c iie Aidiigtrn auilg PORTS ~v~j > j =uzz: BM 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 I i