14A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 12, 1998
Michigan tumblers look for first victory against Gophers
By Jason Emeott
For the Daily
No victories, four losses and ranked No.
10 in the country?
Sounds a little far-fetched, but that's
where the Michigan men's gymnastics team
finds itself.
Michigan's highest team score this sea-
son, 223.80, ranks as the nation's 10th best,
pommel-horse unit, but the overall strength
of the Wolverines could overwhelm the
Gophers.
"Consistency is the key," Golder said.
"He who makes the fewest mistakes will
win. I feel we hold a slight advantage, but if
we make mistakes, they'll get by us."
A week-long layoff has the Wolverines
feeling confident that they will minimize
mistakes this weekend against the Gophers.
yet the Wolverines haven't been
out a team victory this season.
A quick glance at Michigan's
schedule offers an obvious
explanation: The Wolverines
have faced the top teams in the
nation in No. 2 Iowa, No. 3
Penn State (twice) and No. 4
Illinois.
The Michigan tumblers hope
to pick up a little gift from St.
Valentine this Saturday when
they take on Minnesota in Cliff
Keen Arena.
No, it's not cards, candy or
roses that the Wolverines
Valentine's Day - their hearts
first win of the season.
able to pull
Saturday's match
Who: Michigan vs.
Minnesota
Where: Cliff Keen Arena
When:2:30 p.m., Saturhiy
Notable: The Golden
Gophers will he the
Wolverines' fifth ranked
opponent this season.
After last weekend's meet at
No. 6 Ohio State was cancelled
due to a scheduling conflict,
Michigan has concentrated on
preparing for the meet with
Minnesota.
Golder said that the layoff
gave the team some time to
experiment with a few new
skills.
The biggest addition to the
team's overall performance will
be a new vault by freshman Tim
Dehr. Golder said that Dehr's
"Consistency is the
key. He who makes
the fewest mistakes
will win."
- Kurt Golder
Michigan men's gymnastics coach
Kenny Keener and Kevin Roulston are both
experiencing outstanding inaugural sea-
sons.
Keener has dominated the still rings this
season, including a victory in the event two
weeks ago at Illinois.
Roulston has also been on a tear, record-
ing several personal bests in addition to
winning a few events of his own.
The Wolverines will need top notch per-
formances from everyone, including sopho-
more captain Jose "Lalo" Haro, who has
struggled a bit of late.
But if the Wolverines are to pick up their
first victory of the season, they will have to
do it without sophomore Bryan Pascoe.
Pascoe is still recovering from a dislocat-
ed finger and will only see action in half of
his usual six events.
Nevertheless, the Michigan gymnasts are
ready to go.
"The guys feel confident that we can
win," Golder said. "They're physched, I'm
ready. I can't wait. I wish we had it tomor-
row."
want for
desire the
"The guys believe in themselves,"
Michigan coach Kurt Golder.said. "They're
pumped."
The Wolverines' quest for grabbing vic-
tory No. I won't be easy, however.
Minnesota currently holds the nation's
No. 17 ranking. Golder said that Michigan
has a slight advantage over the visiting
Golden Gophers. Minnesota has a strong
vault could make a huge impact on the
team's overall point total.
Several other similar routine refinements
could help the Wolverines pick up a tenth of
a point here and there and possibly lead to
an increase in the overall team score.
As always, Michigan will look to senior
captain Ed Ledgard and Tim DeGraw for
the leadership necessary to grab the sea-
son's elusive first victory.
But some of the responsibility now lies
on the young shoulders of two freshman.
MARGARET MYERS/Daily
Despite a No. 10 national ranking, the Michigan men's gymnastics team is still looking for its first win
of the season against Minnesota tonight
Huskies
upset by
East nva
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) --
Senior guard Greg Jones, making the
first start of his career, scored 18 points
to lead No. 16 West Virginia to an 80-62
victory over No. 6 Connecticut yesterday.
The victory puts West Virginia (10-4,
204 overall) back in the chase for first
place in the Big East 6. The
Mountaineers are tied with St. John's,
one-half game behind Connecticut (10-
3, 21-4): The winners of each of the Big
East's two divisions and the second-
place team with the best winning per-
centage receive first-round byes in the
conference tournament.
It was the Mountaineers' first victory
over the Huskies since joining the Big
East three years ago and was their first
over a Top 10 team since beating No. 8
Temple in Morgantown in 1994.
Jones, inserted in the starting lineup
after scoring 23 points in a loss to St.
John's on Saturday, provided an early
spark with 11 points in the first half.
Jones hit his first five shots, including
two 3-pointers, as West Virginia built a
20-13 lead with 12:07 left in the half.
Richard Hamilton scored eight
straight points for Connecticut as the
Huskies took a 30-26 lead with 5:20 left.
There were six lead changes before
halftime. Damian Owens hit a three at the
buzzer to give West Virginia a 43-37 lead.
After Connecticut closed the deficit to
57-51, Adrian Pledger scored five con-
secutive points and Jones hit an off-bal-
ance 3-pointer to build the Mountaineers'
lead back to 67-52. The Huskies would
not get within 10 points again.
Hamilton led Connecticut with 19
points. Freshman guard Khalid El-
Amin, who scored 29 points in the
Huskies' win over West Virginia in
December, was held to seven points last
Judge's ruling allows Martin to
use cart in PGA Tour events
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -A judge ruled yesterday that Casey
Martin can use a golf cart on the pro tour, a landmark victory
in the first case invoking federal disabilities laws to compete
in a major sport.
When U.S. Magistrate Thomas Coffin announced his rul-
ing, Martin smiled slightly, nodded his head while looking at
his parents, then turned to his lawyers and said: "We won."
Martin's lawsuit sought to use the Americans With
Disabilities Act to force the PGA Tour to accommodate his
rare circulatory disorder that makes it painful and even dan-
gerous to walk. His doctors say too much stress on his with-
ered right leg could cause it to break, and may force amputa-
tion.
Coffin, who deliberated just three hours, faulted the tour for
failing to consider Martin's individual medical condition.
Instead, it emphasized principles of competition, arguing a
cart would give Martin an advantage and remove the funda-
mental of athleticism and stamina that walking gives the game
at its highest levels.
The judge acknowledged that the walking-only rule was
"substantive" but said the PGA Tour failed to prove that waiv-
ing the rule for Martin would fundamentally alter competition.
As for the argument that walking the course is a test of sta-
mina, Coffin said walking 18 holes over a period of five hours
is "not significantly taxing."
"The fatigue level from his condition is easily greater than
of an able-bodied person walking the same course," Coffin
said.
PGA Tour spokesman Bob Combs sail the tour disagreed
with the ruling and would appeal, but would obey the judge.
"Now we have the obligation to furnish Casey Martin a golf
cart, and we will."
Martin's case generated a national debate over the rights of
the disabled to compete in professional sports, and an out,
pouring of support for him. He was featured in a Nike "I Can"
campaign and won the support of former presidential candi
date Bob Dole.
"It's so important to so many people," said Martin's lawyer,
Martha Walters. "The ruling sets a legal precedent as the ADA
applies to sports. I would hope the PGA would see this dog
n't cause them a problem."
Walters told the judge in her closing argument that Martin
doesn't want special treatment, just a chance to compete.
"Casey Martin would not be here if it meant he would be
asking for anything - anything - like sympathy," Walters
said.
Pointing to Martin's atrophied, stick of a leg, Walters said.
"You cannot look at that leg and believe for one instant that
Casey Martin would have a competitive advantage."
In the PGA Tour's summation, its lawyer warned Coffin
against allowing the strong public sympathy for Martin,
cloud his judgment.
"I know, your honor, there is a substantial amount of publid
sympathy for Mr. Martin," lawyer William Maledon said. "I
sympathize with Mr. Martin as well.
"That is not what this case is about," he said. "The right
thing to do would be to decide this case based on the applica-
ble law, not in accordance with public opinion."
Coffin has already ruled twice in Martin's favor, granting a
preliminary injunction allowing him to ride a cart in the PGA
Tour Qualifying Tournament last December and denying the
PGA Tour's motion to throw out the case last month. Ridin,
cart, Martin won the Nike Tour's Lakeland, Fla., event la
month.
AP PHOTO
No. 16 West Virginia out-muscled No. 6 Connecticut last night for an 80-62 upset.
The Mountaineers are now just a half game behind the Huskies in the Big East.
night on 3-of-8 shooting.
Jarrod West and Pledger each scored
15 points for West Virginia, while Owens
added 12. Brian Lewin grabbed 16
rebounds for West Virginia, which outre-
bounded Connecticut 47-36.
No. 7 Kentucky 80, Tennessee 74
Scott Padgett scored Kentucky's first
eight points of the second half and drilled
a 3-pointer late in the game, sparking the
seventh-ranked Wildcats to an 80-74 vic-
tory over Tennessee yesterday.
Padgett, who was scoreless in the first
half, hit two threes and scored on a fast-
break layup as Kentucky (10-1 SEC, 22-
3) went on an 8-2 run to open a 41-32
lead with 18:19 remaining in the game.
Tennessee (5-6, 15-6) fell behind 56-
43 but went on a 15-8 spurt behind Tony
Harris' eight points to slice the margin to
64-58 with 5:35 to go.
Padgett, who finished with 17 points
and 10 rebounds, then hit a 3-pointer
from the left wing following a Tennessee
turnover to give the Wildcats a 67-58
lead with 4:13 left.
Tennessee was riding a four-game
winning streak.
MICHIGAN (76)
FG FT REB
MIN M 2A M-A PT A F PTS
Conian 35 1-4 2-2 26 7 4 5
Ward 33 611 22 4-9 1 3 14
Traylor 34 7-14 3-4 28 5 3 1?
Reid 34 2-7 00 03 2 0 5
Bullock 34 8-13 1-2 0-0 1 1 23
Assel n 17 1-1 2-4 1.5 0 2 4
Smth 13 3-3 C-0 C11 1 0 8
Totals 200 28-53 10-14 10-35 17 13 76
FG%: 528 FT:.714. 3-polnt FG: 1021. .476,Buock 6i Smith
2-2 Conlan 13. Red 1-6. Wa:o 021. 8locks:3 TrayOr. uock
Asselj )Steals: 9 1Travbor 3. Conlan 2. Ward.R Re::. LB k
Asselin) Turnovers. 15 Traylor 6. caIan 3 Ward 3..' a.-oCk.
Assein)o
OHIO STATE (68)
FG FT RED
MIN M-A M-A O-T A F PTS
Singleton 25 4-6 02 1-2 1 2 8
Sanderson 36 59 0-0 -44 5 13
Johnson 28 38 0-0 3-4 0 3 6
Dais 34 2-4 0-0 0-4 4 2 5
Redd 38 820 2-4 2-5 4 2 22
Coeman 28 -9 33 0-1 3 1 12
lumpkir 2 00 c-} 0 -00 0 0 0
Heron 9 11 00 1-1 1 0 2
Totals 200 26.57 5.9 25 17 15 68
FG% 456. FT%: 556 3-point FG: 1122 50 Redd 4-6 Sanderson
3.7. Coemnr37. avis 1 2} Blocks: 3"l -nvo 3:.Steaks: 4
(Sgleton 2. Das Red Turnovers: 13 -ead 4. Sngleton 3.
Sanderson 2 Davs 2 Coleman 2 Teciical Fouls: None
Oho State:.C....A.. 29 39-68
Mchigan....... 39 37-76
At Cnsler Aena A: 12342
BUCKEYES
Continued from Page 11A
ing six 3-pointers to lead the Wolverines
with 23 points.
Michigan will need the same or even
better production from Traylor, Bullock
and Ward - and Asselin, Reid and
Brandon Smith will also have to step up
their games another level as long as
Baston is out with the injury.
Watching Baston on the bench-decked
out in a button-down black suit and hold-
ing crutches with his foot in a cast -
instead of donning a white Michigan jer-
sgy and dunking from anywhere near the
basket or swatting the ball into the stands
-- we must ask one question.
Have Crisler Arena fans seen the last
of Mace?
The Wovlerines have four conference
games left - two at home, two on the
road. Michigan has until next Tuesday
until its next game - a showdown
against conference-leading Michigan
State at East Lansing.
Baston will be in crutches for at least
the next two weeks. But who knows?
Maybe Baston will discard the fancy suit
and be ready for Indiana on Feb. 22 or at
Penn State on Feb. 25. Nobody knowg
for sure when Baston will return, but
Ellerbe says that he's not merely cony
cerned about the injury.
"I'm more worried about his psyche,
how he handles it, that he doesn't get
depressed about it," Ellerbe said. "It's
not a career-threatening thing, it's n4
major injury.:
With or without Baston, Michigan
plays its final home game against
Wisconsin Feb. 28 or March 1 in what
will be Senior Day for Baston, Ward and
Travis Conlan. Realistically, it may
make sense to -keep Baston out until the
Big Ten Tournament so as not to aggra-
vate the injury.
But Baston has other ideas.
"I'm playing in that game,"
Baston before the game. "I've beer
looking forward to that game as a fresh.
man, seeing Jimmy (King) and Ray
(Jackson) play in that game. I want t
walk out with my mother, in my jersey
(and receive) a plaque."
If that is the case, then fans in their
last chance may once again be able zt
witness one of Baston's signature dunks
Michigan Union Board of Representatives is accepting
membership applications from interested students.
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