,Scorboar_. MEN'S (4) Ohio St. 72, 1 TOURNEY (13, Murray St. 58 SOtWNHREGIONAM (1) Auburn 80. (16) Winthrop 41 (2) Maryland 82, (15) Valparaiso 60 (3) St. Johns 69, (14) Samford 43 (12) Detroit 56, (5) UCLA53 (6) Indiana 108, (114 Geo. Wash 88 (10) Creighton 62, (7) Louisville 58 (9) Okla. St. 69, t8 Svae 61 t { { t t { WEsT REGIONAL (1) Conn. 91. (16) Tex-SA 66 (2) Stanford 69, (15) Alcorn St. 57 (14) Weber St. 76, 3) No. Car 74 (4) Arkansas 94. (13) Siena 80 (5) Iowa 77 (12) UAB 64 (6) Florida 75, (11) Penn 61 (10) Gonzaga 75. (7) Minnesota 63 (9) New Mex. 61, (8) Missouri 59 3odijxl Tracking 'M' teams The Michigan softball team sits at ninth in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. The team is enjoying a 10-game winning streak, and resume play on March 1.8 at the Capital City Classic in Sacramento, Calif. Friday March 12, 1999 8 ." ... ._ 101 'l a. Women hoops advances in WNIT Today's NCAA Toumey preview By Andy Latack GAME OF THE DAY: (8) College of Charleston vs.(9) Tulsa. It's a shame these teams have to play in the first round, because I would pick both to pull off wins. They are tourney tested, with CC upset- ting five seed Maryland and scar- ing eventual champ Arizona before bowing out two years ago. CC wins, and with the victory comes the honor of suffering an emotion- ally scarring second-round loss to Duke."-C 84, Tulsa 84. UPSET PECUAL:(12) Rhode Island over (5) UNC-Charlotte. Unlike Mr. Kleinbaum's misguided UAB pick yesterday, this one will hap-: pen. I hardly even consider it an upset. The Rams' Lamar Odom is one of the best players in the tour- nament and UNC-C is still one let- ter away from being a quality team. Rhode Island 73, UNC-C 63. SUIrTHINc:(6) Kansas over (11) Evansville. Granted, Kansas isnot what it used to be this year. But a potential second-round matchup with Kentucky will entice the Jayhawks to step up. Plus, Evansvilie's uniforms have sleeves. PLAYERS TO WATCH: Arizona's Jason Terry; Utah's Andre Miller and, Michigan State's Mateen Cleaves. These three AP All- Amiicans are in action today, - in tloe stacked Midwest bracket. Terry is one of the nation's most prolific scorers, and Miller and Cleaves have led their teams to a combined 39 straight wins. See TOURNEY, Page 9 By Stephanie Offen Michigana Daily Sports Writer time to re KALAMAZOO - Last night belonged to came bac Stacey Thomas. you saw to The Michigan women's basketball captain The Wo led her team to a 73-64 victory over Western points int Michigan in the first round of the WNIT tour- time up by nament. Michig Along with rack- MIcHIGAN 73 what low ing up a team high get the t 23 points and 12 ; WESEN MID' 64 defenders; rebounds, Thomas But on added two steals, breaking Michigan's career the Bronc steals record. "Every Thomas, as always, was critical of her team's cheer an performance. "I'd give it a B-minus," Thomas Michigan; said. helped us But the first half was definitely worthy of an whole gar "A." Both teams got off to a slow start, but it was Great f LSO y Michigan who would finally pick things up. of Wester LGoodlow and the Michigan women's basketBall teamThomas finally found her 3-point shot going Erving le RainaGodoanteMihgnwmnsbsebltem il 2-for-2 in the first half from behind the arc. Michigan' now host Michigan State Sunday at 2 p.m. In the second round of the WNIT. "I gave the team a week off for spring break' And t Playoff run begins tonight at Yost coach Sue Guevara said. "They need st, relax and heal, and Stacey Thomas k with arch on her shot. That's what oday." olverines would lead by as many as 19 the first half and would go into half- y 16. an's second half performance was ered their grade. Alison Miller would eam off to a strong start, battling and getting open looks inside. ce the Western crowd got on their feet os became a different team. time we made a basket they would d try to get us going," Western senior Kelly DeLong said. "I think it a lot that they were behind us the me. an support added to the fired-up play rn Michigan's leading scorer Shelsea d the Broncos on a 11-0 run, cutting 's lead down to nine. he Bronco faithful wouldn't let up. Another 8-0 Western run brought them to their feet and bring Western Michigan within five points of the Wolverines. This run would cause emotions to run high among the Michigan players, leading to sloppy play and even a scuffle over a jump ball. "Once a game Ruth (Kipping) will try to steal the ball from the rebounder" Guevara said. "Usually she will get the foul and have to come sit next t me on the bench. But she got that ball clean that time and I thought that was great, but all of a sudden I saw her and Erving tussling all over." But those emotions were quickly calmed and Michigan was able to regain their composure and their large lead. Led by the experience ofThomas and Thorius down the stretch, the Wolverines brought their grade back up by ending with a solid perfor- mance. "My assistant coach, Yvette Harris, had tho best line after the game," Guevara said. "She said, 'Sue, Western Michigan calmed down and we got comfortable." By Mark Francescutti Daily Sports Writer Almost one year ago today, the Michigan hockey team and the Yost Ice Arena crowd left the first game of the 1998 CCHA playoffs in stunned silence. Notre Dame, a No. 7 seed, had just won the first game of the best-of-three series on Michigan's home ice, and in unusually easy fashion. Michigan fought back and squeezed out two victories in the final three games, but the series was closer than the Wolverines wanted. No. 2 seed Michigan will try to avoid a similar scare when it faces off with sev- enth-seed Bowling Green tonight at Yost. The Wolverines may have a little more desperation in the CCHA playoffs this season. With an NCAA Tournament berth still not etched in stone, Michigan will have to rack up several wins in the conference tournament to win over the selection committee. "If we don't get past Bowling Green, our season is as good as over," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "We have to get to Joe Louis." The winner of the series will travel to Joe Louis Arena next weekend for a semifinal matchup. WV h i I e Mi c hi g an won its sea- son series with the Falcons 3-0, it can't take B o w I i n g Green's dan- g e r o u s o ffe n s e capabilities with a grain of salt. TONIGHT, Who:* Bowling Green at Michigan Where: Yost Ice Arena When: 7 p.m. Radio: WCBN 88.3p FM & WTKA 1050 AM. The Falcons lit up the red light more than any CCHA team this season, netting 102 goals. "It's a part of their team that really scares you,' Berenson said. "I don't think we can match them goal-for-goal. We have to keep the games low scoring." Forwards Adam Edinger and Dan Price lead Bowling Green's flock. The duo was 1-2 in CCHA scoring. Edinger has one goal and four assists this year when facing Michigan while Price racked up three goals and two assists against the Wolverines. But if anything scares Michigan, it's Bowling Green's power play. One of the best teams in the nation with the man advantage, the Falcons lit up the Wolverines for three power play goals in their last meeting. Michigan, the most penalized team in the CCHA, will have to cut down on excessive penalties to limit Bowling Green's top scoring line's power play opportunities. "We have to be more disciplined and play five-on-five hockey," freshman cen- ter Mike Comrie said. "Whoever is out there, has to know that they are going to be out there against that line." Bowling Green has been on a roll dur- ing the past couple of weeks, defeating Notre Dame 5-1 and then demoting Ohio State to third place by sweeping the Buckeyes. "They are playing their best hockey of the season now, and if you look at their schedule, most of those games have been on the road," Berenson said. "I don't think home ice is going to matter." Most noticeable in Bowling Green's latest run was it's improved defensive efforts - a glimmer of hope for the worst defense in the conference. If the series does go to a third and deciding game, it will take place on Sunday night at 7 p.m. Tickets will be available after Saturday night's game. First Round Matchup 1 Michi an and Bowling Green start their best-of-three CCHA-first round playoff series tonight at Yost Ice Arena. The Wolverines swept the regular season series between the teams, 3-0, but the Falcons ended the season with a rush. The matchups: All statistics are from confemnce play. Number/ CCHA rank Number/CCHA rank 3.27/ second . Goals per game 3.401/ first 2.40/ fifth Goals allowed per game 3.50/ ninth .181/ third Power play pct. .211/ first .848/ sixth Penalty kill pct. .778/ 11th 19.27/ second Penalty minutes per game 25/ 11 th 1 Mr. Spot's on campus 1 Darth Vader Famous Alum Orel Hershiser Abercrombie Choice of clothing Wrangler GEO Favorite Rally Monster Truck Bubba Coolest player name Zach Ham The Dai y's prediction: Bowling Green presses hard in the offensive zone, putting the Michigan defensemen and goaltender Josh Blackburn up to the test But there's a reason the Falcons are a No. 7 seed - they don't play defense. Michigan wins 2-0 ;; r , r . (°.. WHAT IS... I COOU PRIZG W TIKTM T\-\\TAG C"IAp SIGN UP F o CONTESTANT AUDI TIONS! TRY THE DREADED BUZZERS! JfPAfll! is searching for Michigan's best and brightest for a chance to compete in our College Championship! ILZ TL . , _ - 71ThT" 1 t 1 T lATFTi f' !1R M JMlAT E I I