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Blood boils
Green inspi
UaSubmnlan
Sports Writer
Domination: Playing harder than the guy on the
other side of the circle.
Signs bearing that message frame the doorway to
the Bowling Green hockey team's lockerroom.
On Friday night the signs seemed to serve their
purpose as Bowling Green (5-8-0 CCHA, 5-10-0
overall) won the first game of this past weekend
series against Michigan (8-4-0, 12-5-0), 4-2.
Saturday night was a different story as the
lverines rebounded from the loss to record a 3-1
victory.
But it wasn't the split that made the weekend
interesting. It was the way the teams earned their
victories - by dominating the opponent - that
made the games memorable.
This weekend, Bowling Green resembled a kid
brother trying to pick a fight with his older sibling.
The little one has the added motivation of a glorious
victory even though it may be hard-fought.
Orange Boy
picks 'Bama
Blue prepar
By Andy Latack
Daily Sports Editor
It almost seemed like a foregone conclusion. As
Michigan received its Orange Bowl bid last week, fa
anticipating the mouth-watering matchup.
Michigan vs. Florida in the Orange-Bowl. It wou
first-ever meeting between the two teams. All the fift
Gators had to do was pay back No. 7 Alabama for a
loss by beating them in 1
Championship game Saturd
But apparently, someone
inform the Crimson Tide.
Alabama embarrassed F
the game, 34-7, claiming
title and earning the chance
Ticket Sales Michigan in the Orange Bci
Year's Night (ABC-TV, 8:3(
today While many observers mr
.. that the Orange Bowl pair
tseaso ticket hoers loses some of its luster, the
r utilize their first the Wolverines appear even.
oty beginning
y at the Alabama has a potent
Michigan Ticket attack, led by tailback
1000 S.tate. Alexander. The Tide rushec
With M-Card ID yards against Florida. M
holders ca urchase boasts one of the best front
apike Fanst college football, allowing
must apply n Perkso rushing yards per game.
s p yFax Alabama also displayed
or mail, they Wilose potential against the Gato
n fr n ing 14 points in a 26-second
d hnes F tiay, break the game open. M
0. film sessions will likely
trate on Alexander and d
as Bowling
res rivalry
But unfortunately for Edinger and the Falcons, its
tough to keep the big brother down for too long.
The Wolverines regrouped and en route rediscov-
ered the system that had propelled them to victory
over then-No. 3 Wisconsin last week.
Following the precedent it had set against the
Badgers, Michigan played 13 forwards and five
defensemen, the same ratio of players that held
' Wisconsin to only two shots in the third period.
While the system wasn't quite as effective, the
additional forward gave Michigan the offensive
momentum that had been lacking on Friday.
"We decided that we wanted to mount more of a
forecheck in the game," Berenson said. "We want-
ed to utilize as many forwards as we could in the
game and take the pressure off our defense. The
defense is also playing better with five-D."
On Saturday, Michigan was firing on all cylin-
ders, but it was goalie L.J. Scarpace who was per-
haps the biggest difference in the game.
See FALCONS, Page 6B
Wolvennes give
all in NCAA loss
By Jon Zemke:
D,,& Sports Writer
And so the court was layered in it, as
the Michigan volleyball team lost to
Pacific in an epic match that went to the
19th point in the fifth game late Saturday
night. Everything the Wolverines had
every ounce of effort was left on the
court by the end of the match.
"We just left everything we had on the
floor," Michigan senior Maggie Cooper
said. "It came down to the last point. It
was a real battle."
There was nothing unusual with the
Wolverines putting everything into the
match. They had done that all season.
What was unusual was where they were
the last time they did it this season.
A week ago everyone had given up on
Michigan's season. The media, the oppo-
sition and even the -team had assumed
that its 3-1 finish in the Big Ten wasn't
enough to overcome the 4-12 conference
record with which the Wolverines began
the season.
Their finish in the Big Ten was char-
acteristic of how Michigan refused to
give up and roll over in a match or on the
season. The Wolverines are a young,
resilient team that has heart but is just
beginning to learn to win.
"It helped us out a lot," Cooper said.
"I don't think we would be where we are
now because we are playing the best vol-
leyball we've played all year."
That was enough for the NCAA tour-
nament selection team to choose
Michigan as the eighth team from the
Big Ten. Michigan's refusal to give up on
itself allowed others to believe in the
Wolverines.
And that second chance was all that
Michigan needed. For only the second
See VOLLEYBALL, Page 9B
SARA SCHENCK/Dady
Andy Hilbert and Jeff Jillson fight for the puck during
Saturday's 3. Michigan victory over Bowling Green.
Michigan 72, Chattanooga 61
All
oard
'M' shuts down
Chattanooga to
rev bandwagion
By Mark Francescti
Daily Sports writer
No upset this time.
Chattanooga, famous for its two upsets en route to the
Sweet 16 in the 1997 NCAA Tournament, couldn't quite
pull off another one this past Saturday against Michigan.
Down 29-28 at halftime, the "Wolverines" returned to
their senses, pulling off a 24-6 run to start the second half
which led to a 72-61 victory over the Mocs.
Oh, yeah, fill in LaVell Blanchard as the "Wolverines."
The freshman forward led the run, doing it all - a thun-
dering block, two long outlet passes that led to easy
Michigan baskets and three 3-pointers.
"I just went out and played as hard as I could - like I
always say," Blanchard said. "The shots just kept falling for
me. I got lucky. The guards created opportunities today. I
just spaced out and they gave me some great passes."
Blanchard netted a team-high 21 points on eight-of-l1
shooting, while grabbing eight rebounds. Freshman guard
Kevin Gaines added 16 points and four assists.
Michigan (5-0) needed response from its freshmen after
struggling in the first half, falling behind by as many as
seven points.
"Our guys were just very lackluster to start," Michigan
coach Brian Ellerbe said. "I am not sure-if it's the tough trip
back from Atlanta with one day of prep."
The tired Wolverines woke up to come home from
Atlanta, where they upset Georgia Tech in the ACC-Big Ten
Challenge, at 4 a.m. Thursday. Ellerbe gave his players the
day off, meaning Michigan had only a short Friday practice
to prepare for the Mocs.
"We had to get guys back to classes and exams," Ellerbe
said. "We had one day of prep where we did some film
work. It played into why we had a struggle today."
Chattanooga, despite poor shooting, seemed well in con-
trol of the tempo and didn't let the quicker, bigger
Wolverines halt their offensive opportunities.
"I thought we guarded them, we didn't give them open
looks and we chased them on screens," Chattanooga coach
Henry Dickerson said. "I thought they were a little flat. I
mean, when Chattanooga comes to town, I am sure it's
something they don't have to stay up all night thinking
about."
DAVID KArz/Da iy The Wolverines didn't necessarily think with the ball, as
n finger food for Jamal Crawford and the 5- Chattanooga stole it away five times in the first half, most
See MOCS, Page 78
n' win ugly games forever
g and a 5-0 Michigan's freshmen have learned a les- Now, Saturday's game was never in danger
Bo son from each game, just as Ellerbe want- - Blanchard led the Michigan run early in
d to give the ed them to this season. Saturday's tutorial the second half-- but if that clock had
- how to jump-start your ear when there's ticked under 10 minutes, anything could
ere the vet- no gas in the tank - could end up having have happened. That's not a fate worth
carry the more impact than all the others. leaving to chance.
eam that This class will win quite a few basket- Combined with the lessons this
and one ball games at Michigan before it picks up Michigan team has already learned -
inyway. its senior rings. And a fair number of those Oakland: 30-point leads are not enough;
loud state- victories will come against the Oaklands, Detroit: Shooting 26 percent in the first
st, and most the Western Michigans and the half is no good - and you figure that
ard and Chattanoogas of the basketball world. this learn-as-you-win strategy is pretty
Win those contests, and you'll impress nice. And it is.
ut there as fewer people than a Michigan State You just don't know when college bas-
over the Rhodes Scholar. Lose, and ... well, you've ketball will teach you a lesson and make
me sir iust ist made the ton of the hour at you nay the orice for learning. Coaches
thing wide receiver Freddie Milons. The versatile Milons
tQok snaps from center on a few plays Saturday, one of
which he broke for a 77-yard touchdown.
Like Florida, Michigan will have revenge on its mind when
it squares off with the Tide in Miami. Alabama beat the
Wolverines, 17-14, in the 1997 Outback Bowl.
Florida will now head to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, where
they will meet Michigan State, also on New Year's Day.
Women s hoops
gets MVP, title
and new record
#O"fa "at Mabher
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan women's basketball team left Houston
yesterday with a new look.
The Wolverines (7-0 overall) added a little gold to their
maize and blue uniforms, taking first place at this week-
end's Gene Hackerman Invitational - bench-pressing host
Rice 63-47, and breaking a 27 year-old record to start the
season 7-0.
"This is a compliment to our team," Michigan coach Sue
Bevara said. "The tournament showed the depth our team
Iias. Everybody did some of the little things to help us
win."
Michigan's depth came from somewhere slightly unex-
pected, but was still welcomed.
N Michigan starters: 31 points, 45 percent from the field.
* Michigan's bench: 32 points, 66 percent from the
field.
Though Michigan struggled in the first half, Chattanooga was nothing more than
Wolverines In the latter frame, as they cruised to an 1''point victory.
Young Wolverizes ca
s Chattanooga ran off the floor
Saturday, content with its one-point
alftime lead, you just had to won-
der if this was the game that Michigan
picked to disappoint
everyone who was CHRIS
excited after
Wednesday's head- DUPREY
turning victory over.
Georgia Tech in the
ACC-Big Ten
Challenge.
After the game,
Brian Ellerbe said that
Michigan's locker-
rnn Aic .,..ca f .
blow a possible national rankin
record in such sloppy fashion.]
Schembechler would have love
speech.
On normal teams, this is wh
erans step up, restore order and
team to victory. Then again, a t
features just one healthy junior
senior can't be called normal, a
So when the time came for a
ment, it was Michigan's quietes
polite player who stepped forw
turned up the volume.
You can imagine the scene o
LaVell Blanchard literally took
nme. Three-nninter "Exceer
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