$c re ;I 1 te CA'S U~ fim hidwg 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 : ' :