Men's Soccer signees ichigan men's soccer squad kicks off its nrst season next fall. To find out more on the foundations of that program and read 8bout the recruits signed so far, check the Michigan Daily Sports Website. michigandaily. com /sports SPOeihian &dI PORTS THURSDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2000 'M' loses seventh straight By Jacob Wheeler Daily Sports Editor- 'M' races into Indy, Big Ten meet By David Horn Daily Sports Writer Memorial Day at the Brickyard is the city of Indianapolis' annual spectacle of speed. But this spring the action moves from the racetrack to the swimming pool, as the seat of the Hoosier state plays host to both the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Championships. The former will take place today, tomorrow and Saturday. For No. 9 Michigan, this weekend is the culmination of a season's worth of practice. Michigan coach Jim Richardson stresses preparation to his team all season, but today the prepara- tion ends. "We're just thinking of Big Tens,' junior Jennifer Crisman said after a dual meet last month. "It's a matter of staying in the water until the big races." The first of two big races is here. The team has felt comfortable with their progress, but this is their first opportunity to apply months of prepara- tion towards a meet that even Richardson admits "counts for something." "There's always a little nervousness and excitement the day before the first race," Richardson said. "We can go out and swim our best times of the season, and that's all you can do as a team. You either get it done in the next three days, or you don't. It's do or die." Richardson's sentiments are slightly different from the way he felt about the tournament in January. "Our season is not won or lost on three days in February or three days in March (the NCAA Championships)," Richardson said before a dual meet with Oakland Jan. 14. Despite Richardson's newfound inten- sity, his team will not be without experi- ence. Last year, Michigan became the first Big Ten team to sweep the relap events. There are four past Big Ten champions on the team, including Crisman and four-time champion senior= Shannon.Shakespeare. Michigan has prepared for this week-, end, but Illinois coach and NCAA Top 25 elector Jim Lutz believes that a team regular season performance, and subse- quently its national ranking, is slightly, skewed. "Coach Richardson has his horse waiting in the stable," Lutz said. "Othe teams, like (1999 champion) Minnesota,, come to win this race. (Michigan) may;,: not win Big Tens, but they will probably, score higher than any other Big Ten team at nationals.: Months of preparation, two weekends of competition. Richardson's patient plan will begin to prove itself either a success or failure starting today in Indianapolis. MADISON - Try as it might, the 4 Michigan basketball team can't win that' elusive 13th game. Like an ascending elevator; the Wolverines had no prob- lem reaching wins 1-12, 2 MICHIGAN 59 but win F numbert 13 WiSCONSJN 75 seems like the floor that doesn't exist. Michigan (3-8 Big Ten, 12-10 over- .A all) lost its seventh consecutive gam e atWs n i , 9 a Wisconsin last night, 75-59, to a team which many hoped would be a breath of fresh air after the Wolverines played a; murderous, six-game stretch against the Big Ten's best teams.APH0 Coming off a career-high 12 points against Indiana on Sunday, Chris Young only See BADGERS, Page 10A managed four points in Michigan's embarrassing 75-59 loss to Wisconsin. Postseason slipping away for Blue By David Den Herder Daily Sports Editor MADISON - There was a great deal of talk this season about Michigan going .500. It began at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette after the Wolverines' double- overtime victory over Purdue. It contin- ued after Illinois and even more follow- ing Northwestern. Yesterday, in the Kohl Center, there was more talk. The difference is, nobody is talking about Michigan going .500 in the Big Ten anymore - they're wondering if the Wolverines will even have a winning season. "The frustration I'm feeling right now is indescribable," said Brian Ellerbe, though his blank, down- ward stare certainly helped convey it. "There were two teams (tonight) that could have really helped themselves later on for the NIT or even sneaking into the Big Dance," Ellerbe said. Until last night, an NCAA bid might not have been all that sneaky for the Wolverines. Six teams from the Big Ten went dancing last year, and as of yesterday, it appeared only four had shored up bids - Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State and Purdue. But although the line between NCAA and NIT may be a thin one, the difference between NIT and offseason is even more fragile - and vital. Michigan (3-8 Big Ten, 12-10 over- all) still needs at least three more wins to finish over .500, and this Sunday's match with Penn State should be con- sidered a must. Barring an upstart Big Ten Tournament run, the Wolverines are on brass tacks. Which may explain the dire concern in Ellerbe's eves as he listed off the teams problems against the Badgers. "We could never put together multi- ple scoring chances" he said as he fid- dled, exasperated, with a microphone in front of him. Neither has Michigan been able to put together multiple wins. Or even one. for that matter, in the past seven games. And Ellerbe knows the impact a postseason can have - his Big Ten Tournament title and NCAA second round season two years prior all but assured him the head coaching job. Now, things arc different. "Our team and our program are under a lot of duress, everybodv knows that." Ellerbe said. "I just want to play better." Women go for 5th-straight win By Arun Gopal Daily Sports Writer Wisconsin -- home of cheese, beer and frostbite. Wisconsin is also the home of the Michigan women's bas- ketball team's next opponent - the Badgers. Wisconsin (7-6 Big Ten, 14-9 overall) - riding a three-game winning streak - invades Crisler Arena tonight at 7 p.m. for a game with major implications in the Big Ten race. Michigan (9-3, 17-6) is currently alone in second place in the Big Ten, a half game ahead of Purdue and two games behind Penn State. While the Wolverines' chances of catching the Lady Lions are slim, Michigan has a very realistic chance - given its remaining schedule - to grab the second seed in the Big Ten tournament. In order to do that the Wolverines have to keep winning. "I don't think there's any added pressure on us: Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "We're in control of our own destiny, and I think, really, that it relaxes us a little. I would rather be in the situation we're in now than worrying about what everyone else is going to do: As was the case in the Wolverines' victorv over Indiana on Sunday, Michigan has a revenge factor working in its favor On Jan. 20, Wisconsin upset Michigan in Madison, 72-69, in a game that saw Michigan blow a double-digit lead. While the Wolverines have rebounded nicely since that loss, the memorv is still bitter, giving Michigan added motivation when it takes the floor tonight. "I don't think there's any doubt that, again, it's a revenge thing" Guevara said. "I think it's something that we've talked about. We had an opportunity on the road, we didn't execute, and Wisconsin won. Hopefully, it's going to be payback time." , ALEX WOLK/Daily As the men lose their seventh straight game to the Badgers, Alison Miller and the women's basketball team look to win their fifth-straight to their northern foes tonight at Crisler. Despite the absence of freshman sensation Nina Smith only, the second Parade All-American recruit in Badger history. Wisconsin was able to dominate the Wolverines on the io blocks. In a storyline that sounds like a broken record fo, Michigan, Wisconsin forwards Jessie Stomski, LaTonya Sims, and Tamara Moore combined for 37 points and 24 rebounds: "It was team defense that shut down Indiana's JiU, Chapman," Guevara said. "That's kind of the same thing that we're going to have to do against Wisconsin. We're playing bet ter team defense now, and I think that's going to be key: + re Covering Managed Care: The Press and Public Policy Sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation The Michigan Journalism Fellows with the University of Michigan Health System invite you to join nationally recognized journalists and experts who will discuss media coverage of HMO's and its role in shaping public policy. Monday February 21, 2000 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Michigan Union Ballroom 530 South State Street Ann Arbor, Michigan Free and Open to the Public For more information, call 734-998-7666 4 Participants include: Dr. Bob Arnot, Chief Medical Correspondent, NBC; Howard Dean, M.D, Governor, State of Vermont; Antonia Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Commissioner of Health, NY; William Pascal, Health Canada; Joanne Silberner, National Public Radio; Ron Winslow, The Wall Street Journal 4 I1 Spng Break 2000 on South Padre @ the Sheraton Fiesta Come experience the best Mexican Beach Resort in Texas. 203 deluxe rooms, 45 gorgeous condominiums, and a 6,000 square-foot swimming pool are just part of the fun. This beach front property is your Spring Break Party HQ and has worldwide recognition as a premier resort hosting: MTV, ESPN and upcoming WCW events. Enjoy our restaurant and bar, plus the swim-up Palapa Bar and Grill and beach activities during the first Spring Break of the new millennium. 1 ':A " 0 mi m m