68- The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - March 8, 1999 Conference shows its muscle at tournament Illini kill Blue's Big Ten, NCAA hopes 0 By Urns Subramanian and Stephanie Often Daily Sports Writers INDIANAPOLIS - Thwarting Illinois' hopes of an upset victory with several clutch free throws, No.1 Purdue continued its domination of both the Big Ten and the country at last weekend's Big Ten BASKETBALL tournament. Notebook "The Big Ten is _________ pretty scary," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said prior to the Big Ten tournament. "There are six -of seven teams playing really well. It's going to be a dogfight. No one will walk away with it. There are no gimmes" Guevara was right. In the champi- onship game, the Boilermakers were trailing with only a few minutes remaining. Then Big Ten player of the year Stephanie White-McCarty, who had a game high 30 points, brought her team back nearly single-handedly to put the Fighting Illini away 80-76. Besides notching Player of the Year honors, Purdue also saw coach Carolyn Peck named Big Ten Coach of the Year. Several players including Ukari Figgs, Kelly Kimara, were named to the Big Ten First team. "It's been a long time since we had a team ranked No. 1. It gives the confer- ence national respect," Guevara said. "If Purdue can get a national champi- onship it is a major reflection on the conference." GOING OUT WITH A BANG: For the Wolverines' lone senior, Ann Lemire, Saturday's quarterfinal loss to Illinois would be her final Big Ten game. But Lemire would not leave quietly. She went on a personal 6-0 run down the stretch against the Fighting Illini to bring the Wolverines within seven points before the an eventual 86-73 loss. Lemire led the team in that game scoring a season high 22 points and grabbing seven rebounds. She also contributed 12 points in Michigan's 74-55 victory over Minnesota in the first round of the tour- nament. With the 12 points, Lemire remains the team's second-leading scorer averaging 11.7 points per game. By Geoff Gagnon Daily Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS - Raindrops weren't the only thing falling in the RCA Dome in Indianapolis last Saturday as Michigan faced Illinois in the second round of this year's Big Ten Tournament. On the strength of 22 points from the free throw line, Michigan saw its Big Ten Tournament hopes fall as Illinois found every hole in the Michigan defense much the way an afternoon thunderstorm found its way through the RCA Dome roof, delaying tournament action as rain poured inside. For Illinois, who poured it inside equally unchecked en route to a 86-73 win, the game marked their second win over the Wolverines and catapulted third-seeded Illinois eventually to the tournament finals where they were upended by Purdue a week ago. Michigan will face Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, in the first round of the WNIT. "We tried everything and we just did- n't have an answer. They have a lot more muscle than we do and they're a good basketball team," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "Tonight we just got beat by a better basketball team." For Michigan, the loss not only elim- inated the Wolverines, but it also forced the sixth-seeded squad to bid farewell to hopes of earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament. "I think our tournament chances had dwindled down and now we just have to keep our fingers crossed with the NIT, hopefully they'll give us a good hard look Guevara said. And looking it seems, was all that Michigan's post could do against Illinois as the Illini starting frontcourt waltzed their way to 45 points virtually unopposed as foul trouble down the stretch kept Michigan at bay. "I thought coming into the game that we needed to play smart defense, espe- cially in the post," Guevara said. "And two of my freshman post players end up fouling out." Led by forward Susan Blauser who tallied 24 points in the paint, Illinois forced the Wolverines into playing from behind. Frustrating Guevara and sealing Michigan's fate, the Michigan interior came up short not only defensively, but* managed a mere eight points. Center Allison Miller and forward Ruth Kipping had.-trouble finding their way offensively as well. Michigan's trouble getting the ball inside forced the team's backcourt to assert itself in an attempt to claw back into the game. Leading the way with five three-pointers, Alayne Ingram and Wolverines rattled off a team-best nine from behind the arc on an astounding* 27 attempts "Nine triples may have been a record, but I guess it wasn't enough," Guevara said. And the team's lone senior, Ann Lemire found that her late-game efforts wouldn't be enough turn the tide. Lemire, doing all that she could to avoid playing in her last game, came off the bench to lead Michigan with 22 points to go along with seven rebounds. N F W. DANA INNANE/Daily The Michigan women's basketball team fell to Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. 'M' travels to California There's a whole world out there! Explore it with Contiki- The #1 tour for 18-33 year olds EUROPE: $670 EUROPEAN WONDER $1045 EUROPEAN DISCOvERY AUSTRALIA: $1055 BEACHES AND REEFS AFRICA: $1845 NAMIBIA CONTRASTS These prices do not include taxes and are land only. 1Travel ,, Council on International Educational Exchange 1218 South University Ave. Ann Arbor, Mi 48104 Phone: 734-998-0200 PLAY BALL Continued from Page 3B Bobby Scales, an integral part of this defensive mastery, knows how impor- tant the double plays were. "They bring up the moral of the team," he said. "We practice those until we're blue in the face, every kind of double play." Michigan didn't waste much time after that, as in the top of the 10th, they loaded the bases with no outs. Only one Wolverine scored in that frame, but it was enough to take home the victory. The game-winning RBI was scored complements of a sacri- fice fly by Jason Alcaraz. Michigan's victory over UCLA was a needed resurgence for a stunned bunch of Wolverines. After just giving up 20 runs to an inferior San Diego team, they had a lot to ponder during their drive up the coast. Michigan was used to putting their opponents away early up to that point, winning their first two games 8-1 and 8-5. But they committed three errors in the finale to help San Diego avoid the sweep. Zahn put the three games in prospective. "It's just one game out of 56. I'd rather have them focus on what they did in the first two games," he said. This focus helped the Wolverines in Westwood, against UCLA, but it was- n't enough to carry them across the freeway to Southern California Michigan fell to the defending nation- al champions, 11-7. Regardless of this outcome, the Wolverines still were able to leave their mark - literally. Jason Alcaraz's two-run blast in the 7th inning was only impeded by the Dedeaux Field scoreboard in right field. Eisner set to retire after Big Ten tourney EISNER Continued from Page 38 Title. This year the Wolverines are off to a 6-1 start. "We are extremely proud of the years of quality coaching Brian has contributed to the University of Michigan athletic tradition, Michigan Athletic Director Tom Goss said in the release. "Hopefully, Brian will be abO to finish his career here 'at Michigan with one more champi- onship in Ann Arbor." The Big Ten Tennis: Championships, will be hosted at the Varsity Tennis Center April 29 - May 2. . c V3;;: '":":' "_::: :; w.A:..'WA. *a. ?;f:;,+ ..>:"::s;<'.;;::;:'" i::r.;<::;"::.,.: > .. M :. < { it f > ~F . -ems. +v 2? WWW COUf1C 1 (t f 2'U'8 COtfl' r+:?sid ,+a k 'sf¢ "b ft,'Fs, ' S, f \ \'. r {"x" S \ \\ ', \'\ . rscc .., ., ..y o,. ... .:,'d''y. . ,.i. ;+5, .. ;,ro 4''tRr . < ..: ')a, ,\4if \ 4 ,.'. ,".\'r.\,. \ , I. --r REC SPORTS The University of Michigan Department of Recreational Sports INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM WHAT'S HAPPENING "My secret spot is the Park & Ride lot!" INTRAMURALS Intramural Broomball Officials Needed!! " No Experie Necessary nce @4 T tR* "%E.l, mm o Get a Free =Shirt SPURTS .Officials are INTRAMURALS " Paid for All i Games Worked 4 Flexible Hours ( Park it here.) Training Clinics Begin ,.-, * - , wn -aa, U £ Park free all day at one of our Park & Ride lots and Ride the RideI ,I II