The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - - March 15, 1999 - 58
Play of the game
9
With zero seconds left on the clock; Michigan State forward
Becky Cummings got the offensive rebound and put up a
jump shot that would beat the buzzer and give the Spartans
the 69-68 victory
Michigan Stte 6.9
LOMchgaY 6
4
i iiiin oi ae .
Veteran Lemire bids farewell
fi home and caree
Pa
Thomas ti
ers in A
ished
rebou
By Geoff Gagnon Michigan history while her .384 point Michigan advantage. Grabbing
Daily Spoits Writer shooting from behind the arc puts three offensive rebounds in 28 minutes
With her team in the midst of an 11- Lemire third all-time for the of play, Goodlow's five free-throws set
0 <rought last week in Michigan's Wolverines. a new career high for the Detroit
V IT opener, Ann Lemire tightened A steady contributor and competent native who cracked the starting lineup
her trademark headband - along with leader on a young Michigan squad, late in the season for the Wolverines.
Michigan defense, and kept her Lemire dished her way into the 11th TRUCK STOP: A monster truck show
c r alive. spot on Michigan career assist list may have kept yesterday's second '
Ye ster day, BASKETBALL before finishing yesterday's contest round WNIT match-up out of
wis a er Notebook with a pair of assists and a pair steals. Michigan State's Breslin Center, but
season and her WHEN IT RAINA-S IT POURS: After Cummings and Rasmussen were able
own Michigan----------coming up big in the paint for to offer their own monster showing
career on the line, the result was not Michigan in its last meeting with down low for the Spartans.
very favorable, as the Wolverines and Michigan State, freshman Rains The 6-3 Cummings and the 6-4
the lone senior wrapped up an 18-12 Goodlow followed up a nine-point Rasmussen, held in check for the y
season. showing with a career-high 18 yester- entire first half combining for a dismal
As Michigan fought to stave off a day. six points, throttled a Spartan come-
fWy Western Michigan squad with Goodlow led the Michigan scoring back by teaming to finish with an
visions of an upset last Thursday, attack and did so against two of the amazing 17 rebounds and 21 points.
Lemire helped lead Michigan to its Big Ten's top post players in Michigan "After the way I played in the first
first-round WNIT victory as she State's Kristen Rasmussen and Becky half, I knew I just had to put it behind
chipped in eight points, six boards, Cummings. me," Cummings said.
and five assists. "We talked about getting the ball And with her game-winning put-
In response to her heroics, the inside to our kids, Raina and Ruth back as time expired, Cummings did
Bronco faithful playfully nicknamed Kipping to try and get Michigan State more than put a poor first half behind
the veteran "Rambo." in foul trouble and I think we did," her - she put Michigan away.
And as Lemire says goodbye to Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. The pair has combined to provide
Michigan, the gutsy 5-10 guard leaves "Our post played well, I'm happy the Spartans with its version of a mon-
a legacy befit to rival the action heros. with the way Raina played tonight." ster truck show all season long averag-
sveraging nearly I1 points a game Sidelined with two minutes to play ing nearly 30 points together to lead
for her career, Lemire's gritty defen- in the first half, Goodlow came back Michigan State's strong post game.
sive play and potent scoring electrified in the second to add to her six points. And in combining for 72 points in
Michigan fans and the Big Ten for four She put Michigan on the board with two previous match-ups, Guevara and LOUIS BR
season. a layup before knocking dokn her her squad knew they'd have to pay spe- Stacey Thomas and the women's basketball team could not hold off a seconc
Her 76 career triples ranks fifth in fourth career triple to open up a nine cial attention to the Spartan duo. Spartan attack led by Michigan State post players Cummings and Rasmusse
' women end Spartan series much like it began
\ ichigan-Michigan State series showed how closely matched the conference rivals really are
By Uma Subramanian
Daily Sports Writer
When the light at the end of the tunnel went
out with Becky Cummings' basket, the
announced crowd of 1,448 that witnessed the
Michigan women's basketball team's final game
of the 1998-99 season fell into a stunned
silence.
Only moments before, victory had seemed
inevitable and the Wolverines looked poised to
defeat their nemesis, Michigan State. But at the
final buzzer, the scoreboard told a different
story: Michigan State 69, Michigan 68.
The thing about yesterday's game is that his-
tory repeated itself, only this time with a cruel
twist for the Wolverines.
The last time the teams met in Crisler Arena,
the game followed nearly the same script.
Michigan stormed out to the early lead and led
for nearly the entire game before the Spartans
turned on the jets to get themselves into a 66-66
tie at the end of regulation.
The five minute overtime was a see-saw con-
test that ended when Alison Miller hit a clutch
free throw with six seconds left that snuffed out
the Spartans hope of a comeback victory.
But yesterday, Michigan wouldn't have a
chance at the extra five minutes. Regardless, in
the forty minutes that were played, the game
showcased the intensity and fire needed to keep
a season alive.
The Spartans and Wolverines met three
times this season, with Michigan State coming
out on top in the final two contests.
Obviously, when two arch-rivals meet the
competition will be intense. But the rivalry
between these Wolverines and Spartans goes
below the surface of mere competitiveness.
The two teams are inextricably linked in var-
ious ways with players that have special ties
from high school and coaches that played and
coached for the other team. As a result, when
the teams meet on the hardwood the emotions
are flaring.
"This was a really tough game to lose,"
Michigan State coach Karen Langeland said.
"Both teams played with a lot of heart"
Langeland made the exact sa
the Spartans Jan. 20 loss in
demonstrating the strong bon
teams. Neither coach was over
their respective victories.
"We've been on (the losin,
games) a lot," said Langela
Michigan coach Sue Guevara a
1987. "That's the problem when
one you know so well. It's very
those kinds of games, particula
like (Guevara's) played sov
game."
"Unfortunately as coaches
brate wins enough, we dwell o
have this game be the last gam
it's going to take a while to get,
This game, which would hav
the Breslin Center had it not bet
Trucks rally, may have had a di
if it had been played in the plan
But regardless, the contest%
ried the same intensity. Af
Michigan State guard Maxann
the game was mentally tough oi
This season, the team that
toughness came out with the wi
"We didn't want to take this
time)," Cummings said. "You c
forth with a team like Michi
when they're up. It took a gr
today."
Though memories of this g
into the dog days of sun
Wolverines, the finality of the
yet sunk in.
"I think just the fact that it w
tough," Michigan guard Anne TI
a battle everytime you play them
to give up. It's a dogfight out
that's the way it should be.
"I think we thought with a co
to go we were going to pull it o
that we had is definitely son
going to remember. When the
couldn't start crying because I
that they made the basket in ont
me remark
Crisler, f
nd betwee
rly thrilled
g side of
nd, who
s an assist
you plays
difficult t
rly when a
well theE
we don't
n the lossc
e of the s
over it."
e been pla
en for a Mc
fferent out
ned locale
would hav
ter the I
Reese sai
n her.
had the n
n at the bu
game into (
an't go bac
igan, espe
eat team
ame will1
tmer, fot
situation I
'as State m
horius said
, no one's1
there. It'
uple of mi
ut. The las
nething w
game ent
was so she
e second."
8
rtans withit
ession, Mic
Anne Thor
seconds ret
freshman A
take a ru
iff the rim.
ot we were
"Our high
d the play d
d a timeout
Donita Jot
hich Cumt
back up wi
yer of the game
staceyThomas
ed a career-high three 3-pint-
her 36 minutes of play She fin-
the game with 16 points, eight
nd, two biocks and three steaLs.
fVAITa
successful
vnefor
young team
t was so quick that if you blinked,
you would have missed it. Donita
Johnson's jumper bounces off the
front of the rim, Becky Cummings
grabs the offensive reound and, as the
buzzer sounds, puts it back. Just like
that, the Michigan women's basketball
team's season
was gone.
In case you
missed it -
and judging
from the sparse
crowd of1,448
at Crisler Arena
yesterday, you JOSH
probably did- KLEINBAUM
the Wolverines Apocalypse
bowed out in Now
the second
round of the
Women's National Invitation
Tournament, 69-68 to Michigan State.
But the bigger story is not that the
Wolverines lost, but the fact that they
were there at all. A year ago, Michigan
WN/tidy had one of its best seasons ever, losing
i-half in the first round of the NCAA
n Tournament to UCLA. But Pollyanna
Johns, the 6-foot-3 beast in the low
post that was Michigan's leader all sea-
son long, graduated to the greener pas-
tures of the WNBA, making most pun-
dits think that Michigan would be
WSOL.
Especially when you take a glance at
k after Michigan's lineup. Its starting five yes-
urther terday was only a shell of the team
n the from a year ago, with two freshman
I with and one transferjoining guards Stacey
Thomas and Anne Thorius. Michigan
close putting together a decent team?
hired Impossible.
ant in But coach Sue Guevara didn't listen
some- to the pundits. Instead, she transformed
o lose her team. Last year, Michigan relied
team heavily on Johns in the post and outside
entire shooting from guards Ann Lemire and
Molly Murray, giving the Wolverines a
cele- potent inside-outside threat. They were
es. To a half-court team, working the floor
eason, and the shot clock to find an open look
at the basket.
yed in This year, Michigan brings a whole
onster new look to the hardwood. Led by
tcome Stacey Thomas, a lightning-quick guard
with or without the ball, Guevara
e car- turned Michigan into a running team.
game, Freshmen Raina Goodlow and Ruth
d that Kipping, Michigan's new post pres-
ences, have not yet developed into the
sental threat that Johns was, and may well
izzer never. Instead, Thomas, Thorius, Alayne
(over- Ingram and Lemire lead a fast-paced
k and offense that is both effective and fun to
cially watch.
effort And the freshmen have gotten better.
After a roller-coaster season which saw
linger a nine-game winning streak followed
r the by a five-game losing one followed by
hasn't a four-game winning one, the young-
sters have grown into Big Ten basket-
ade it ball in a hurry, and have learned the
. "It's poise that they need to be successful.
going "Thank god our freshmen are now
s fun, sophomores" Guevara said. "They've
been through it. They're going to be the
nutes teachers next year, and we'll be a better
it play team."
e are So Michigan didn't get into the
ded, I NCAA tournament this year. Is it really
ocked a bad thing? Instead, Michigan gave its
young teama chance to taste victory in
the postseason, even if it is the WNIT.
A first-round victory over Western
Michigan last week gave the
Wolverines just their second postseason
win ever. For the freshman on the team,
n one the learning process of the WNIT could
higan be far more effective then a one-and-
ius in done NCAA trip.
"It's really good for us," Guevara
'main- said. "It was good for the kids. But
Mayne we've lost enough this year that we
nning already learned that lesson.'
Maybe so. But never with the season
look- on the line. Next year, when Michigan
h post is playing in the NCAA tournament,
id not Cummings' buzzer-beater shot will
linger in the back of the minds of all of
t, and Michigan's players. Next year, maybe
hson Michigan will get the rebound and win
omings the game.
ith no - Josh Kleinbaum can be reached via
e-mail atjkbaum@umich.edu.
LOUIs iRaWN/Daly
Last night's heartbreaking season-ending loss proved how close Big Ten rivals Michigan and Michigan
State were all season. The Spartans won the season series 2-1.
Blue ousted, 6-6
OUSTED
Continued from Page 1.B
missing layups, and falling behind on
defense. Michigan shot a dismal 31 per-
cent from the field, while Michigan State
shot 53 percent. Somehow Michigan
was able to maintain a lead throughout
the half. At the 7:20 mark, Goodlow hit
a layup to make it a seven point lead.
But Michigan slacked on defense.
They were not clogging up the lanes and
allowed Michigan States forwards to put
in easy three footers.
"Our forwards did not play the way
we expected them to in the first half,"
Michigan State coach Karen Langeland
said. "But in the end they picked up their
game and played the games that we
thought they would."
One reason that Michigan State was
able to score with more ease were the
mismatches that existed in the middle of
the court. Michigan States perimeter
players would run down the wings open,
drawing Michigan defenders to cover
them on the arc.
This would allow Michigan States
forwards to flow through the lane and
catch a pass from the perimeter. The
Wolverines were unable to adapt to the
pace and allowed the Spartans to dump it
inside more often in the latter minutes of
the second half.
With 1:40 left, Cummings made a
layup to bring the Spar
point. On the next posse
tried to get the ball to.
the short corner.
But with only a few
ing on the shot clock, f
Ingram was forced to
jumper which clanked o
"That was not the she
ing for," Guevara said.
picks were not made an
happen."
Michigan State caller
with five seconds left,
missed a six footer w
was in position to put 1
time left on the clock.
MICHIGAN STATE (69) MICHIGAN (68k FT RU
MIN MA MA 0- AF PTs MIN MA M-A 0-T A F PTs
Dalgaard 31 610 1-2 24 0 1 15 Thomas 36 617 1-2 2-8 1 16
Cummings 28 4-5123.61 4 9 odo 28 6412 5.8 33 1318
Rasmussen33 59 2-112412 Miter 29 2-7 00 47044
Reese 38 818 00410 4 318 Tlhsius 36 285-7 3632 9
Johnson 2 1- 0016412 Ingram 29390.003118
Pung 112-4 (0.0 010 1 6 Oestele 1 0-t0 0000000
alscheiierl13 2.5 00 010 1 4 Lemire- 19 1-5 0 12 20 2
Skelly 18 1-5 12 044 2 1 3 rtn g e225671-1s1a2 o11s
Winberg 2 0-0 0-0 00 1 0 0 Ttls 20271-8420126
Totals 200 29-64 5s 164:913 16 68 P08'.373. FTt .667.3-point FG: 614, .429
Fe .453. Fr .625. 3-pont FG 6-15,. 400 T as ramT24,0 low 1-2, us
(Dalgaard 2.3, Reese 2-8, vunge2-2.Bloc-s: 4 l emie 0-1). Bloeks: 3 (Thomas 2, Thorius). Stoals
( Skelly3. ,aJonson). Steas: 4 (cummings 2, 10 (Thomas 3, Miller 2, Lemiie 2, 055miw, Thisis,
Rasmussen 2). Toonon: 20 (Rasmussen 4, Kippig. Tuorsr: 11 (Thoas 3, Th orius 3, Millet
Dalgaard 3, Reese 3, Jonsnn, Sely 3, 2, plFw, Ingram, tipping). TehnloPe
cummings 2, Pung 2). Technical Fous none. Noe.
Micsigan State........3.....234 35-69
Mihigan. ....38 30-6
At Ctinier Arens
Atteoidooco:1,448