The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 21, 1997 - 15 'M' women cagers hope to weather Storm in opener By Josh Kleinbaum Daily Sports Writer The wait is over. The Michigan women's basketball team finally gets to play in a game that counts. After a month of practice and one exhibition game, the Wolverines will play in the MSU-Felpausch tourna- ment tonight and tomorrow at Michigan State's Breslin Center. The Wolverines open their season tonight at 6 against St. John's. Fresno State will play the host Spartans at 8 p.m. Tomorrow, the winners and losers will pair off. "We want to improve with every game we play," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "I'd like to see us cut down on turnovers and improve our free-throw percentage." Turnovers and free-throws were somewhat of a problem in the exhibi- tion against Sporitelna Bratislava, a Slovakian team, but the Wolverines still dominated the game. "We'd like to take care of the kinks that we have - take care of us first - and then worry about St. John's," Guevara said. Michigan will see some familiar faces on the Red Storm sideline. St. John's starting backcourt of senior Latricia Gunnells and junior Ebony Dickinson both are Michigan natives, and both played at Lansing Community College. "Ebony Dickinson is a good play- er," Guevara said. "She's got a quick shot and can penetrate to the basket." The Red Storm are coming off a lackluster year, winning only three of its 18 Big East games and finishing sixth in the conference. But Dickinson, who is playing in "We'd like to take care of the kinks that we have ... and then worry about St. John's" - Sue Guevara Michigan women's basketball coach her first year with the Red Storm, adds a solid court presence and a constant threat from anywhere on the floor. Dickinson is part of a new-look St. John's team - only two starters return from last year's squad. The Wolverines have a bit of a new look themselves. Freshman Anne Thorius will run the offense for the Wolverines, starting in her first offi- cial collegiate game. Thorius' solid passing and court vision should help Michigan get the ball into the low post where Pollyanna Johns could have a field day against a weaker St. John's squad. "I think we may have a stronger inside game," Guevara said. "They're big, but I don't think they're strong. Pollyanna is much stronger." The Red Storm are a perimeter-ori- ented team, which means Thorius, Stacey Thomas and Ann Lemire will have to step it up defensively and protect the outside. Johns is a pres- ence in the paint on defense as well, so the Red Storm will not likely ven- ture inside too often. Expect to see Michigan use the press to solidify its defense - a weakness last season. Against The season begins ... Who: Michigan vs. St. John's What: The Wolverines play their first game of the season in the MSU- Felpausch Tournament Where: East Lansing When: Tonight. 6 o'clock Sporitelna, the Wolverines used a full-court press to force turnovers and spur a 10-0 run late in the first half. But Guevara thinks St. John's is a very athletic team, and that worries her. The Red Storm run the floor early and often in an attempt to tire its their opponents. With only 10 players dressing for tonight's game, conditioning may be a problem. "They're a very athletic team," Guevara said. "They're going to get up and down, they're going to play the passing lanes, and they're going to try to press us." The Red Storm does have one dis- tinct advantage - they already have one official game under their belts. They survived a scare from Manhattan College, winning 56-53. The Wolverines are not looking to tomorrow, where they will likely face Michigan State if they beat the Red Storm, but are focusing on just the St. John's game. "Michigan State has to play Fresno State," Guevara said. "Hopefully we can beat St. John's, and we'll just be ready for whoever they want to throw at us next." FILE PHOTO Forward Tiffany Willard and the rest of the Michigan women's basketball team will be looking to start off its season on the right foot with a win tonight against St. Johns. Accolades rolling in for Michigan stickers FILE PHOTO Senior defender Sandra Cabrera, Wolverines also played in the cha Senior midffelder Julie Flachs ended her career at Michigan on a strong note by being named a Regional freshman forward Kelli Gannon, onship game of the conference x An-American, in addition to leading the Wolverines to their best season ever. senior defender Shelley Johnson, and season tournament for the first s d ey sss rr r i V. :From Staff Reports Michigan men's cross country coach Ron Warhurst was named NCAA Region IV Coach of the Year this week by fellow coaches in the region. Warhurst's fourth-ranked Wolverines captured both the Big Ten and NCAA Region IV Championship this fall. Warhurst, who was also named Big Ten Coach of the Year, is now one of nine other Regional Coaches of the Year nominated for the NCAA National Coach of the Year Award, to be announced the week of the Nov. 24. Michigan has claimed six Big Ten ... . titles under Warhurst, who has coached the Wolverines since 1974. He was also named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1993. Along with team cham- pionships, Warhurst has also trained :. Kevin Sullivan to four straight Big Ten and regional titles. He has coached 14 All-Americans, "Al Wfour Big Ten champions, and trained way with the honor like his team at a meet, Michigan coach Ron Michigan's 1995 distance medley relay Warlrst snapped up his third Big Ten Coach of the Year title c to a NCAA track title. ': J ... ...: ii .;.;..d m In Ed I mo w. k...