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COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
(1) Arizona 89,
(7) KENTUCKY 74
(4) Duke 82.
MISSOURI 59
(14) Utah 89
L. MARYMOUNT 50
(22) PRINCETON 61,
Monmouth 38,
(24) GEORGIA 96.
Georgia Southern 74
PRO
HOCKEY
Vancouver 4,
N.Y. RANGERS 2
TORONTO 3,
San Jose 1
Chicago at
EDMONTON, inc.
PH'ENIX 3,
S' Louis 2
PRO
BASKETBALL
CHARLOTTE 90,
Detroit 85
MiAMI 103.
L.A. Lakers 86.
San Antonio 102,
DALLAS 91
Chicago at
SEATTLE, inc.
New Jersey at
GOLDEN STATE, inc.
Denver at
SACRAMENTO, inc.
Wednesday
November 26, 1997
Bombs
away!.
Michigan vs. Detroit
Sunday, 2 p.m., Cobo Hall
Michigan 93,
Illinois State 81
0
Foes drain
threes against
weak Blue 'D'
By Mark Snyder
Daily Sports Writer
Sound basketball strategy - heck, even a tenet of
physics -- dictates that the farther a player shoots from
the basket, the less likely a shot is to fall.
So why are Michigan's opponents defying nature from
beyond the 19-foot-9 arc?
During the first three games of the season, Michigan's
foes scorching the nets at an astounding rate. The first
three opponents -- Western Michigan, Cleveland State
and Towson - have nailed 31-of-6R shots for a 46 percent
clip.
While the high shooting percentages from long range
are not dooming the Wolverines - they have won two of
the three games - the totals remain troubiing.
Monday's game against Towson epitomized the prob-
lems. The Tigers carried a five-point lead into the locker-
room at halftime -- mostly due to their 3-point abilities.
Of the 14 shots they converted in the 20-minute period,
half of them fell from beyond the arc.
Their uncanny shooting touch continued throughout the
second half, as Towson finished with 13 3-pointers,
accounting for more than half of its total points. Fortunate
for the Wolverines, they withstood the barrage, and held
on for a three-point victory.
But Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe said the poor perime-
ter defense was an aberration.
"They had seven different guys make threes," Ellerbe
said. "It is very rare that a power forward and center make
threes."
Should the poor perimeter defense continue in Sunday's
game against Detroit, Michigan may not be so fortunate.
While Towson was carried by Raul de Pablo, who nailed
six of the bombs, Detroit is loaded with shooters, each of
whom has the ability to alter a game's outcome.
Last season, Derrick Hayes went from an unknown
transfer at the beginning of the season to the All-Midwest
Collegiate Conference team, by the end after averaging
15.9 points per game.
For all of Hayes' accolades, he wasn't even Detroit's
best shooter in its opening game.
Sophomore David Ferguson, playing his first game as a
Titan, nailed five 3-pointers as the Titans fell to
Cincinnati. Combined with guard Jermaine Jackson, that
kind of touch from long range could add to Michigan's
early-season woes.
But Ellerbe thinks familiarity should smooth the road
for the Wolverines.
"On U of D-Mercy, there's going to be a number of guys
we're familiar with," he said. "Some of the players they
may have even played against in high school."
Lemire, Johns
shoot down
0
helpless Birds
By B.J. Luria
Daily Sports Writer
Many basketball teams rely on one player to score points in
key situations of games. Last night against Illinois State, the
Michigan women's basketball team proved that it is not one of
those teams.
In their three games this season, three different players hi
led the Wolverines in scoring. Against the Redbirds, it was
junior guard Ann Lemire who stepped up her game, pouring in
24 points as Michigan defeated Illinois State, 93-81. The
Wolverines ran their record to 3-0 while the Redbirds remain
winless at 0-3.
"I wasn't pleased with my performance this weekend, so I felt
that I had to pick up my game a little bit," Lemire said. "It's
mostly a mental thing and I tried to stay focused tonight"
Illinois State outrebounded Michigan early, but Pollyanna
Johns took matters into her own hands, pulling down seven
boards in the first half alone, including five on the offen.*
end. Thanks mostly to Johns' prowess in the paint, Michigan
outrebounded the Redbirds, 22-13, in the first half.
Despite the convincing margin of victory, the game was
much closer than the score would indicate. The Wolverines
actually trailed, 55-53, with 13 minutes remaining. Michigan
co-captain Molly Murray erased the Redbirds' lead with two
straight 3-pointers, staking Michigan to a 59-55 lead.
"Illinois State took the lead on us in the second half and we
didn't fold," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "We came right
back at them."
Michigan has received consistent scoring from several of*
players in every game thus far. Last night was no exception. Five
Wolverines scored in double digits. Both Lemire and Johns
scored 24 points and Tiffany Willard added 11. Anne Thorius
and Murray both posted 10 points.
Stacey Thomas, last year's Big Ten freshman of the year,
scored only four points, well below her 13 points per game aver-
age last season.
Once again, free throws were a problem for Michigan, which
has struggled from the charity stripe so far this year. The
Wolverines were 13-for-21 for the game and are shooting just
58 percent from the free-throw line this season.
The two teams traded baskets for the first seven minutes
the game. With 12:50 left in the first half and the score tied at
12, Lemire hit a 3-pointer, igniting a 16-5 Michigan run that put
the Wolverines ahead, 28-17.
But, Illinois State came right back with a 3-pointer by Kristen
Valdez, and a layup by Jenn Schmidt, to close to 28-22.
The first half ended with Michigan leading, 41-37, but the
four-point lead was erased less than a minute into the second
half. Corinne Vossel led the Redbirds with 25 points and 14
rebounds.
0
KEVIN KRUPITZER/Daily
Michigan guard Ann Lemire joined up with center Pollyanna Johns to score 48 of the Wolverines' 93 points in a victory over
winless Illinois State. Lemire and Johns split the scoring duty evenly, netting 24 points apiece.
Hockey Showcase to
make campus debut
inxed?
While Ann Arbor continues to bask
in the afterglow of the football
team's Rose Bowl-clinching victo-
ry, the entire nation is about to
get its own dose of maize and
blue. Sports Illustrated will honor
the Wolverines with a cover story
in its Dec. 1 issue. The photo, of
safety Marcus Ray upending Ohio
State loudmouth David Boston, is
accompanied by the headline,
'Take That!"
The periodical is also feared for its
ability to feed the superstitious
fire with its dreaded cover jinx.
Fortunate for Michigan fans, the
Big Ten champions don't play
again until the Rose Bowl - at
which time the jinx will be on that
week's cover subject.
By Pranay Reddy
Daily Sports \Vmter
While the rest of the University will be
recovering from a gluttonous
Thanksgiving, the Michigan hockey
team will be getting ready for a feast of
its own.
The Wolverines (9-3-1) will take a bite
out of its non-conference schedule this
weekend when they participate in the
fifth-annual College Hockey Showcase.
Michigan takes the ice with Minnesota
(4-8-0) on Friday at 7 p.m., and faces
Wisconsin (7-1-0) on Sunday at 4 p.m -
both at Yost ice Arena.
A change of venues highlights this
season's Showcase, as the series shifts
to college hockey arenas from the pro-
fessional sites of the past four seasons.
Michigan State will be hosting two
games at Munn Ice Arena in addition to
Michigan's two games at Yost.
The change was agreed upon by all
coaches in order to increase the college
atmosphere at the games - an element
missing during the past four seasons.
"We all feel that on-campus is the way
to go," Michigan coach Red Berenson
said.
Last year's site, Joe Louis Arena,
"wasn't a campus flavor or atmosphere,
he added.
With the change, Berenson welcomes
the holiday slate of non-conference
opponents.
"They're both traditional rivals in
hockey as well as Big Ten rivals,"
Berenson said. "These are the kind of
teams you really like to play. It's a test for
us."
THREE FOR THE ROAD: Berenson has
made strides early this season to prepare
next year's team by signing three players
to letters of intent.
Michigan's newest signees include
goalie Josh Blackburn and forwards
Mike Comrie and Craig Murray.
Blackburn, a 6-foot, 175-pound net-
minder, is Michigan's strongest candidate
to replace senior Marty Turco in front of
the net.
"It looks like he's'the No. I guy, and he
wants to come in and take on that role,"
Michigan assistant coach Billy Powers
said.
"You like that, a goalie who knows
there is going to be a lot of pressure -
he's ready for that and he wants it."
Comrie seems to be Michigan's
strongest signee to this date. A 5-9, 170-
pound center, Comrie has been chased by
junior hockey teams in Canada since he
was 14.
"He's a real complete package, and
may be the most sought-after kid in
North America this year," Powers said.
Murray, a 6-foot, 175-pound forward,
was a player Michigan didn't look at
until relatively late in the recruiting
process.
Not sure whether Murray fits in at left
wing or center, the Wolverines signed
him because he was the "next best player
available," Powers said.
NCAA bid on the line
for Chase, volleyball
PAUL TALANIAN/Daily
Michigan defenseman Dave Huntzicker and the rest of the Wolverines will be
enjoying a holiday weekend of competitive hockey as Minnesota and Wisconsin
come to town for the College Hockey Showcase.
By TiJ. Berka
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan volleyball team has a
lot to be thankful for this season. It has
tied its best-ever victory total in the Big
Ten. The Wolverines have attained their
highest-ever national ranking at 26th and
are in serious contention for their first-
ever NCAA tournament bid.
The Wolverines (11-7 Big Ten, 18-11
overall) hope to wrap up that bid this
weekend, as they host No. 24 Ohio State
(12-6, 21-9) on Friday and Purdue on
Saturday.
These games are looked upon by many
to be the last chance for the Wolverines to
impress the NCAA tournament commit-
tee before teams are selected Sunday, but
Michigan truly believes it has earned a
bid already.
"We hope to use this weekend as
momentum for the NCAAs" Michigan
coach Greg Giovanazzi said. "We should
be in right now, but we probably will
need one win this weekend to be sure."
The Wolverines won't get any breaks
looking for that win Friday night, as the
Buckeyes stroll into Cliff Keen Arena
looking to build a 20-match win streak
against the Wolverines. Michigan has not
defeated Ohio State since 1987, when
mor~c of the rnl non hoth tenrnc uwere in
healthy Karen Chase. The outside hitt
who injured her back in September, h
just started to play regularly when the
Wolverines traveled to Columbus.
Chase has returned to her pre-injury
form in the past two weeks, registering
23 kills in a win over Illinois two weeks
ago and piling up a career-high 28 in last
Friday night's victory over Indiana. She
also led the charge in a losing effort
against Penn State on Saturday night.
"Karen is finally back to the way s
was," Giovanazzi said. "She has h
some ups and downs, but she is back to
being herself now."
If the Wolverines falter against the
Buckeyes on Friday night, there is a good
chance they will complete their eighth-
consecutive weekend split against cellar-
dwelling Purdue on Saturday.
The Wolverines trashed the
Boilermakers (3-15, 10-19) in their
meeting in West Lafayette earlier thi
season, and there is not much of a chan
that Purdue will return the favor, as it has
lost five out of the last six games.
"We absolutely have to beat Purdue,"
Giovanazzi said.
"We should definitely be in the tour-
nament if we beat them because they
have never left out a Big Ten team with
12 e nnfe~rnire win-
Cook, SAY "
0 a 80
IT WITH COOKIES
Holiday bouquets and
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