68 Th ihia aily - SPORTSManday - February 23, 1998
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL-
BethBrn
~iI~Michigan 56
'a Minnesota 53
Ohio State 88
3' Michigan 80
4
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AI . an
Purdo 3
Wisnn
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t ll i.4
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'M'innwa
Ten Stnins
Blue loss marks final
Coaf.
124
1013
106
97
5-8
79
5-1:1
343
145
Overall
16-9
1~8
1&8
1940
17-9
208
1442
1441
1145
940
4-22
te r.. or......., 40..
!ticI/i;n tIo
game at St. J
By Tracy Sandier
Igaiy Sports Writer
COLUM BUS - Yesterday marked the end of an
era for the Ohio State women's basketball team.
After 24 seasons of women's basketball at St. John
Arena, the Buckeyes played their final game in the
building.
In saying goodbye to their old stomping grounds,
the Buckeyes honored more than 45 former
women's basketball players, coaches and managers
during halftime. Each of the former Buckeyes,
along with her number of years in the program, was
announced as she walked to the middle of the
court.
At the game's conclusion, the current and former
players, fans and honorees joined arms and sang
the Ohio State fight song.
For the current Buckeyes, they couldn't think of
a sweeter ending than to beat arch-rival Michigan,
88-80, ensuring that the Wolverines would never
leave St. John Arena with a victory.
"I said this morning that I thiink God wrote this
script, when we play Michigan for our last game
ever in this building,' Ohio State coach Beth Burns
said. "'We had so many incentives for this game
aside from that. What we tried to do from a staff's
standpoint was appreciate and celebrate all that had
gone before.
"By the same token, I didn't want to put too
much pressure on our shoulders. We're here to do
what we do right now- and that's to win a ball-
game. "
Although Ohio State could not help but feel nos-
talgic coming into the game, at 7-9 in the Big Ten,
the Buckeyes are well aware that the past is not
going to hold any weight in the standings.
For the present members of Ohio State, getting
the current job done was foremost on their minds.
"We have to take care of what we can take care
of," Burns said. "So, we wanted to celebrate all that
was accomplished, but we are right now. What we
could do best for right now, for ourselves and all the
alumni, was win the game.
"Before the game, we spoke to the pride and tra-
dition of being a Buckeye you're always a Buckeye,
and how exciting it is for us,' Burns said. "For
[ohn Arena
1998 Big Ten Women's
Basketball Tournament
_ ....._.. 3
Su^Ma>
41
trJM 'ch ;qI,>late i
541 ija
,:.S. _ ._. I~
xxyi tui .
6
#i IS'-r, t It
a7Pern'tae ri,&
411 Miinnesota
Quarterfinsals and semifinals televised by FoxSpoos Chicago.
Fnals televised by ESPN?.
Allt imes are Eastern Central Time.
Graphic courtesy of the Big Test coinference.
INO AAPQU
,ri (g)
EiN
Lem=r k
W/al,; 2
M-A.. .,O-T.AF PTS
413 0 2 5 9
22 1 2 4 9
)2-A61 1 4 22
IA 3)34Y 6 4 13
1 302 3 7
08 -6 -22 1 14
Is (10 0 00 2
12 4 310 4 4
28E~ 2127 9-34 15 25 80
r'~~~~ .-on 6 -1273 (Thorius 1-
- ilci 013 Bocks: none.
Lie ). urnver: 2(Johns 6.
myself, as I walked through that tunnel, and I ,ee
coaches that are active Division I coaches right
now, who are still in the middle of their tournamnt
seasons, it means so much more" than in the past.
From the opening tipoff, the crowd was a catalyst
for the team, standing and clapping for every play
"We used the energy from the crowd," said juni or
forward Marrita Porter, who finished the day with
31 points. In the minds of the players, the game was
almost bittersweet.
"The tradition here is really awesome, just look-
ing up at those banners and stuff," sophomore
Michaela Moua said. "In looking at all that has'
been accomplished in this gym by Lady Buckeyes
just like us, it's kind of sad. But I'm sure we Canr
make the new gym feel like home."
St. John Arena has been the only home courtthe
Buckeyes have ever used.
"It was a great day,' junior forward Larecha;
Jones said. "I've played here since I was a fresh-
man, so it's like a home. It's kind of like leaving;
your home."
MIN - 3-T0 A F PTS
Por~t 91131 93 7 - 1 31
bee 31 40 o 4 5 3 17
Bog 2 12 223-4 1 3 4
3 I 4 3 6 2 14
Barke 102'0 1 0 3 0
Mou 15 41 8 2 1 1 13
Stahur 5 ( 0) 1 0 2 0
Fraki- ( 0-0 0 2 0
Easls 11 34 1 1 3 9
Totas 203 2951 2-361425 19 20 88
R%: 1319 F~: /5. 3poit [(213 .33 (Lewis 25,
Jute 0 - locs Seal. Silaker3, Porter 2,
Irirls) Tmo am iiI it 4 L~t ,Ioes, Barker,
AtOi o r rs- - 38
Michigan guard Stacey Thomas didn't get all mushy for yesterday's game at Ohio State. For her and the
rest of the Wolverines, the last game at St. John Arena was no big deal.
Franklin shines ;in
Wolv"Iennes lo-s
Season's longest winning streak snapped
MIN A A A FPTS
f_< a / 1 5 0 8
Wilani .1 5 2 5 0 3 12
Jo~ts 4 0 4 7 2 3 18
Thoas :2 Air2a18 (0 3 6
ihous 1 / (302 3 3 8
Lemls- 1 1r- 2 C04 4 0 4
_Fe~n a (a 0 12 0 0 0
" Pa c 20 2 _..12-19 >-3014 13 56
<G:3. FTr 4.-oitF:.1, 9 Murray 1
Blocs: 9-0" 2 usirs- Se~s 7 hons 3.
- Lmm 2 M iri' li i s c T r es:1) ranklin 4.
Th -,3 1 M t ', 2. , liard. Johns.
k 9FT REB
MiN $~AM-AO-T A F PTS
Hanon 2 3 0001 0 2 63
Pohrbo 2 4 1 3 11 93 16
is~sur 2- -19 9 7 0 4 13
'Vsrle A 1. 4 2 1 2 63
1an, s N t 02 0 2 0
oIni1i -<,
Totai ..s _ 20
FGA .2 s'' -
6)
,t3
3 82 1O
>12 3 12
0- (13 0
~}J 0 00
~-212 21 53
,', 22 !n'hehr
ii.Blocks: none.
- 4, .s - lI~NS-i 3. ohinson,
o~~~~~c I ~ ~ F~~1 s;-Tcncllouls: none.
20453
lti A:178
By Tracy Sandier
Daily Sports WXriter
COLUMBUS - No matter how
Ndismal it may seem, in every cloud
there does exist a silver lining.
In yesterday's 88-80 road loss to
Ohio State, the Michigan women's
basketball team's silver lining came
in the form of senior guard Akisha
Franklin.
-------------- W ith 6:07 left
Baske tall in the game, the
Wo lv'er ines
Notebook were down 71-
------ ------- 64, but they
mounted a comeback. Key to that
comeback was Franklin. She hit two
free throws to cut the Buckeyes' lead
to five.
She wasn't done. With 5:05 left to
play, Franklin hit a 3-pointer that
pulled the Wolverines within two
points.
She hit another basket with 4:22
left and was fouled. Franklin con-
nected on the free throw, and the
game was tied at 75.
"Akisha's been playing really well
for us coming off the bench,"
Michigan coach Sue Guevara said.
"And for some reason, away from
Ehome, too. She came in, and she had
a couple steals. She was able to pen-
etrate, do a couple up-and-under
moves, and go to the basket."
SFranklin finished yesterday's game
with 14 points and two rebounds.
-~~~~~~1 AltiMchtn l',teGophers
rebsldo iiidxxored ~l bllaround,
lookiy~ im a Pol sot. ut as
Minnsot ~ , 51Ol'n doveto the
baset noNI hnos'ai inatld took a
dLg.kii di ohr hpes,
~ Mnneotathe tbledJhns, who
~inkboh re tros.oea he victory
for to \\lxcrics J thirseventh
She was I1-for-4 from three-point
land and 5-for-6 from the line.
"She hit a monster three for us,"
Guevara said. "She also was very
cool, as far as going to the line and
sinking some free throws. That's
what you need off your bench. 1 was
very pleased for Akisha."
STREAKING ONTO THE COURT:
After being unable to post victories
in more than three consecutive
games all season, Michigan put
together a four-game winning streak
with a 56-53 road victory over
Minnesota on Friday.
The Wolverines' three previous
victims were Northwestern, Penn
State and Purdue. The streak was
snapped by Ohio State yesterday.
LOSING THE SERIES: Michigan has
never left Columbus with a victory.
The Wolverines haven't had much
success at home, either, considering
they have beaten their rivals only
three times in 35 meetings. Earlier
this season on Dec. 28, Ohio State
pulled out a 70-66 win over the
Wolverines at Crisler Arena.
NOT SO GOLDEN AGAINST THE
GOPHERS: Although the Wolverines
departed from Minneapolis with a
victory Friday, it wasn't one of their
most impressive victories of the sea-
son.
When the weekend began, the
Wolverines were the Big Ten leaders
in 3-point baskets with a .379 aver-
age.
Michigan shot a dismal 1-for-i11
from beyond the arc against the
Golden Gophers.
Their 56-point total also marked
their lowest total output of the sea-
son.
SUMEREMLOYMENT
METROPARKS/HAVE OVER 500 JOBS AVAILABLE
THI SUMERIN A DELIGHTFUL PARK ENVIRONMENT
LIFGUADNATURALIST, PUBLIC SERVICE ATTENDANT.
MAINTENANCE AND MORE
I SW~ '4 r ~T1.IO KI TWDf)SARK hMrARFS-T VC~i OR
JOHN KRAF/Daily
Michigan center Pollyanna Johns was big yesterday, but she wasn't big enough. Her 22 points and 10 rebounds led the
Wolverines, but Michigan still dropped its regular-season finale at Ohio State, 88"0.
4 LIKE
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