Scoreboard 1
MEN'S NCAA NBA BASKETBALL
BASKETBALL
(15) OHIO STATE 78, CHARLOTTE 109,
(10) Michigan State 67 Philadelphia 100
(17) TULSA 67, NEW JERSEY 122,
San Jose State 41 Detroit 120
LOUISVILLE 72, SEATTLE 104,
(22) DePaul 59 Milwaukee 96
Arizona at HOUSTON 122,
UCLA, inc. Denver 115

Utah 94,
VANCOUVER 89

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TrMin M swimmers
Seniors Hanna Shin and Josh Trexler took home Big
Ten diver of the week awards this past week. For
Trexler, this is his third diver of the week award this
season., ,

Friday
January 21, 2000

10


1./GIIYCI 11.1



Missed opportunity

'M' falls 72-69

By Arun Gopal
Daily Sports Writer
MADISON - So close, yet so far.
In a game that had more twists and
turns than Lombard Street in San
Francisco, the Wolverines came up on
the short end of a 72-69 decision. Stacy
Thomas' 23 points along with solid out-
ings from Alison Miller and Raina
Goodlow in the post were not enough,
as Michigan was absolutely frigid from
the field.
The Wolverines shot a horrific 35
percent from the floor, including a five-
of-18 brickfest from behind the arc.
Contrast that with the Badgers' 50 per-
cent shooting, and it's not hard to see
why Michigan lost.
"I thought that we shot about as cold
as it is outside," Michigan coach Sue
Guevara said. "We had looks, but we
struggled from three-point range."
The Wolverines rode an emotional
high coming into this contest, following
two huge wins over ranked foes Purdue
and Illinois. Along with clutch shooting,
another big key for Michigan in those

1ho's there? Opponent Record Result
The Michigan women's basketball team Indiana (5-8, 0-2) L 77-72
played Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde again, asN
the Wolverines lost to unranked No 12 Purdue (9-3, 1-1 W 74-67
Wisconsin. Prior to last night's loss, No. 13 Illinois (14-5, 4-1) W 86-69
unranked Michigan (12-5 overall, 4-2 Wisconsin (8-6, 2-3) L 72-69
Big Ten) won two straight games over
ranked opponents.
A look at the past four games. *Records prior to game versus Michigan

victories was the performance off the
bench.
Against Wisconsin, the Wolverines'
normally large bench scoring average
was nonexistent, as the reserves netted
only 9 points.
"I thought our bench struggled
tonight," Guevara said. "They weren't as
effective as they've been in the past.
"Kenisha Walker got hit in the nose in
shootaround today, and she suffered a
little bit. Also, Bies was going up
against some bigger kids, and she got
overpowered a couple times."
The first half saw Michigan jump out
to an early 12-point lead, as a stifling
defense prevented Wisconsin from

developing any sort of offensive rhythm.
The tide rapidly changed during
the first six minutes of the second
half. While the Wolverines stumbled
on offense, either blowing open shots
or turning the ball over, the Badgers
sizzled.
Led by 6-3 sophomore center Jessie
Stomski, who finished with 20 points,
and 6-0 guard Kelly Paulus from the
perimeters, Wisconsin quickly turned
the halftime deficit into a 10-point lead,
at 53-43 with 12:27 to play.
Thomas, who had earlier exited the
game with her third foul, returned to the
fray and promptly scored eight straight
points, including two 3-pointers, to

bring Michigan within four at 55-51,
The Badgers maintained their lead,
and when Stomski fouled out with 5:56
to play, Wisconsin held a seven-point
cushion. Undaunted, the Wolverines
managed to chip away, aided in part by
several Wisconsin turnovers. And when
Heather Oesterle drilled a corner 3-
pointer with 1:06 to play, Michigan
regained the lead, 67-66.
At this point, Michigan chose to press
the Badgers fullcourt, rather than sitting
back and setting up their halfcourt
defense. The plan backfired, because
Wisconsin was able to break the press.
Tamara Moore's layup gave the Badgers
a 70-69 lead with 28 seconds left.
And after Raina Goodlow missed a
desperation heave on Michigan's final
possession, Moore nailed two free
throws to seal the win.
"The press had been working, and we
wanted to slow them down," Guevara
said "We were gonna try and get us
another steal.
"I give the kids credit for coming
back, but we need to regroup now."

Blackburn ready for
one-game weekend

DANNY KAUCK/Daily
Anne Thorius struggled in last night's 72-69 loss at Wisconsin. The guard had six
turnovers while scoring seven points.
'M' may be No. I
with in-state romp

By Uma Subramanian
Daily Sports Writer
A slapshot fired on an opposing
goalie can travel upwards of 90 miles
per hour. Translation: it really hurts if
you get hit with a puck.
But it didn't matter to Michigan goal-
tender Josh Blackburn.
"When I was little I thought the pads
looked cool," Blackburn said of his
desire to become a netminder.
The allure of the position and the
game remained and now
Blackburn, who is see- TON
ing his first quality time -.--
in net after a three- Who: Michiga
month injury layoff, is CCHA, 18-6-0
one of the top goalies in Ohio State G-
college hockey. Whe:0Valu
Michigan goalie N: FoxSport
coach Stan Matwijiw Radio:WTKA
had never seen
Blackburn play - until last weekend
when Michigan swept Miami. In the
series, Blackburn recorded 46 saves -
37 on Friday night, in odly his second
start after suffering a Lisfrancs sprain.
"The first thing I said when I got to
the coaches' room after the first period
against Miami was 'Wow,"' Matwijiw
said. "Blackburn is an extraordinary
talent. I've seen a lot -of major junior
and college hockey and I've yet to see
anyone who's got it together as much as
this kid."
But Matwijiw isn't the only one who
hasn't seen Blackburn play this year.
With the exceptions of Notre Dame,
Michigan State and Miami, the rest of
the Wolverines' foes - including Ohio
State - have not faced Blackburn in
net.
Tonight when the Wolverines (13-4-0
CCHA, 18-6-0 overall) and the
Buckeyes (3-10-1, 7-13-2) face off in
Value City Arena at 7:05 p.m., it will be
the first time Blackburn has been tested


by Ohio State's impressive duo of Eric
Meloche and Andre Signoretti since
Michigan's 3-2 victory in the semifi-
nals of the CCHA Tournament last
March.
Earlier this season, Michigan swept
the Buckeyes in a home and home
series, outscoring them 14-5 in
November.
Yet, perhaps the most defining mem-
ory of that series was the tousle at the

end of the
IGHT.
an (13-4-0
overalD at
10-1, 7-13-2)
City Arena
pm.
is Net
01050 AM

second game in Columbus
that resulted in six game
disqualifications.
"They don't have a lot
riding on the line right
now," Michigan captain
Sean Peach said. "They're
the kind of team where if
we're blowing right ahead,
they've got nothing else to
do except slash a guy and

By Sarah Ensor
Daily Sports Writer
If you want to know how it feels to
be the best, just ask the Michigan
women's gymnastics team.
In their home opener last night,
the sixth-ranked Wolverines easily
defeated in-state rival and No. 21
Michigan State 196.750-192.850.
Michigan's score is the highest
attained by any team in college gym-
nastics this season, eclipsing the pre-
vious record of 196.300 set by
UCLA. If no squad records a better
performance this weekend, Michigan
will move up to the No. I spot in the
nation when the next GYMINFO Top
25 poll is released.
In addition to staking their claim
at the top of the gymnastics world,
the Wolverines rewrote their person-
al record books.
The team set season highs on
every apparatus, and seven
Wolverines achieved career highs in
at least one event.
Michigan's bar score of 49.300
was the third-best in school history,
and the highest since a 1998
matchup with the Spartans.
Senior captain Sarah Cain won the

all-around competition with a score
of 39.500, a season high. She scored
a 9.900 on the bars, floor exercise
and beam, and a 9.800 on the vault.
Junior Christine Machaud won the
vault with a 9.825, while sophomore
Shannon MacKenzie set the standard
on the beam with a 9.925.
"It's exciting," Michigan coach'
Bev Plocki said. "It's great when you 1!
do well, your team hits, and I feel
good about everything that we did."
Freshman Janessa Grieco had
career-best performances in both the
vault and the beam.
"It's really exciting for the team,"
Grieco said. "Everyone did great.
The whole team just had a wonderful
meet. It was everyone together, and I
think that really made the difference.
Everyone focused on the team, and it
was just a great meet."
Cain, although pleased with the
team's performance, warned against
becoming caught up in national'
rankings and record-setting scores.
"It feels good," Cain said. "But it's
early. We're trying to progress slow-
ly so we don't peak too early. We're
just trying to maintain and improve
See SPARTANS, Page 11.

try to start something."
While his teammates are ready for a
physical challenge, Blackburn said he's
not quite ready for a skirmish.
"It's been too long, and I haven't
played enough yet," Blackburn said.
"I've had too many games off. I don't
think I'll be fighting. Maybe next year
or by the time I graduate."
Ohio State went from one of the top
teams in the country last year to a
CCHA cellar dweller this season. But,
in their last seven home games, the
Buckeyeshave a 5-I-I record.
Tonight Michigan's fourth line will
again feature J.J. Swistak, Craig Murray
and Krikor Arman who earned a repeat
spot in the lineup after stellar perfor-
mances last week.
The trio are playing well right time.
" We're in a run for first place,"
Michigan coach Red Berenson said.
"But we're in a hunt to be the best team
we can be by the end of the season and
I really want to go for it."

SAM HOLLENSHEAD/Daily
Kate Nellans scored a 9.200 on the balance beam as Michigan beat the Spartans.

Michigan's true test in tough Big Ten swing

By Jacob Wheeler
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe
refused to relax and enjoy himself,
Wednesday night, in the waning minutes
of his team's 23-point blowout of visit-
ing Northwestern.
Yet he sat calmly in his chair, sur-
rounded by assistant coaches and let out
an occasional smile. The display was
uncharacteristic of the reactionary
Ellerbe, who normally crouches like a
cat in front of the bench, ready to
pounce on an official or make a substi-
tution.
"I never relax," said Ellerbe after

Wednesday's game. "Nothing comes
easy in the Big Ten."
The third-year coach doesn't want his
young players to think he takes anything
for granted - not even a lopsided
Northwestern game at home.
Or maybe, as the clock ran down on
the Wildcats, Ellerbe was looking ahead
to Michigan's schedule the next four
weeks - seven-consecutive grueling
tests which, collectively, will determine
the fate of this season. A Big Ten crown,
an NCAA Tournament berth and the
daring question, 'Is Michigan basketball
back on the map?' all rest on this
upcoming stretch.


After a successful 2-0 homestand, the
Wolverines hit the road this weekend for
games at Iowa, Saturday, and Indiana,
the following Tuesday.
Though the Hawkeyes (1-4 Big Ten,
7-9 overall) have struggled thus far
under rookie coach Steve Alford, they
nearly knocked off a couple quality
teams on the road. On Jan. 12 Iowa lost
at Minnesota, 85-82, and last Tuesday
Alford's squad fell to Indiana, 74-71, in
Bloomington - where Alford coached
under basketball guru Bobby Knight.
Iowa returns home to face Michigan
(3-1 Big Ten, 12-3 overall) atter three-
consecutive road losses. And Hawkeye
Arena is a nice place to come home to.
"I remember as a player, Hawkeye
Arena is a tremendous atmosphere,"
Alford said at the Big Ten media day in
early November. "It was great for our
game night with just 6,000 people,
because it's gold and black everywhere."

TOMORROW
Who: MiciganG(3-1 Big Ten, 12-3 overal
at Iowa (0-4, 7--9)
Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena
When: 8 p.m. EST'
HISTORY BOOK
A doser look at the last two Michigan-Iowa
games at Crisler Arena:
Jan. 30,1998. Iowa 81, Midigan 68
The Hawkeyes pulled away from a run-
down Michigan team in the second half,
keeping the Wolverines at a safe distance
down the stretch.
Jan. 19,1997. Michigan 79, Iowa 71
Iowa entered the contest as the Big Ten's
hottest team, perched in first place with a 5-
0 record. But the Wolverines, responding to
a national television audience, used six
Maurice Taylor blodcs to shoot down Jess
Settles and the Hawkeyes,

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