tCOreboard)r NFL FOOTBALL MEN'S NCAA Oakland at BASKETBALL TENNESSEE, Inc. Western Illinois at (23) PURDUE, Inc. Nicholls State at (20) DEPAUL, Inc. NBA BASKETBALL Vancouver at SAN ANTONIO, Inc. Washington at PHOENIX, Inc. Minnesota at PORTLAND, Inc. axe Ski jig aut~ 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 I® . °' F 1 $ _ I