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'M' women win Big Tens again
-12 in a row
By Uma Subramanian
Daily Sports Writer
BLOOMINGTON - The theme song to
"Mission Impossible" rang as Michigan's 800-
yard freestyle relay team took the victory podi-
um. But the song wasn't fitting.
Instead, "We Are the Champions," which
played when Michigan was recognized for its
1998 Big Ten swimming and diving champi-
on ship, better repre- -----------------
sented the victors this For more coverage,
weekend. turn to page 38.
The Championships-----------------
were far from an impossible mission for No. 6
Michigan, as it brought home its 12th straight Big
Ten championship.
With a final score of 788 points, Michigan
outdistanced its nearest opponent, Minnesota, by
144 points.
Michigan junior Jennie Eberwein was the star,
coming away with three first-place finishes and
setting meet and pool records in all three events.
In the 50-yard free, Eberwein tied Indiana's
Jennifer Cristy in what was the closest race of the
meet, finishing with a time of 22.63.
But it was in the 100 free that Eberwein proved
LOUIS IBROWN/Daily shdeevdwimrote meet honors. In the
Michigan women's swimming team won its 12th straight Big Ten championship, outdistancing sec- finalheatdeservedswimmer o f the eein broke her wn
place Minnesota by 144 pointsre the event wi e
plac Minesoa b 144poits'record, winning the event with a time of 49.07.
"1 didn't even realize I'd set the record,"
Eberwein said. "I just came in hoping to get
NCAA cut times, and I did that in all three of my
events. I'm just really happy with my perfor-
mance and our team's."
Senior Linda Riker's victory in the 200 back-
stroke made her part of a legacy. The victory was
Michigan's 10th straight Big Ten championship
in the event.
"My freshman year, we swept the event,"
Riker said. "When we were on the podium that
year, (Big Ten record holder) Alecia Humphrey
challenged me to carry on the legacy."
Michigan coach Jim Richardson said he was
pleased with his relay teams.
"We swam really good, aggressive relays,"
Richardson said. "There haven't been many
times where we've won all four relays. I never
would've guessed that (outcome), especially
with the medleys, because Minnesota and
Northwestern are so strong."
While in Richardson's eyes the meet wasn't
perfect, to the untrained eye Michigan appeared
completely in control.
Though only two freshmen made the all Big
Ten team, several others came up with big scores
that figured into Michigan's victory.
Jennifer Crisman led the class of 2001 with a
victory in the 100 back, earning her an automat-
ic NCAA qualifying time. She also took second
in the 100 butterfly and third in the 50 free.
Following her classmate's lead, Stephanie
Armstrong swam several strong races and
earned NCAA consideration times in all three of
her races.
"It was so fun" Armstrong said. "The team
atmosphere is so amazing, I just had a really
good time. I just love our class. We've all
become really close this year, and I look forward
to swimming with them for the next three years."
Nearly every one of the Wolverines credited
teammates for their support.
"Though each race is an individual event,
when you're standing up on the blocks, it's so
great to have your teammates and parents sup-
porting you," Riker said.
The team effort showed in Michigan's win.
Four of its top swimmers - Shannon
Shakespeare, Talor Bendel, Kasey Harris and
Riker- all previously qualified for NCAAs and
didn't rest much before the Big Ten meet.
Shakespeare had several fast races in which
she anchored her relay teams, but she also
watched a few of her records get replaced.
"It's good to see records broken," Shakespeare
said. "That's what they're there for. It gives me
something to work for next year and at NCAAs. It
was great that they were broken by teammates?"
Ups and
.Downs
Michigan rolls
over Hoosiers
By Jim Rose
Daily Sports Editor
He's spent much of his career trying to silence critics,
ut yesterday afternoon, Jerod Ward was in a world of
his own.
Ward exploded in front of a national television audi-
ence yesterday in perhaps his brightest performance of
the season, solidifying his status as an offensive force
and leading Michigan to its most lopsided victory ever in
Big Ten play. The Wolverines
romped past Indiana, 112-64, in
Michigan 112 front of a sellout crowd of
Indiana 64 13,562 at Crisler Arena.
Ward scored a career-high 24
0 points on 10-of-15 shooting
and exited the game to a rousing standing ovation that
brought even the alumni out of their seats.
"It was very touching," Ward said of the ovation. "I
thought that we had great crowd support. I was very
proud of our team, and it was great that the fans were as
supportive as they were.
"It was probably the loudest crowd support that I've
had since I've been here."
The Wolverines improved to 9-5 in the Big Ten (19-8
overall) and pulled into a fourth-place tie with the
H oosiers (9-5, 18-8). The teams will likely face each
ther again in less than two weeks, in the four-versus-
five matchup of the Big Ten Tournament.
Although Ward, who had 18 points and nine rebounds
by halftime, will get the lion's share of the attention, he
wasn't alone yesterday. He was just one of three
Wolverines to score more than 20 points - Louis
Bullock had 26 and Robert Traylor had 22 - and strong
performances by Robbie Reid and Brandon Smith put
the Wolverines over the top.
Reid, who had not scored in double figures since the
first Michigan-Michigan State meeting, on Jan. 10, had
16 points on 4-of-7 3-point shooting. And in 21 minutes
of action, Smith had 12 points, his most since scoring 14
against Tennessee-Chattanooga on Dec. 20 - which was
also the last time he played at least 20 minutes in a game.
Indiana struggled from the beginning and never really
See HOOSIERS, Page 5B
JOHN KRAFT/Daily
Michigan defenseman Mike Van Ryn added more offense than
most of the Wolverines' forwards this weekend, with one point.
State sweeps
'M'for lead
By Chris Farah
Daily Sports Editor
DETROIT - Two different Michigan hockey teams showed up
in two games against Michigan State this weekend, but, unfortu-
nately for the Wolverines, the results were the same in each outing.
Michigan (19-6-1 CCHA, 25-8-1 overall) relinquished its grasp
on first place in the CCHA to the Spartans, losing to Michigan
State, 4-1, on Saturday at Joe Louis Arena after falling to the
Spartans, 5-1, the previous night at Munn Ice Arena.
The Wolverines had led Michigan State (18-4-4, 264-5) by three
points in the conference standings going into the weekend, but with
their two victories the Spartans took over first by one point.
"They're on a real roll right now, and we had trouble finding a
way to beat them, obviously," Michigan coach Red Berenson said.
"It's a race for first place. I don't know that that's over, but cer-
tainly they're in the driver's seat now."
Although the margin of defeat was similar each night, the
Wolverines were like Dr. Jekyls and Mr. Hydes in the two losses.
After a week of hype, Michigan came out flat Friday and never
really had a chance against a sharp Michigan State team.
See SPARTANS, Page 4B
SARA STILLMAN/Daily
Jerod Ward had one of his finest games as a Wolverine when Michigan defeated Indiana yesterday 112-64. The
senior forward poured in 24 points on 10of-15 shooting.
Wolvernes lose to Buckeyes, split weekend &
By Andy Latack
Daily Sports Writer
COLUMBUS - In the end, Ohio State simply
refused to leave St. John Arena as losers.
Struggling against a frenzied crowd and overpower-
ing post play, the Michigan women's basketball team
fell to the Buckeyes in the last game ever in the ancient
arena, 88-80.
Led by forward Marrita Porter's game-high 31
'nts, Ohio State wouldn't yield at the end of the
ne, getting to loose balls, hitting free throws and
harassing Michigan (10-6 Big Ten, 18-8 overall) into
committing four turnovers in the final two minutes.
"I thought we had some miscues down the stretch,"
Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "We weren't able to
hang onto the ball"
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at the end of the game," Guevara said. "And that's what
Ohio State did."
Foul trouble plagued Michigan for most of the sec-
ond half. Johns, Stacey Thomas and Molly Murray each
had four fouls by the seven-minute mark.
With the three Michigan starters in danger of fouling
out, Ohio State took advan-
Ohio State 88 tage, pounding the ball into
the post and attempting to
. Michigan 80 draw fouls.
"I definitely tried to go
at" Johns once she picked up her fourth foul, said
Porter, whose coast-to-coast layup with 7:15 remaining
gave the Buckeyes their biggest lead of the game at 71-
60. "1 was hoping she would foul me, but she played
smart."
( Wo s tate rcenter Mindv Fusetti also used her 6-foot-
tying the game at 75 on Akisha Franklin's three-point
play. Michigan would never take the lead, however, as
the Buckeyes surged back, going on a 13-5 run of their
own to close out the game.
The 6,981 fans who showed up to bid farewell to the
building backed up the Buckeyes, keeping the momen-
tum in their favor for most of the contest. Michigan
started out shaky and turned the ball over on its first
three possessions of the half, leading just once in the
first 20 minutes of the game.
Michigan was paced by Johns' 22 points and 10
rebounds, and Franklin added 14 points and two assists.
The loss snapped Michigan's four-game winning
streak, a season-high mark set Friday night when the
Wolverines edged Minnesota, 56-53, in Minneapolis.
Michigan turned in one of its worst offensive perfor-
mances of the vear in the name - their 56 noints is the
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