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Women's hoops faces test from Tigers
By Raphael Goodstein
Daily' Sports Writer
After opening its season with seven
straight wins, unprecedented in its 27-
year history, the Michigan women's
basketball team played sloppily in a 76-
60 loss to Vanderbilt on Tuesday.
Clearly, playing four games in seven
days, flying from Dallas to Ann Arbor
Sunday, and the stress of exams had
taken its toll on the Wolverines in the
Vandeibilt loss.
"You could see that we've been play-
ing a lot;" guard Anne Thorius said.
"The transition of being away then
home is catching up to us. Coach said
herself that she could see that we were
tired. We're a running team, and when
people start beating us down the floor,
theres definitely fatigue involved."
But now isn't the time for the
Wolverines to start feeling sorry for
themselves, because Louisiana State
awaits.
If Michigan loses to the 15th-ranked
Tigers tonight at 7 p.m., the Wolverines
will be staring at a possible three-game
losing streak. They travel to No. 3
Louisiana Tech on
Monday. TOM
"We look at this as a ...................
good opportunity to steal Wh: Mic
one on the road," forward L ' sana
Kenisha Walker said. L { aT
"LSU and Tech are good Where:
teams and we just want to AssemblyC
go down there, have some Baton Rou
fun and regroup."T
And so far this year,
the Wolverines have had TV/Radio
fun on the road. coverageo
Michigan is 4-0 with all
four victories coming against teams that
played in last year's postseason. But
none of those teams were as good as the
Tigers, let alone the Techsters. Factor in
a weak low-post game, and this week-
end could be disastrous for Michigan.
In Michigan's last three games,
opposing teams' starting centers and
power forwards have
Michigan's, 77-19.
Senior Alison Miller and
outscored
sophomore
m
chi
Te+
aa
Ce
9g
0:1
on
Ruth Kipping -
RROW Michigan's starters
.................... before Raina Goodlow
igan at replaced Kipping against
Vanderbilt - combined
.ch for just eight points
aravich against New Mexico
enter, State and Rice, the
e, La. Wolverines' two oppo-
nmat2 p . nents before the
Commodores. Against
Live TV Vanderbilt, Goodlow and
ESPN2. Miller combined for 3-
of-]l shooting.
But Thorius feels that if Michigan's
perimeter game plays better, its interior
game will follow.
"We didn't have a good shooting
game on the perimeter," Thorius said
after the loss to Vanderbilt. "We can't
think that our post players are going to
guard them by themselves. (The
perimeter players) need to step in and
help from the weakside. The best situa-
tion would be if we could get contribu-
tions from both the inside and outside,
but we (perimeter players) can get it
done."
And while Michigan had success
defensively, it struggled with
Vanderbilt's 2-3 zone. The Wolverines
shot just 39 percent from the field and
committed 20 turnovers.
"The zone was more of a problem
(than we expected)," freshman guard
Infini Robinson said. "We need to prac-
tice penetrating against a zone."
And if they don't, Louisiana's warm
weather and jambalaya will be the only
things the Wolverines will enjoy this
weekend.
"We're going down there thinking we
need to beat at least one of these teams,"
Thorius said. "When we go on the road,
we get to focus on basketball. We get to
sleep a lot. It's going to be good to go on
the road."
SAM HOLLENSHEAD/ Daily
After a rough schedule which led to their first loss of the season on Tuesday,
LeeAnn Bies and the Wolverines hope to rebound and defeat Louisiana State.
1u City-to-city
matchup
Nebraska-Omaha used to Yost-like intensity
Omaha
Ann Arbor
Daily Sports examines the two cities to see which will really come out the winner
in this weekend's first series pitting Nebraska-Omaha and the Wolverines. All
responses were actively found through sampling of Daily Sports Writers.
Wrangler
encouraged
Haggling over
1997 football title
Pickup
Rasslin' steer
Get arrested
Top Gun character
Jason Cupp
Harder than State?
Cows
Choice of clothing
Drinking at home games
Favorite pastime
Popular vehicle
Conditioning technique'
Football team likes to
Named after
Coolest player's name
Academics
Best branding
Abercrombie
prohibited
'Haggling over
199T football title
SUV with gold trim
Lifting weights
Get arrested
Fierce creature
L.J. Scarpace
Ivy-League quality
Nike
By Stephanie Offen
Daily Sports Writer
Omaha may not be a household name
to the average college hockey fan. The
city doesn't even get a second glance
when one thinks of great hockey cities.
But hockey fans, think again.
A definition of a great hockey town:
Where enthusiastic and rowdy fans
watch great players play great hockey.
Do Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuk and
Scotty Bowman ring a bell?
Does an 8,314 seat arena, with rowdy
fans, cold beer and the top talent from
around the nation sound like a good
place to watch a game?
No, hockey fans, this is not Detroit,
this is Omaha. Omaha, Nebraska -
home of the Omaha Lancers, the junior-
league team for which current
Wolverines Jed Ortmeyer and L.J.
Scarpace used to play.
Omaha is also the former home of the
Omaha Knights, a past farm club of the
Detroit Red Wings, which gave fame to
former Omaha goalie and coach Terry
Sawchuk and Scotty Bowman.
But more important, the city is the
home of Michigan's weekend opponent
and the newest member of the CCHA,
Nebraska-Omaha.
"They've already been able to recruit a
lot of good players because of the type of
program that it is," Scarpace said. "They
have a good following. Omaha is a pret-
ty big hockey town."
But hockey fans, relax.
Michigan is not playing the
Mavericks in the sold out and T11s
noisy Omaha Civic"
Auditorium. The Wolverines Who:
will face the Mavericks for the Nebra
first time in the friendly con- Whm
fines of Yost Ice Arena.%%M
Although recently those
confines haven't been so pm, t
friendly. Michigan has lost TV/R
three of its last five games at (chann
home, and has not won a Arbor)
Friday night game at Yost in AM an
more than a month. FM on
"We haven't had a good
Friday game here in the last
three weeks," Michigan coach Red
Berenson said. "All our eggs will be on
the Friday game. We're not worried
about winning two games; we're just
worried about winning the game on
Friday."
Michigan still has a lot of questions to
answer before it can win Friday's
matchup. Who will start in goal is one of
them.
Michigan has seen two goalies -
on Friday. The
WEEKEND
Michigan vs.
ska Omaha
e: Yost Ice Arena
: Tonight at 7:30
morrow at 7 p.m.
adio: WOLVTV
el 70 in Ann
- WTKA 1050
nd WCBN 88.3
the radio.
Wolverines have been
working with an all-
junior line of Josh
Langfeld and Scott
Matzka at the wing
positions and Mark
Kosick is trying out a
new role at center.
These three will be
attempting to power
their way past a
Nebraska defense
that had one of the
top penalty-killing
units in the nation last
year, but is currently
struggling on
defense, placing last
Scarpace and Kevin O'Malley - switch
on and off for the last five home games.
Fans may also see new Michigan lines
they have to do to stop the up-and-como
ing Mavericks.
"They don't know what to expect
coming here," Mike Comrie said. "It's
unbelievable to play at this arena. We'll
catch them off guard, which will be our
bonus. We have to play hard and grab
them right from the start."
But Omaha may be more ready then
you think. It may know exactly what to
expect when coming here.
Ann Arbor and Omaha may be more
alike then one would think. The rowdy,
atmosphere and the big hockey talents.
have become second nature in both,
places.
"I don't think (Nebraska-Omaha fans)
have as much hockey knowledge as fans
here, but they are as loud," Ortmeyer
said.
So take this as a warning. Nebraska"',
Omaha is used to the loud, obnoxious!
crowds and talented competition.
This may be the first year in the
CCHA for this three-year-old team, but
they already hold a 500 record in their
new conference.
Scarpace said that Yost fans were
unlike any others in the nation. And with
two Michigan victories this weekend,
even the boisterous Maverick fans could-,,
n't argue with that.
,L
in penalty-kill percentage.
The Wolverines may also be missing
freshman John Shouneyia for the week-
end, who is doubtful due to an ankle'
sprain.
The Mavericks are on the rise offen-
sively, outshooting their opponents in the
last eight games, and outscoring their
foes by more than 40 goals on year.
Whatever the challenge may be, the
Wolverines are up to it and know what
i
---ml
Great Union Study Break : .-
DEC. 13TH 8pm-1amI *ji
r "
I
F u"
x
,.
r4'
THE ULTIMATE STUDY BREAK
'YOURX PRJ3SCJPTION
FORX FINALS RJLIEF
Michigan Union...g
Apply now at
the Law Library
*non-Law
Students
eLaw Students
"S.1. Students
Apply in person: Room S-180
in the Law Library's under-
ground addition, 8-noon and
1-5 Monday through Friday.
AA/EOE
, prepping for Big Ten title defensei
Gymnasts take last crack at practice in intrasquad meet today
By Richard Haddad at Cliff Keen Arena. the team is loaded with talent, but-
Daily Sports Writer Michigan coach Bev Plocki, the suffers from inexperience.
To live up to the standards it has 'reigning national coach of the year, "You're never sure what you'll gs,
established for itself, the Michigan has reason to expect more of the out of an inexperienced athlete untl"
women's gymnastics team has quite same in the 2000 campaign. they put it out on the floor," Plockb
a task ahead this season. "My general goals for the season said. "The audience is just going'ti-
Coming off of a decade that saw are not unlike they have been for love Janessa Grieco, she is really:
Michigan win seven of the last eight any other season. We want to make going to come out and shine,.
Big Ten championships, two NCAA sure to hang onto our Big Ten title, Plocki said. "She is a 'meet baby.'.
regional titles, seven consecutive first and foremost;' Plocki said. She performs better in competition.;
trips to the NCAA championships, "Once. we get past that, we'll con-' and when pressure's on, which will
five trips to the Super Six and a pair centrate on the national champi- make her an excellent collegiate
of national runner-up finishes, the onship, try to be in the top three and gymnast." '
Wolverines are hoping to carry the ultimately win the national title." Meetiness aside, freshmen Tarsi
tradition of excellence into the new One of Michigan's strengths will Tagliarano and Cami Singer shoul
millennium. be solid leadership in tri-captains also make immediate impacts i
The Wolverines, defending Big Sarah Cain, Bridget Knaeble and several events. Lenna Doolan has a;-°
Ten champions and national run- Brianne Fuller. The three earned a lot of potential, but won't contribute,
ners-up, begin their season with a combined 10 NCAA All-America immediately due to a wrist injury..
practice in tonight's intrasquad meet distinctions. Meanwhile, the rest of See GYMNASTICS Page 11
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