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THURSDAY
FEBRUARY 24, 2000
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'M'-Purdue matchup hinges on Crawford's return
TONIGHT
CRISLER ARENA
Who: Michigan (4-8$Big Ten,13-10 overall) vs
Purdue(10,19-7)
When: 7 p.m.
Absenc: Jamal Crawfrd?
TV: ESPN
Radio: WTKA 1050 AM, WJR 760 AM
The latest: With a six-game winning streak, No.
21 Purdue has climbed tosecond-place in the
menacing Big Ten
History book
A closer look at the last three
Michigan-Purdue-matchups in Ann Arbor:
JAN. 29, 1998. PURDUE 89,
MICHIGAN 82: Michigan had leads of up
to eight points in the first half, but couldn't
hang on in a shootout at Crisler.
JAI,. 16, 1997. MICHIGAN 89,
PURDUE 65: The Wolverines took a tight
38-33 lead into halftime, but came out on
fire in the second half, hitting a string of.
threes that put Purdue out of commission.
JAN. 31, 1996. PuRDUE 80,
MIMGAN 59: Following two double-digit
road losses, Purdue helped extend
Michigan's skid with a blowout in Ann
Arbor
By Jacob Wheeler
Daily Sports Editor
Which one of these scores mean more for
tonight's Michigan-Purdue basketball game?
Is it 88 to 86, as in the Wolverines' double
overtime road victory on Jan. 8, or 6-0, as in the
NCAA's score up on exiled freshman Jamal
Crawford since what should have been
Michigan's most important game of the season
- a Feb. 1 debacle against Michigan State.
These young Wolverines turned doubters into
believers with an improbable victory in West
Lafayette, proving that even green freshmen
sometimes have the stamina to hang tough and
beat a veteran Big Ten team down the stretch.
LaVell Blanchard's game-securing tip-in in
the second extra frame gave Michigan its first
Big Ten victory, and it began a three-game con-
ference winning streak.
But 6-0 has dominated Crisler Arena's coffee
talk lately.
When they aren't adjusting their Crawford-
esque headbands for more forehead circulation,
the Maize Rage fans are talking about tonight's
game, when Michigan's crowned prince of the
courts is supposed to return from the crusades.
Crawford served a six-game suspension
imposed by the NCAA because he accepted
improper gifts from a family friend during his
high school years in Seattle. The gift-giver's
name, Barry Henthorn, has become as infa-
mous in Ann Arbor as Ed Martin.
And meanwhile, the lanky shooting guard's
hands have grown cobwebs since he last played.
But his Timberland boots, which he has worn
on the bench, have seen plenty of use.
This was supposed to be the game when a
heroic Crawford would brush off the cobwebs
and lead his forgotten Michigan team to victory
over No. 21 Purdue (10-3 Big Ten, 19-7 over-
all), rejuvenating faith in this basketball season.
Theoretically, the Wolverines could win their
last four games, finish with a .500 record in the
conference and qualify for the Big Dance.
But Crawford may not return to the court
against Purdue. As of last night, Michigan still
had not received a confirmation from the
NCAA that its leading scorer was clear to
resume his college career.
"We are still in discussions with the NCAA,'
university spokesperson Julie Peterson said yes-
terday. "We are expecting to make an announce-
ment sometime today."
And if the 20-point loss to the rival Spartans
was any indication, Crawford shouldn't expect
much from the NCAA with another tipoff only
hours away.
Crawford was told only 45 minutes before
the once-most important game of the season
that he would watch it from the bench, and a
tailspin ensued. Michigan finally ended its
seven-game losing streak last Saturday against
Penn State.
In some eyes, the possibility of the leading
scorer's looming return makes tonight's
matchup the most important game of the season
for the Wolverines. They're in desperate need of
a victory against a team in the Big Ten's upper
echelon, to gain national respect and the shot at
a berth in a March tournament.
Purdue is a team that Michigan has already
beaten - with Crawford - holding the
Boilermakers to 36 percent shooting and hang-
ing tough through 50 minutes on the road.
But without Crawford's long arms hindering
Purdue in the backcourt, the Wolverines will be
hardpressed to beat a red-hot team which has
won its last six games in the conference.
It all hinges on the NCAA's decision regard-
ing Crawford's eligibility today.
LOUIS BROWN/Daily
Michigan beat Purdue once this season, in a double-overtime
thriller in West Lafayette. But that was with No. 1.
Round 2: Women hungry for Lions
Second fiddle
The Michigan women's basketball
team has secured second place for the
Big Ten tournament. Here are a few
other famous No. 2's:
By Raphael Goodstein
Daily Sports Writer
Four weeks ago, the Michigan
women's basketball team suffered
one of its worst losses of the year, a
72-69 heartbreaker at Wisconsin.
Three days later the Wolverines
came home to play Iowa, a team with
lower expectations than Michigan.
While Iowa was hoping to "play two
good halves of basketball," Michigan
needed the win badly, with a trip to
No. 6. Penn State looming.
But Michigan came out sluggish,
was down by five at halftime. and
struggled all game to. put the
Hawkeyes away.
With only 10 seconds left and
Michigan clinging to a slim three-
point lead, freshman center LeeAnn
Bies passed the ball to junior Anne
Thorius, who was also standing out
of bounds. Thorius then fired a full-
court baseball pass to a streaking
Stacey Thomas for a lay-up.
Thomas made the lay-up, drew a
foul, and sank the free throw --
along with Iowa's upset hopes.
The play could have sent Michigan
into a tailspin, had it failed. But it
worked.
The Wolverines haven't looked
back since, winning six of its next
seven games, and the Hawkeyes lost
three of their next four.
Michigan coach Sue Guevara
described the game as "the good, the
bad, and the ugly," while Thomas'
game awed Iowa's coach Angie Lee.
Lee described Thomas as a "legiti-
mate Big Ten Player of the Year can-
didate."
Thomas finished the game with 32
points, eight rebounds and one of the
top highlights of Michigan's season
Tonight, the Hawkeyes look to
redeem themselves.
While Iowa is playing for revenge,
Michigan is playing to improve its
NCAA Tournament seed.
Michigan has solidified the No. 2
seed for the Big Ten tournament and
could possibly meet Iowa a third
time in the Big Ten tournament's sec-
ond round.
As it presently stands, Iowa will be
the seventh seed in. the tournament
and play 3-12 Northwestern in the
first round.
The winner would play against
Michigan, which will enjoy a first-
round bye.
! Buzz Aldrin
2 Trotsky
* The Buffalo Bills
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* Odie
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B Mindy, of Mork and Mindy fame
® Charles Woodson (by jersey only)
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The hare
DAVID KATZ/Daily
Michigan forward Stacey Thomas erupted for 32 points the last time the
Wolverines faced Penn State -- the Big Ten's best team.
Records could fall as Blue
hosts Big Ten Championship
Michigan runners seek
redemption at Big Tens
By Brian Galvin
Daily Sports Writer
By the fateful hand of the Big.Ten Conference's
scheduling department, the Michigan men's swim-
ming and diving team has already achieved its top
goal for this season.
"Bring it back" is the official slogan for the sev-
enth-ranked Wolverines this year, referring to the
Big Ten Championship trophy they lost to
Penn State last season. The trophy is back in T
Ann Arbor this weekend - it will be given CANH
to the winner of the Big Ten Championships
at Canham Natatorium. What
But the Wolverines want more. chai
Tehnically the trophy is back, but they'll Whew
have to beat four top 25 teams if it is going Frila,
to stay. And as Michigan coach Jon Lates
Urbanchek knows, the trophy he covets is regain
up for grabs. lost to
"Last year 25 points separated Michigan,
Penn State and Minnesota," Urbanchek said of the
small margin for error Michigan faces.
We've seen this scenario before - it happened
just four years ago: In an Olympic year, a highly-
ranked Michigan team featuring several Olympic
hopefuls hosted the Big Ten Championship.
Interestingly, Michigan lost the conference meet
to Minnesota. With the Big Ten meet coming just
three weeks. before the Olympic Trials, Urbanchek
didn't have the luxury of resting his swimmers for
the smaller-by-comparison Big Ten meet.
Consequently, Michigan basically conceded the
trophy to the Gophers.
"Twelve kids didn't rest or shave for that meet,"
Urbanchek said. "Luckily, this year there's no con-
flict."
With the Olympic Trials scheduled for August,
Urbanchek will taper and shave all but two swim-
mers for this weekend's championships.
Those two swimmers are defending Big Ten
swimmer of the year Chris Thompson and Tim
Siciliano, last year's Big Ten co-freshman of the
year (along with teammate Jeff
MORROW Hopwood).
"They should be able to win
iM NATATORIUM their events (regardless),"
ig Ten Men's Urbanchek said. "They're heads
O
HA
: B
ming and Diving
npio ships
gi Noon/7 ppm.-
ySaturday, Sunday
t: Michigan lkxks to
the conference title it
oPenn State a year ago.
and shoulders above the rest."
Even though Michigan fea-
tures some of the world's best
individual swimmers,
Urbanchek knows it will take
strong performances from all 24
Wolverines entered in the meet
to win.
"Depth is what wins Big Ten Championships,"
Urbanchek said. "It's a meet designed for the mass-
es.
As a result, Urbanchek is looking for break-
through swims from its younger and lesser known
athletes, such as freshman Tony Kurth.
"Tony is swimming four relays and three events,"
Urbanchek said. "That's 10 swims in three days as
hard as he can go."
The Wolverines will be inspired by the 30 Big
Ten championship banners already hanging above
the Canham pool. More importantly, they hope their
JOANNA PAINE/Daily
Josh Trexter is hungry enough to grab the Big Ten
Championship out of the Nittany Lion's mouth.
opponents will be intimidated by the Michigan tra-
dition.
"I hope they'll (soil) their pants," Urbanchek
said. "I hope home court is worth 50 points for us."
Defending a winning tradition at home is a prior-
ity for the Wolverines. With an accomplished field
swimming at Canham all weekend, there is a poten-
tial for pool records to fall.
"We're going to see some good swimming,"
Urbanchek said. "But I think if any records are bro-
ken, it will be Michigan breaking them."
By Ron Garber ,
and David Mosse
Daily Sports Writers
This weekend in Bloomington, the
Michigan men's track and field team
can atone for last season's worst defeat.
A year ago, the young and inexperi-
enced Wolverines struggled to a ninth
- place finish in the Big Ten
Championships in Madison.
In the midst of disappointment,
then-assistant coach Ron Warhurst
stood next to the track and boldly pro-
claimed, "next year we're gonna be one
of the teams to beat"
One year older and one year wiser,
Michigan looks to make good on those
predictions. Warhurst, now the team's
head coach after replacing the retired
Jack Harvey, has instilled that same
confidence into his squad this year.
"Everybody's real ready and
focused," sophomore sprinter Ike
Okenwa said. "It's like there's a differ-
ent attitude around the track."
Unfortunately for the Wolverines,
Okenwa has observed this attitude
chinge from the sidelines. Eleven days
ago at the Michigan Intercollegiate,
Okenwa injured his hamstring during
the 4 X 400 relay and hasn't run since.
His status for this weekend is still up in
the air.
Okenwa headlines a long list of
injured Wolverines, which includes
distance runners John Mortimer, Dan
Snyder and Mark Pilja.
"Not having those guys adds a lot of
pressure on the rest of us," senior Steve
Lawrence said. "Mike (Wisniewki),
Jay (Cantin) and I will have to score a
lot of points."
Cantin, the defending Big Ten mile
champion, has a lofty streak to live
to - Michigan has captured the mile
crown seven consecutive years. Yet
Cantin - who has already qualified
for the NCAA championships but is
nursing a tender ankle - is not phased.
"It doesn't put pressure on me,"
Cantin said. "If anything, it gives me
high hopes."
The distance runners aren't the only
group dealing with injuries. Triple
jump specialist Oded Padan, who his
missed all but one meet this year
a leg injury, is not at full strength and
remains a question mark.
"I've been giving it rest just so I can
compete at the Big Tens," Padan said.
In spite of all the injuries, the
Wolverines hope to finish near the top
of the conference standings. If it is to
do so, Michigan will need a big week-
end from its healthy stars.
Pole vaulters Charles DeWildt
Brent Sheffer have finished 1-2 in c
secutive meets and have flirted with the
NCAA qualifying height.
Furthermore, throwers Patrick
Johansson and Nick Rogers are com-
ing off of victories in the weight throw
and shot put, respectively, and will
have to score big to keep Michigan in
the meet.
While Michigan will need an all-
around team performance, the back-
bone of the team has been its dista
runners.
"The Big Ten is full of great distance
runners," Cantin said. "We may not be
able to dominate but we can still score
some points."
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