16B -Se Michigan Daily - Tip@'98 - Thursday, November *, 1998 __
0
Thu av Noveiumber 12.1
Towson relies on.
defense, pressure
Towson basketball is a no-nonsense
business.
Unfortunately, as of late, tfe winning
has been about as rampant as the non-
sense, which is to say, not much.
Last season, the Tigers finished ninth
in the America East conference, at 8-20.
Their biggest improvement came on
defense, where they went from worst to
first in points allowed. The Tigers
shaved 12.9 points off of their 1996-'97
average of 78.9 a game.
And this high-pressure defense
almost gave the school a win over
HA MPTON
COach: Steve Merfeld
1997-98 Record:117 Mid-
Eastern Athletic Conference, 14-12
overall
Player to watch: Sophomore
forw ard Tarvis Williams
Returning starters: F
Williams (6-8/Jr.), G Torrey
Farrington (5-10/Jr.), G/F Greg
Brown (6-3/Jr.), G Ramont
Hawkins
r
f
r
Michigan last year, as Michigan
escaped Maryland with a 75-72 victory.
Jaskulksi thinks the success of this sea-
son's team could depend on his eight-
man recruiting class.
"We have a lot of versatility," he said
in a released statement, "and we have
the ability to use a variety of combina-
tions and change our look from posses-
sion to possession."
And if the Tigers live up to Jaskulski's
billing, it might just come down to good,
old-fashioned common sense.
- Rick Freeman
TOWSON
CoaCh: Mike Jaskulski
1997-98 Record.44
America East, 8-20 overall
Player to WatCh: o G i
Returning starters: G Wise
(5.11/Jr.), G Raul dePablo (6-
4/Jr.), C Aiphonso Hawes (6-6/Sr.)
Look out for: Falling scores;
the Tigers make defense a priority
and led the league last season
Pirates prepare to board
Hampton's tradition of Division I bas- season's starters, including MEACz
ketball harks all the way back to the days ie of the year Tarvis Williams,
of the first-ever Big Ten tournament. might have a chance at going deep
Gops, that's just one year, but this year the tournament.
the erstwhile Division II Pirates are eli- But just like Michigan, the pres
gible for post-season play. And while pundits can't seem to figure them
they may not have the horses to take a Sometimes, even the same publi
run at the Big Dance, or even the NIT, has trouble with them. One even1
the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference the Pirates tenth, then said "the P
tourney is wide open to them. should challenge for the confe
And that isn't a not-important tourna- title."
ment at all, especially since South Huh?
Carolina State upset Coppin State - the That would take some serious s
regular-season champ for the past six ing of their conference opponent
years - and stole its spot in the NCAA bers. But if they make Michigan
Tournament. the plank, it might be a start.
Since the Pirates return four of last - Rick Fr
Replacing
Wells tough
for Cards
. Bonzi Wells was one of those play-
ers that you were sure the NCAA just
forgot about. A guy who had to be
entering his eighth or ninth year at the
program, but, since he played at a
smaller school, nobody was keeping
tabs on him.
Michigan has been playing Ball
State for a while now, and Wells was
always the best player on the
Cardinals, and sometimes on the entire
court.
The two-time Mid-American
Conference player of the year, Wells
was one of the more versatile players
in the nation. He led the team in scor-
ing, rebounds, assists and steals, and
was a first-round pick by the Detroit
Pistons in last June's draft.
With Wells, Ball State finished at
14-4 record in the MAC's West
Division last year, tied with Western
Michigan for first place. They earned a
berth to the NIT, where the Cardinals
fell to Memphis in the first round.
Now there's some great news for
Ball State's opponents - Wells is
finally gone.
Bad news for coach Ray McCallum,
who is searching for a way to replace
his superstar.
"We're going to have to make up for
Bonzi's production with more bal-
ance," said McCallum, a former
Michigan assistant coach. "We won't
have a focal guy to start the season."
The Cardinals do return three
starters, led by shooting guard Duane
Clemens. The junior averaged 10.6
BALL STATE
Coach:Ray McCallum
1997-98 Record: 14-4 MAC
West, 21-8 Overall
Player to watch: Guard'
Mickey Nosier, who should anchor
the Cardinals' solid backcourt
Returning starters:G
Hosier (5-11, 160/Jr.), G Duane
Clemens (6-0, 170/Jr.), F Wayne
Johnson (6-7, 250/Sr.)
Look out for: Someone to step
up and over the finally graduated
Bonzi Wells' role as team leader
points per game last year while playing
almost 30 minutes a contest. Point
guard Mickey Hosier, also a junior,
gives the Cardinals a fairly experi-
enced backcourt.
It's under the basket where Ball
State will struggle. The Cardinals have
plenty of of size, but a lot of it comes
with players who are short on experi-
ence. Freshmen Corey Harris (6-foot-
8) and Josh Murray (6-7) will chal-
lenge 6-9 sophomore Brian Burns for
playing time in the post.
"We need someone to be productive
on the inside," McCallum said. "Last
year, we had balance in both our back-
court and frontcourt. Someone is
going to have to emerge down low."
McCallum is keeping the Cardinals'
trip to Ann Arbor for Michigan's home
opener in perspective.
"We look at the Michigan game as a
great opportunity for our team,"
McCallum said. "We get to face one of
the top 10 programs of the 90's."
-Andy Latack
Try as he might, Penn State coach Jerry Dunn is
going to have a hard time shifting the focus of his
team's 1998-99 campaign away from injuries and
onto the season at hand. Even with 6-foot-11 cen-
ter Calvin Booth - the returning Big Ten defen-
sive player of the year - in the mix, Dunn knows
the success of the Nittany Lions relies heavily upon
the recovery of a couple of valuable knees.
One belongs to 3-point specialist Dan Earl, a
senior guard who is in his sixth year after petition-
ing the NCAA for extended eligibility. Earl, who
will be stepping in for graduated guard Pete
Lisicky, is finally returning to the hardwood after
missing two consecutive seasons with knee
injuries.
The other golden knee for Dunn is that of for-
ward Jarrett Stephens, a versatile sixth man who
tore his anterior cruciate ligament in Penn State's
NIT semifinal victory over Georgia last March.
The senior's status is still in question. While Earl
will be ready for the start of the season, the earliest
Stephens is expected back is November - but with
delays, he may redshirt.
"We have some question marks in terms of
injuries, but we have to get the job done irregard-
less of their status," Dunn said. "Danny is practic-
ing one day on, one day off. Jarrett is a
ahead of where we thought he'd be.
"Danny will be put into game situations
than Jarrett. Jarrett will be 50-50 in terms
ing this season and it will certainly be up t
With these question marks surround
Lions' den, Booth is going to have to be
bigger presence than he was a season ag
after a summer playing under Minnesot
Clem Haskins' Goodwill Games team
seems poised for an even bigger year. Alrea
State's career leader in blocks, Booth nee
supplant former Iowa star Acie Earl as
Ten's career leader.
Booth "is playing with a lot more con
now," Dunn said. "Down the stretch last
became - showed signs of becoming -
guy."
Buoyed by the play of Booth, Penn Stat
Joe Crispin, Titus Ivory and Greg Grays w
time to develop into the kind of playmaker
be, and Lisicky was. All three received sig
court time last season when Earl went do
five games, which should pay off this
Dunn, as his injured Lions recover.
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AP PHOTO
Freshman forward Tyler Smith will add some depth to a talent-
ed Penn State frontcourt that features senior Calvin Booth.
Lewis and
Summer Orientation Employment
Opportunities
Seniors lead Florida
We've heard this story so many times
before in college basketball, that it has
almost become a cliche. You know the
routine - a group of seasoned veterans
who haven't experienced a lot of suc-
cess, feeling the heat from an all-star
cast of freshman recruits. The tug-of-
war continues all season long between
upperclassmen and underclassmen, fans
and coaching staffs, until finally, some-
thing gives way.
Well, Florida coach Billy Donovan
has heard the stories and seen the mis-
takes of others, to the point where he is
clear on one issue - seniors are going
to be the core of the 1998-99 Florida
Gators.
"The success of our team this year
will lie with the senior leadership of
Greg Stolt and Eddie Shannon,
Donovan said. "As much publicity as
our recruiting class has received, they
are still freshmen. They will have their
ups and downs.
"They will take a cue from the guys
that have been through the
(Southeastern Conference) wars and
know what it's like to compete at this
level".
So just who are these freshmen that
are causing all the commotion down in
Gainesville? The top-five class includes
3-point ace and floor general Ted Dupay
and shooting guard LaDarius Halton,
both from Florida. Teaming up on the
front lines are swingman Mike Miller, a
player likened to Christian Laettner, and
center Udonis Haslem.
- Pranay Reddv
FL 0?IDA
Coach: Billy Donovan
1997-98 Record:610 SEC
East, 14-15 overall
Player to WatCh: Guard Eddie
Shannon, who needs 27 points to
reach 1,000 for his career
Returning starters: G
Shannon (6-2/Sr.), F Greg Stolt (6-
8/Sr.)
Look out for: Florida's fab
recruiting class, one of the five
best in the nation
Every year in college basketball, a
group of players is tagged early in the
season with a cute nickname, and rid-
den endlessly all season long in maga-
zines and newspapers - ad nauseam.
This year, of course, is no different.
Following in the footsteps of
Michigan's Fab Five and Arkansas'
May-Day duo (Lee Mayberry and Todd
Day), Minnesota coach Clem Haskins
and the Golden Gophers present
(drumroll, please) Lewis and Clark.
No, no - not those trailblazing pio-
neers of yore, but in fact, Minnesota's
exciting pair of forward Quincy Lewis
and guard Kevin Clark. Clever, huh?
Regardless, the two are the heart and
soul of the Gophers this season, and
will have the most say on whether they
are successful or not this season.
Second in both scoring and rebound-
ing with 14.5 points and 5.7 rebounds
per game, Lewis is primed to step into
MINNESOTA
CoaCh Clem Haskins
1997-98 Record: 6.10 Big
Ten (8th), 20-15 overall, NIT cham-
pions
Player to watCh Junior
guard/forward Quincy Lewis who
almost always gets his points
Returning starters: F/G
Lewis (6-7, 215/Sr.), F/C Kevin
Clark (6-2, 180/So.), F/C Kyle
Sanden (6-11, 260/ So.)
Look out for: Minnesota to
say 'thanks, but no thanks to a
chance to defend its 1998 NIT title
and instead play in the big dance
again
Clark ready
his role as leader of the Gophers. Lewis
was Minnesota's most consistent player
last season, posting double-digits in
scoring in 29 of the Gophers' 35
games.
On the flipside of Lewis' consistency
is the explosiveness of Clark, who
averaged 29 points in the NIT finals as
the Gophers took the crown - while
Clark snagged Most Valuable Player
honors.
"In Quincy and Kevin, we have two
of the premier scorers in the country,"
Haskins said. "They both can score
inside and from the perimeter and give
us two proven go-to players when we
need a basket"
Rounding out the lineup for
Minnesota is 7-foot freshman sensation
Joel Przybilla, a McDonald's All-
American. Already a state hero from
his prep school career in Monticello,
Minn., Przybilla has lofty expectations
70toblaze
set for him by the Minnesota faithful
- and Haskins isn't necessarily quiet-
ing their excitement, either.
"In due time he will be one of the top
centers in the conference and the coun-
try." Haskins said.
With Przybilla stepping in at center,
Haskins can finally slide Miles Tarver
into position at power forward, pushing
Lewis into his natural place on the
floor, as a high-scoring small forward.
While Tarver excels defensively and at
rebounding, his offensive game
remains a question. But Haskins has
never asked for more from the senior.
"I expect hard play, good strong
defense and rebounding the ball" from
Tarver, Haskins said. He'll be "shoot-
ing once or twice a month."
That should be OK though. It just
means more room for Lewis and Clark
to blaze their trails to the basket.
- Pranay Reddv
p4
SUND.
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for
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~v ~IfF'FON,*
SENIOR HISTORY
CONCENTRATORS
Colloquium sign-up for winter term 1999 is Tuesday,
November 17, 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. In 1024 TIsch Hall
54
31'
C
Sund