- ~ ***t~mnsqYCM' PRO BASKETBALL Miami 90. BOSTON 74 CHARLOTTE 110, Dallas 103 Indiana 99, DETROIT 87 NEW JERSEY 112. Golden State 96, Atlanta 93, PHILADELPHIA 88 CHICAGO 94, Orlando 81 SAN ANTONIO 87, Vancouver 79 Houston 124, LA CLIPPERS 110 PRO HOCKEY Dallas 5, PITTSBURGH 2 CAROLINA 3, Detroit 1 New Jersey 4, FLORIDA 2 MONTREAL 4, Phoenix 2 N.Y. ISLANDERS 4, Edmonton 4 Toronto 4, CALGARY 3 N.Y. Rangers 4, COLORADO 2 Tampa Bay at ANAHEIM, inc. Thursday November +6, 1997 H1A U U Big times MARGARET M Scott Werner will be one of the Wolverines heading to Texas. Men Swim teir way into Texas By John m dberg Daily Sports Writer Everything is big in Texas. The cac- tuses, the cities, the accents and the Michigan vs. Texas swimming meet tak- ing place tomorrow and Saturday. Friday is a standard dual meet, but Saturday is *'an exhibition, featuring all the events that take place at the NCAA championships. "We are really looking forward to Friday," Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek said. "The competition will be our most significant of the year. I think Texas may be the top team in the country." The Wolverines, fresh off a 173-70 smoking of Eastern Michigan, will almost be at full strength for this one. Michigan will benefit from the return of SOlympian Tom Malchow. Malchow, who took the silver in the 200 butterfly, was at an international meet held in Auburn over the weekend. "The meet was basically a tune-up for the world championships," Urbanchek said. Friday's competition features two of the most dominating programs in NCAA history. Michigan has won l1 national championships since 1937, making the Wolverines the top program in the coun- See TEXAS, Page 12A Field Hockey FR1AY: (4) Iowa vs. (5) Michigan State, 1:30 p.m. (6) Northwestem vs. (3) Ohio State, 4 p.m. . SAiu.=AY: (1) Penn State vs. lowa/MSU winner, 1:30 p.m. (2)Michigan vs. Ohio State/NW win- ner, 4 p.m. SUNMA= Championship Game, 2 p.m. Soccer FRDAm (I) Minnesota vs. (8) Michigan State, 1I a.m. (4) Northwestem vs. (5) Indiana, 11:30 a.m. (2) Michigan vs. (7) Ohio State, 1:30 p.m. (3) Penn State vs. (6) Wisconsin, 2 p.m. e SATURDAY: Minn/MSU winner vs. NW/Ind. winner, noon UMIOSU winner vs. Penn State/Wise win- ner, 2:30 p.m. SUNDAY: Championship Game (TV by Sportschannel- Chicago), 4 p.m. DAeNIE LC ASLEildy Julie Flachs will lead Michigan into Iowa City this weekend. Field hockey: Big Tens are next Michigan faces Ohio State to open the Big Ten tournament. By Evan Braunstein Daily Sports Writer In the past few weeks, the Michigan women's field hockey team has gone on a rampage. You couldn't stop the Wolverines, and you couldn't hope to contain them either. The Wolverines won their final five games of the season, all against conference opponents, pro- pelling the team to its first-ever regular season Big Ten championship. Three of the victories were decided by only one goal, including one in double overtime. On Nov. 2, with the conference title on the line, the Wolverines handed a 4-0 drubbing to Michigan State - a team they had lost to earlier in the season. Now the Wolverines hope to continue their suc- cess in the Big Ten tournament this weekend in Iowa City. The winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament next week. Along with 'New season' for soccer Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Iowa, Northwestern and co-champion Penn State are the teams that will attend. The Wolverines have been preparing since the beginning of the season for this tournament, and want to carry their momentum into the weekend. "We try to schedule our season to prepare for the tournament so we peak at the right time," Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz said. It looks as if this strategy worked perfectly, with the team playing its best hockey in the past month. Many players, including Amy Helber, Sandra Cabrera and Kelli Ganon, raised their level of play towards the end of the season. Still, the Wolverines will be counting on star midfielder Julie Flachs to lead them into the post season. "Julie is one of the best players in the nation," See FIELD HOCKEY, Page 13A By Andy Latack Daily Sports Writer This season has been one big highlight reel for Michigan soccer. Shattering team and individual records left and right, the Wolverines have taken the conference by storm, proving that they have arrived as a solid program. For all they have accomplished this season, it's a shame they have to begin a brand new one Friday. That's the way Michigan is approach- ing the Big Ten tournament, taking place this weekend in Blaine, Minn. Hosted by conference champion and No. I seed Minnesota, the tournament showcases the top eight teams in the Big Ten, with the winner receiving an auto- matic berth to the NCAA tournament. For Michigan (7-1-1 Big Ten, 15-3-1 overall), the Big Ten tournament is a chance to avenge its only conference loss of the season and grab the automatic bid. "We're going into the tournament to win," Michigan coach Debbie Belkin said. "We have a different mentality now, because we know anything can happen. It's a whole new season." Indeed, anything can and did happen in last year's conference tournament. Seventh-seeded Indiana, entering with a See SOCCER, Page 13A Poetry in motion: More than our everyday Jonef Michigan's Dhani Jones and Penn State's Jim Nelson are a couple of very different linebackers - with a common goal FILE PHOTO Krtl~Hale and the Michigan women's swimming team will race in Minneapolis this weekend. 0' IM, women paddle to Minneapolis 1~ ByDavid Den~erder Daily Sports Writer The Michigan women's swimming team has shown no signs this season that its streak of I1 Big Ten titles is in jeopardy. After destroying Michigan State on the road, the Wolverines went on to win every event at the 16-team Northwestern Relays Invitational, en route to their fourth victory in the tour- nament in as many years. Though impressive so far, this week- end's competition will offer a true test for Michigan. The Wolverines head to Minneapolis on Friday for the annual Minnesota Invitational. The two-day competition will feature Northwestern, Minnesota and North Carolina. All three teams finished in the top 20 last year at the 1997 NCAA champi- onships. Minnesota also finished second in the Big Ten last year behind Michigan and will put up a very good fight this weekend., The Gophers will have a home-pool advantage and the ability to hit Michigan's pressure points. "Minnesota is a powerhouse in the breaststroke and distance free," Michigan coach Jim Richardson said. By Nicholas J. Cotsonika Daily Sports Editor R fight there in the Schembechler Hall meeting room, while his gruff coach barks orders and draws up plays, it comes to him. Inspiration. An image, a thought or a phrase. And so Dhani Jones scribbles down a line of poetry before it goes away. Art won't wait, not even for an intimidat- ing figure like Jones, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound sophomore linebacker r: at Michigan. Jones has been a part- time poet and painter since high school, reading his work in front of crowds and wandering through museums all alone for years. Still, inspiration comes when it wants, even on a week like this, and who is Dhani Jones to ignore it? "I've got to do it quickly, before I lose what I was thinking about - or the coaches see me," Jones said. "If they saw me, they'd kill me. I need to be focused, but if some- thing hits you, you seize the moment. Carpe diem. Then, you get right back on track, because this is an important time." No. 4 Michigan will play at No. 2 Penn State on Saturday, and Jones will play a key role for the nation's top-rated defense against a potent Penn State attack. Since becoming a starter after co-captain Eric Mayes went down with a career- ending knee injury more than a month ago, Jones's responsibilities have increased, making the loaded palate of his life more colorful than ever. Saturday could be his master- piece. Not only do the Big Ten and national championships hang in the balance, but Jones will be compared to Penn State senior linebacker Jim Nelson. Jones, of Potomac, Md., and Nelson, of Waldorf, Md., both grew up near the nation's captial, but they're miles apart in everything but football ability. Ever eccentric, Jones is well-versed off the field but still is learning to assert himself on it. Nelson, a quiet kid until it comes to football, is evolving into the vocal leader of the Nittany Lions' linebackers. They seem to resemble the uni- forms they wear: Jones in a wild, winged helmet, Nelson in a plain, simple ensemble. The only question now is who will wear roses in the end. "Every player has his own unique style," said Penn State defensive ends coach Larry Johnson, who also coached Nelson in high school. "Jim has always been quiet until he puts " the helmet on. Then, he's full of fire. But I think he's starting to come out of that shell a little bit." Nelson was so quiet in high school, Johnson didn't know what to expect from him at first. He had size, as he does now at 6 feet 2, 230 pounds. He ran 40 yards in 4.5 sec- onds. But his brooding silence seemed to indicate meekness, so Johnson put him through a series of grueling tackling drills, which, of course, he dominated. Smiling broadly, Nelson looked up afterward and asked, "Good?" "Not bad," Johnson laughed. "You've said enough." Life as a military brat, following See JONES, Page 14A Help yourself by helping others... SUNDAY SPECIAL Wolverines Score- YouSave! for every touchdown =.f Consider a Career i Physical Therapy Enrollment every APRIL & OCTOBER iviiii::; i::'}Y :ir-' ;;i:Yii$i ti ii:Y ji:;iiii:Y:iiiiiiiiiii iii:" i:::^: :L^::": :ii:-::^::ti"}:": iii::ti^ii}ii::"iiii:"i:" isii'i:.iiiiiiiii'4:-hiii:Lai};ii:^:::^;C^::YYi:;}:Li:}: }i:: :"i::::::^:^::i:^::... 5:::"v.:: is?:i:?i