8B - The Michigan Daily -SportsWednesday -January 6, 1999
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Illini sink
Blue in
overtime
ILLINI
Continued from Page 1B
points, led the team to just a one-
point deficit at the half, trailing
Indiana 26-25.
The second half was dominated
by the Wolverines. The Michigan
defense held the Hoosiers to just 10
points in the first 10 minutes, and
Michigan was able to pull out to a
55-36 lead. Indiana was able to cut
the lead to 11 points with two min-
utes left, but the Wolverines held off
the Hoosiers down the stretch.
The Wolverines were supposed to
begin the Big Ten home season
against Michigan State on Jan. 3,
but 14 inches of snow kept the
Spartans at home. The game was
rescheduled for Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.,
but the cancellation continued the
long stretch of road games for the
Wolverines.
All this talk about the winning
streak became reality on Dec. 12
when Michigan traveled to Normal,
Ill., to take on Illinois State. And
this trip was all but normal. The
Wolverines set a school record with
its eight straight victory, a 86-43
victory over the Redbirds. The team
broke the record of seven straight
wins set by the 1989-'90 team, the
first Michigan squad to make the
NCAA tournament.
This not-so-normal trip began
with a not-so-normal lineup, one
consisting of no freshmen for the
first time this season. Thomas,
Thorius, Ann Lemire, Miller and
Walker started for the Wolverines.
But it would be a freshman who led
the team to victory.
Freshman Heather Oesterle led all
scorers with a career-high 17 points,
and also contributed six rebounds
and tied a career mark with three
steals.
Unlike in the Indiana game,
Michigan led the entire 40 minutes.
The defense held the Redbirds to
just 17 first-half points, and the
Wolverines caused Illinois State to
commit 30 turnovers over the course
of the game.
The second half continued the
domination by the Wolverines, as
they led by 45 points three times in
the final four minutes.
The winning streak may have
ended for Michigan, but the focus
has not changed. The Wolverines
face their toughest challenge of the
season Saturday against Louisiana
Tech, the 1998 NCAA Tournament
runners-up. Michigan looks to start
that winning streak all over again.
Stowe leaves 'M'
citing unhappiness
By Uma Submianla
Dialy Sports Writer
For many students, Dec. 18 was a
time to celebrate the end of classes and
the start of the holiday break. But for
former Michigan forward, Mandy
Stowe, things weren't that pleasant.
Stowe, a sophomore, quit the
Michigan women's basketball team at
the end of last semester, midway
through the Wolverines' season. Stowe
was little-used in her year and a half at
Michigan. Though she attributes play-
ing time as one of the factors that led
to her decision, it was a minor one at
best.
"I was really unhappy," Stowe said.
"It wasn't just the playing time.
Basketball had always been really fun
for me and a great experience, and here
it just wasn't."
Stowe would not elaborate on the
details that made the experience
unpleasant, merely repeating that she
was miserable as a member of the team.
Prior to choosing Michigan, Stowe
was recruited by several schools
including Florida, North Carolina and
DePaul. Though she initially believed
that Michigan was the right program
for her, she said that after this season
started she realized that the program
"just wasn't me."
"I expected more coming into this
season," Stowe said. "I just wasn't get-
ting it. What they saw for me, I just did-
n't see."
Though Stowe claims she could not
have stayed any longer, she chose to
leave at the time when the Wolverines
probably needed her most.
At the start of the season, no one
knew how the Wolverines would fare.
They had lost three starters to gradua-
tion including current WNBA player
Pollyanna Johns, the dominating play-
er on last season's squad.
The Wolverines had big holes to fill
and needed several people to step up.
Before the season, Michigan coach
Sue Guevara said she was "looking for
improvement from Mandy," in a writ-
ten statement. "She averaged 10 min-
utes last year, and that was playing
behind Pollyanna Johns, Tiffany
Willard and Molly Murray. They're all
gone, so we expect her to step up."
But, when all was said and done,
there was a noticeable difference dur-
ing the first half of the season. Stow
averaged fewer minutes per game and
averaged 4.3 points per game..
Although Stowe saw limited action,
her loss greatly affects the depth of the
Michigan bench. Now there are only
ten players on the roster, and sopho-
more Katie Dykhouse received even
less playing time this season than
Stowe did.
"The team's not going to be as
deep," Stowe said of her departure
"This is going to be the weak point o
the season because we're facing so
many good teams in the conference.
But, this is a great program and the
team's doing well, but I just wasn't
happy."
The unusual aspect of Stowe's
departure lies in the timing of her
actions. Her mid-season departure
comes at a crucial point for Michigan.
The tough competition over the nex
few weeks will show just how good thi
season's team really is.
Stowe said she believes she would
have been more detrimental to the team
had she remained on it.
"I didn't see how it was going to help
me by staying on the team," Stowe
said. "I'm not trying to come off self-
ish, but I think it would have hurt the
team knowing that I was there and did-
n't really want to be."
Another reason Stowe gave fo
resigning from the team this early in the
year is that NCAA regulations prohibit
a player from talking to other coaches
while still a member of another team.
As for the future, Stowe is still
unsure of her plans. She will return to
Ann Arbor for this semester, and trans-
fer at the start of the next school year.
No matter where she transfers, she will
be forced to redshirt her first year with
her new team.
Guevara, who could not be reached
after last night's game in Champaign,
said in a statement released last month
that she wishes Stowe "the best of
luck."
FILE PHOTO
The game against Illinois State would be sophomore Mandy Stowe's last with the Wolverines. Stowe (center) will continue
taking classes at Michigan for this semester and will transfer next year.
No. 3 Purdue rolls, holds of
PenSae ina534 vitr
WEST LAFAYETTE (AP)
Held to just one field goal in the first
10 minutes of the second half by No.
17 Penn State, the No. . 3
Boilermakers knew they had to work
together to regain their momentum.
Ukari Figgs scored 10 points, all in
the second half, and Stephanie White-
McCarty added a game-high 19
points as Purdue (10-1, 2-0 Big Ten)
held off Penn State, 53-48 last night
to tie the Boilermakers' best start in
history.
The 1990-'91 Boilermakers had the
school's best start when it won its
first 10 games before losing to
Auburn.
Purdue also had support from
reserve freshman Kelly Komara with
nine points, 3-of-3 from 3-point
range, and six rebounds. Katie
Douglas also had nine points.
"I thought Katie (Douglas) and
Ukari (Figgs) played with no fear,
especially after popping back up after
hitting the floor hard," Purdue coach
Carolyn Peck said. "They get up and
play hard and don't shy away."
Trailing 28-25 at the half, Penn
State battled back, taking a 36-32
lead on Rashana Barnes' basket with
10:19 left. Figgs, who was 0-for-2
from the field in the first half,
responded with a-3-pointer followed
by a two-point basket to give Purdue
a 40-38 edge with 7:48 to go.
Sparked by Shawnta Vanzant's 3-
pointer, Penn State then went on an
8-2 run capped by Andrea Garner's
basket with just more than four min-
utes remaining to give the Lady Lions
their 46-42 lead.
Purdue then went on a 7-0 run to
take a 49-46 lead on a basket by Figgs
with 2:08 remaining.
The Boilermakers then outscored
the Lady Lions 11-2 in the final four
minutes, forcing two Penn State
turnovers in the final minute.
Garner, who led Penn State (9-3, 1-
2) with 15 points and 10-rebounds,
scored the Lady Lions' final points on
a basket with 1:24 remaining to cut
Purdue's lead to one, 49-48.
White-McCarty's two free throws
with 1:06 left and Katie Douglas' dri-
ving layup with 19 seconds to go
sealed the win for Purdue.
"They played real good," White-
McCarty said. "They were out in the
passing lanes. I think we got a little
frustrated at first when they started
pressing us a lot."
'M' streak struck out
By Uma Subramaniau
Daily Sports Writer
There's a reason they call it "March
Madness." It's the time when college
basketball is in all its glory during the
NCAA Tournament. The Tournament is
the pinnacle of any women's basketball
team's season. But in order to get to the
Promised Land, teams must fight at least
30 battles against various opponents.
The outcome of those games is what
matters. Like any other crowing achieve-
ment, however, a team dreaming of the
tournament must .__--____-
keep things in Basketball
focus taking one
game at a time. No/e Ooai
So far this sea- -------- .-
son, the Michigan women's basketball
team has done just that. It is off to a best-
ever 9-2 start. Prior to last night's 75-6,
overtime loss to Illinois, the team had
won nine games in a row.
The nine-game winning streak was the
Wolverines' best ever. But as last night's
loss indicates, from here on out, things
are going to get a little more difficult.
Already in the midst of a tough con-
ference schedule that features three top
25 teams and two others that were
among the "others receiving votes" in
last week's AP Poll, Michigan will also
face No. 5 Louisiana Tech on Saturday.
LEADERS AND THE REST: Four
Wolverines are among the Big Ten sta-
tistical leaders in several categories.
Prior to last night's loss, junior guard
Stacey Thomas leads the league in steals
(4.1 per game) and is fifth in field goal
percentage, draining 55.3 percent of her
shots. Thomas is also sixth in scoring
in the conference with 16.4 points per
game, and also ranks among the top 10
in rebounding and blocking.
In addition to Thomas' stellar play,
several other Wolverines have per-
formed impressively so far this season.
up prior to her injury, should be a key
component in the Wolverines' title run.
Over the break, Michigan lost sopho-
more center Mandy Stowe who trans-
ferred due in part to lack of playing time.
But for one of the first times all season,
the Wolverines were actually able k
have everyone ready for action.
DEEE-FENSE: At the start of the sea-
son, Michigan coach Sue Guevara
preached the importance of defense to
her young squad. Apparently, her tactics
worked.
This season, the Wolverines have
experienced dramatic improvements on
the defensive end. They are seventh in
the nation in scoring margin, they lea
the Big Ten in scoring defense at 58
points per game, field goal percentage
defense, 3-point percentage defense,
steals and turnover margin.
BLIZZARD KEEPS SPARTANS AWAY:
Due to the "Blizzard of '99"
Michigan State was not able to trav-
el the mere hour to face the
Wolverines at Crisler Arena on
Sunday. Consequently, Michigan
played its fifth consecutive road
game at Illinois last night.
The game has been reschedule
for Jan. 20.
6.ted SO 00 Cr
MICHIGAN (65 a ,
WN M-A *A 4TA F PTS
Thomas 33 618 2-5 6-11 2 5 14
Walker 30 4-8 0-1 45 1 1 8
Miller 27 2-5 0-0 4-12 1 5 4
Thorius 41 5-14 2-2 0-0 2 0 15
Lemire 26 2-9 0-0 2-8 2 1 5
Qesterle 8 1-2 0-0 1-2 0 1
Goodlow 14 1-2 0-0 1-2 0 1
Kipping 20 12 6.8 3-3 0 5 8
Ingram 26 3-9 0-0 0-2 2 1 7
Totals 22S 2549 1041622-61020 65
FG%: .362. FT%:.625. 3-point F: 5-13,385.
(Thorius 3.8, Ingram 1-3, Lemire 1-1). Blocks: 3
(Miller 2, Goodlow 1). Steals: 9 (Thomas 3, Miller
2, Ingram 2, Thorius, Kipping). Turnovers: 27
(Toas 7ram 4 Wat'lker 4,Kpig3 emire
3, Miller 3. Thorius 2, Goodlow). Technical Fouls:
none.
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