these pla: ers can respond to the coaching staf Of course I'm hoping it'll be go Although this is Guthridge's fir season at the helm, expectations f North Carolina basketball. are sti very high-and rightfully so. Sfevwai r SPACE! ~ oie~ou AsTAL~ )ENTS opec lat eoi. 4 %At. ??/ X yaus Met psb&M X( t,~ ~~w~ Yop..~- hf CME SEE YNE IORhD'S LARGESY SELECTION OF !.SHNI SIVIAYSNIRYSI AND NAYS A! YNI ABSOLUYE lANES! PRICES! i The Witch Doctors Towing and Road Service 24 Hours 2025 W. Stadium Blvd Next to the Post Office Station: (313) 662-6293 Oil Change S Special $995 I I