The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - November 24, 1997 - 5B 'M' women improve to beat State, win tourney By Josh Kilanbaum Daily Sports Writer EAST LANSING - Saturday, the Michigan women's basketball team showed just how good it can be. Friday, it showed just how bad it can be. Luckily for the Wolverines, they played the tough competition Saturday. Despite playing an extremely slop- py game, the Wolverines defeated an even sloppier St. John's team in the opening round of the MSU-Felpausch tournament, 72-55. Michigan played just the opposite in the championship game, defeating host Michigan State, 89-72. Anne Thorius lead the Wolverines with 22 points in the championship game, and Pollyanna Johns added 21 points and 16 rebounds. Bella Engen paced the Spartans with 18 points. Michigan used an early 14-0 run to jump out to a quick lead. Several times in the second half, the Spartans threatened the Wolverines' lead. But every time, the Wolverines responded with strong runs, putting more distance between themselves and the Spartans. With just more than 14 minutes left, Engen hit a driving layup, cap- ping a 12-5 Michigan State run and cutting the Michigan lead to nine. But then Thorius took over. The freshman point guard made two 3- pointers and a jumper to lead Michigan on a 10-point run and regain control of the game. But the Spartans did not give up. With nine minutes left, Christie Pung hit an easy layup, drawing the Spartans to within 12. Then the Wolverines put the game away. Johns converted a three-point play, and Akisha Franklin added four points as the Wolverines put together another run, this one for 11 straight points, giving the Wolverines a 23- point lead with just six minutes left. After that, Michigan State never pulled within 15 points. Johns quickly established herself as a dominant force in the post. In the first eight minutes of the game, she hit three layups and one jump shot. Incredibly, she was fouled on all four shots and converted two of four from the line. "I knew Michigan State might have a little trouble inside defending Johns," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "We took advantage of her strength." By halftime, Johns had already compiled a double-double, scoring 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field and grabbing 12 rebounds - five of them offensive. The Spartans soon realized that they had no one strong enough to defend Johns and resorted to hacking her, sending her to the free-throw line. But that backfired on the Spartans. Time and again, Johns hit the shot on which she was fouled and went to the line to try to complete the three-point play. The fouls also put Michigan State center Kristen Rasmussen from into foul trouble early, leaving a freshman, Erin Skelly, to guard Johns. Rasmussen fouled out after playing 11 I I only 19 minutes. "It was good for me and the kids to see the improvement from yesterday to today," Guevara said Saturday. "That's what we talk about every game. We need to improve on the game before." And improve they did. In the opening-round victory over St. John's, the Wolverines won a game that was flat-out ugly. The two teams combined for 47 turnovers. Neithet team shot above 31 percent from the field in the first half. Passes were completely missing their intended tar- gets - if they had intended targets at all. "It was a win, but it was ugly," Guevara said. "I've watched our team for 25 days, and I didn't know that team that was out there." Despite the sloppy play, the Wolverines never trailed after seven minutes had gone by. But it was much closer than the final score indicated. Three minutes into the second half, the Red Storm cut the Michigan lead to just one. With just eight minutes left in the game, Michigan held only a three-point lead. "We came out very tentative; we couldn't score," Guevara said. "We were a little impatient, and we're lucky that we won." It wasn't just luck, though. It was Stacey Thomas. After the Red Storm, cut the lead to three, Thomas scored five straight points, giving the Wolverines a little breathing room. Thomas would add nine more in the last seven minutes, giving her 19 for the game. 4 i A MLLOY S.E. FLOY/UDil yanna Johns led the Michigan women's basketball team to victories over St. Johns and Michigan State in this weekend's U-elpausch Tournament in East Lansing. Johns had a double-double in the championship game against Michigan State, ting 21 points and 16 rebounds. Vsing voice from stalls, Thorius picks Blue out from toilet Freshman plays entire 40 minutes in tournament championship game, scores 22 points to lead 'M' women's basketball team By Jish Kl.inbaum Daily Sports Writer EAST LANSING - Just minutes before he championship game of the MSU- Felpausch tournament on Saturday, Anne Thorius, the starting point guard on the Michigan women's basketball team, was s1,814in a bathroom stall, minding her own business. Then a voice came from the next stall. "Anne," the voice said, "we need you to scorg today." Thorius took coach Sue Guevara's words to heart and led the Wolverines with an astounding 22-point performance. She played all 40 minutes of Michigan's 89-72 victory over Michigan State. "I should have told her that Friday, huh?" Cbvara said of the bathroom comment. Friday was when Michigan survived a scare from St. John's in the tournament's opener. In that game, Thorius looked like what she is - a freshman. She seemed unfamiliar with her teammates, missing passis and turning the ball over. Thorius was only 2-of-3 from the field, scoring five points. She recorded just two assists and turned over the ball four times. She played sloppy in a game that was slop- p 11 around. hat a difference a day made. In the championship game, Thorius, who was named to the all-tournament team, took Guevara's advice and came out scor- ing. She took 10 more shots than she did in the opener, but she wasn't. selfish, adding six assists. But the most remarkable thing about Thorius's performance was the minutes she played. In just her second game at the col- legiate level, she played the entire 40 min- utes. "I didn't know she played 40 minutes," Guevara said. "I just realized I never took her out." Guevara compared her to players like Stacey Thomas and Pollyanna Johns, who only come out of the game if they do some- thing that Guevara needs to talk to them about, or if they get into foul trouble. In the second half, the Wolverines shot an astonishing 69 percent from the field - a testament to Thorius's ability to find the open player. After a solid first half - eight points, one assist, one turnover, two steals - Thorius had a dominant second half. In the half, she was 6-of-8 from the field - including two 3-pointers - for 14 points. She added five assists and two rebounds. The highlight of her game was a two- minute stretch midway through the second half. First, Ann Lemire found Thorius open in the corner. Thorius took the feed and "of course there's a lot of pressure coming out and having to run the plays. But I feel pretty comfotable out there."I -- Anne Thorius Michigan freshman guard knocked down a trey, giving Michigan a 12-point lead. One minute later, Thorius took the ball at the top of the key and drove to the hoop, easily penetrating the Michigan State defense for a layup. Just 45 seconds later, Akisha Franklin dished the ball to Thorius, who nailed another 3- pointer. Thorius' offensive explosion led a Michigan run that turned a nine-point lead into a 19-point cushion. "Of course there's a lot of pressure com- ing out and having to run the plays," Thorius said. "But I feelpretty comfortable out there. The pressure is on everybody." MALLORY S.E. FLOYD/Daily As she sat minding - or doing - her own business before Saturday's game at Michigan State, fresh. man guard Anne Thorius heard a voice booming from the stall next to hers in the bathroom. it was her coach, Sue Guevara, imploring her to do more scoring. Thorlus responded, wiping away the Spartans by scoring 22 points and by playing all 40 minutes of the game. Facing Michigan tate, Guevara faces ormer team, boss 3 Wolverines make All-Tournament Team By Tracy Sandier Daily Sports Writer "The bottom line Teacher versus student always pre- S.ts an interesting dynamic, espe- is Michigan played Ywhen talking about coaching. Michigan women's basketball very well. We did coach Sue Guevara was an assistant under Michigan State coach Karen not. ---""p9 A Langeland for 10 years. Last season, Guevara coached against her former team and lost. At this weekend's 1997 MSU- Felpausch Tournament, the Wolverines played Spatan inthe game, giving Guevara another chance at victory. She and the Wolverines suc- ceeded, winning the game, 89-72. "I learned a lot from (Karen) - - Karen Langeland Michigan State women's basketball coach champs. It's my job to catch you.' We have to take steps, and today, we took a big step."~ ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: The Wolverines accounted for three of the five members of the weekend's All-Tournament Team - Stacey Thomas, Anne Thorius and Pollyanna Johns. The other two members of the team are Fresno State's Connie Krueger and For the most comprehensive coverage of football, hockey, basketball, soccer, field hockey, swimming, cross country, volleyball and all other Michigan sports, click on our Website - anywhere on Earth. 1 AL -= Im Irn a mm a nma ==Ni - ~ La === IifII - Ia