MEN'S
COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
No. 18 Cincinnati 93,
ALABAMA-BIRM. 76
No. 9 NEW MEXICO 95,
Texas El Paso 71
Indiana 74,
OHIO STATE 72
WOMEN'S
COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
No. 13 DUKE 65,
No. 8 N. Carolina 62
No. 16 Florida Int. 72,
MERCER 53
DEPAUL 89,
No. 11 Vanderbilt 67
No. 5 Texas Tech 94,
OKLAHOMA 59
No. 15 Hawaii 69,
TULSA 51
PRO BASKETBALL
HOUSTON 100,
Detroit 90
Chicago 123,
TORONTO 86
SPORTS tgn ~ai
Tracking 'M' teams :
The Michigan wrestling team takes on Indiana tonight
at Cliff Keen Arena at 7:30 p.m. The meet will befthe
last one at home this season for the Wolverines, who
will say goodbye to the team's five seniors.
Friday
February 20, 1998
9
MICHIGAN VS. INDIANA
SUNDAY, I P.M. (CBS)
CRISLER ARENA
Crunch
time
MICHIGAN VS. MICHIGAN STATE
TONIGHT, 7 P.M. (Fox) TOMORROW, 7 P.M. (Fox)
MUNN ICE ARENA
JOE LoUIS ARENA
Revenge,
tourney
seed at
stake
By James Goldstein
LDaily Sports Writer
Even though forward Jerod Ward
stands at 6-foot-9, his playing style fits
the description of a large shooting
guard or slashing small forward. Most
of his points this season have come
from his improved outside shooting or
from easy baskets in the lane.
That was with Maceo Baston in the
mix, though. Michigan could rely on
the long-armed Baston to grab
rebounds and work in the post next to
space-filler Robert Traylor.
Now, one thing's changed - Baston
is nursing a broken foot in a cast and
crutches.
But one thing's still the same -
Ward is still producing from the
perimeter, averaging 16.2 points in his
past five games.
Even with Ward's success, one
thing's going to have to change -
Ward is going to have to get used to
playing more power forward in
Baston's absence, especially with
Indiana up next for Ward and the
Wolverines.
No. 22 Michigan (8-5 Big Ten, 18-8
overall) will face the Hoosiers (9-4, 18-
7) on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Sunday at
Crisler Arena. The season's second
Smeeting of the two schools -- the
Wolverines were blown out by Indiana,
80-62, in Bloomington on Jan. 6 -
will be nationally televised by CBS.
One week ago, Sunday's matchup
looked to be a preview of the four-ver-
sus-five first-round game in the Big
Ten Tournament to be held in two
weeks. But with Iowa's recent win
against Purdue, the Hawkeyes remain
just one game behind the Wolverines in
the conference. And Penn State sits
close behind at 6-7 - with a game
against Michigan on Wednesday in
State College, which makes Sunday's
game even more critical for the
Wolverines.
"This is a must game," Michigan
coach Brian Ellerbe said. "It's a big
game for us and a big game for them.
There are a lot of questions right now
See BASKETBALL, Page 10
Blue readies
for Sartans
CCHA race nears climax
By Pranay Reddy
Daily Sports Writer
The question of talent versus execution pervades colege
hockey these days - and this weekend's two-game series
between No. 5 Michigan and No. 2 Michigan State will serve
as the latest forum for debate.
The Wolverines (19-4-1 CCHA, 25-6-1 overall) will face
the Spartans (16-4-4, 22-4-5) tonight at Munn Ice Arena and
tomorrow at Joe Louis Arena. Both games will start at 7,p.m.
A recent trend has a number of college teams changing their
style from a more offensive-minded, run-and-gun approach to
the more defensive-oriented neutral-zone trap.
The popular argument is that this defensive scheme nakes
up for a lack of talent. Rather than controlling a game with
quick passes and timely shots, teams have used clutch-andgrab
techniques to even the odds against more talented opponents.
While Michigan may feel that this description appliesto its
intrastate rival, the Spartans beg to differ.
"There is no reason to open a game up," Michigan State
defenseman Tyler Harlton said. "It's not conducive for' our
team to win a game and play all-out. We have to concentrate
on defense. We don't play for show, we play to win game."
Basically, the trap is dependent on the defense clearing the
puck as much as possible - in essence, slowing down: any
threat by the opposing offense.
Frustration builds offensively, forcing mental errors that, in
turn, lead to offensive opportunities for the trapping team -
and this technique has worked for the Spartans all season long.
"We're a team that likes to go, so sometimes we're going to
get frustrated," Michigan captain Matt Herr said. "When
Michigan State ices the puck 50 times a game, youjust hate to
say, 'OK. Let's take a faceoff in their zone and bury it.
"You can't sit there and say 'F' this and 'F' that when their
See HOCKEY, Page 11
MARGARET MYERS/Daiy
Senior Jerod Ward has stepped up his play recently in the
absence of injured forward Maceo Baston.
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Justin Clark and the Wolverines will play two games against Michigan State this week-
end. The CCHA-leading Wolverines hold a three-point advantage over the Spartans.
The Ward file
Since his freshman year, when he
oattled constant knee injuries,
Jerod Ward's statistics have
steadily improved. With the
absence of injured teammate
Maceo Baston, the small forward
has stepped up his play at an
opportune moment this season.
Ward scored a career-high 22
points against Michigan State on
Tuesday night.
Spartans hope tofinish off '
This weekend isn't Armageddon. The
world isn't going to end.
It isn't the final battle between Good and
Evil.
But it might as well be.
It's Michigan and Michigan State. It
doesn't get much more violent or much
more intense than these teams' two hockey
games this weekend. At Munn Ice Arena
and at Joe Louis Arena, everything is going
to hit the fan.
Four months ago, if you said that the
Wolverines would be leading the Spartans
by three points in the standings in February,
everyone would accuse you of being inebri-
ated, or at least overly optimistic.
So here it is - Feb. 20 - and Michigan
is in first place in the CCHA. But why is it
that people still aren't convinced that the
Wolverines are for real? What's it going to
take, beating the
Spartans?
Well, it couldn't
hurt. That's for sure.
Michigan coach Red
Berenson says the
pressure is on the
Spartans. Michigan
SHARAT State coach Ron
RAJU Mason says that his
Sharat players don't feel that
in the Dark pressure, and that
they're confident.
In the recent past, no
team was confident against Michigan.
Teams prepared for the Wolverines as one
W' domnance
prepares for a tornado - 'We'll see what
we can come away with.' Moral victories
were virtually the only ones possible
against the Wolverines.
Michigan State's seniors have been there,
and they're tired of it. Sean Berens, Mike
York, Tyler Harlton, Chad Alban - these
are names even Michigan fans remember.
They are names that made peoplemay,
"Wow, that team would be really gool if
Michigan wasn't impossible to beat."
Do you think these guys are salivatini at
the chance to repay the Wolverines? x;
You bet they are.
Do you think they want to reward Mason
on Friday with his 800th victory forthe
frustration Michigan has caused?
See RAJU, Pagl 11
Year
1997-98*
1996-97
1995-96
1994-95
PPG RPG A
12.4
8.3
7.2
6.0
5.9
3.5
4.8
3.7
18
27
10
11
FT Pct.
.659
.704
.455
.676
* through 26 games.
Tournament bid on line for Blue women
By Josh Kleinbaum Young, forwards Sonja Robinson and Theresa
Daily Sports \Witer LeCuyer and center Angie Iverson - for their past
The M innesota women's basketball team needs a four games.
lifeline. Don't look for the Wolverines to throw one Minnesota will rely heavily on Iverson, whose
to it tonight. 14 points and 7.5 rebounds per game lead the team.
The Gophers (1-13 Big Ten, 4-20 overall), who Iverson had a strong game in the Gophers' first
have lost nine straight and 14 of their past 15, host meeting against Michigan - an easy 20-point vic-
the Wolverines (9-5, 17-7) tonight at 7. tory for the Wolverines - scoring 16 points and
Michigan plays its final game of the regular sea- grabbing 8 rebounds, but the senior did commit
son on Sunday, a 2 p.m. matchup with Ohio State (6- nine turnovers.
8, 13-10) in the final women's basketball game ever "Minnesota shot over 50 percent in the first
to be played at St. John Arena. The Buckeyes move game," Guevara said. "Defensively, that's not very
to the the new Schottenstein Center next season. good."
With an NCAA Tournament bid on the line, But Iverson has been ice-cold lately. In fact, for
Michigan coach Sue Guevara isn't worried about the first time in nearly three years, she was held to
her team's focus. zero points in Minnesota's loss to Indiana this past
"The NCAA selection committee looks at the Sunday. She was even pulled from the Gophers'
last couple of games no matter who you play," starting lineup three weeks ago but was later rein-
}:- Guevara said. "The kids realize that." stated. Still, Guevara insists that Iverson is "one of
The Gophers, who average 22 turnovers per the better players in the conference"
game and 25 in Big Ten contests, have finally set- The Gophers' biggest problem is a lack of depth.
WARREN ZINN/Daily tied on a starting five. After using 14 different start- After Iverson, the only player that averages more
Ann Lemire will look to help Michigan secure two victories, ing lineups this season, the Gophers have used the than seven points is Burns, with 10.
and more importantly, an NCAA Tournament bid this weekend. same five - guards Kiauna Burns and Rachel See GOPHERS, Page 11
U U VA yIn. U -M tAM