Daily trivia , hy, a new question will appear in this space. Two tickets to the ,Ithigan-Michigan State hockey game on Feb. 17 will go to the two respondents that answer the most questions cor- tectd. Send answers to sports.contest@umich.edu Today's question: Wha school has the Michigan hockey team played the most totalgames against? michigandaily.com /sports wwkjz~ t~ TUESDAY JANUARY 30, 2001 11 Champs and ch Retooled 'M' seeks huge upset ers DAN WILLIAMS By Michael Kern y Sports Editor Over the last week, the Michigan men s basketball team has turned some heads around the Big Ten with road wins against then-No. 14 Iowa and Northwestern and a four-point home loss to No. 6 Illinois, a team that beat the Wolverines by 29 in Champaign. "They're playing some of their best ball at they've played in two or three years," . chigan State coach Torn Izzo said. The biggest key to the turn-around for the Wolverines has been handling the ball better on offense. Michigan (3-4 Big Ten, 9-9 overall) has cut down on turnovers, averaging just over 13 a game over the last three games, as opposed to the almost 20a game they were averaging before that. "We are playing smarter," Big Ten co- player of the week LaVell Blanchard said. "We've cut back on a lot of little things like turnovers, and we've won. And that's *at we need to do to keep winning." The Wolverines' recent success has the Michigan players believing that they can beat No. 5 Michigan State (5-2, 16-2) tonight. "Earlier on in the season, I don't know if we believed we could play with the ranked teams, but then we came out and beat Iowa. So now, we know we can," sopho- more Gavin Groninger said. "We know *t every game we have an opportunity to win, and that's going to be good for our confidence." But if there is any question whether or not the Wolverines' 51-point loss to the Spartans last season is still burning in its collective brain, one only needs to check the Michigan lockerroom, where an assis- tant coach tacked the number on the bul- letin board. "It's time to get some payback," fresh- man Avery Queen said. "51 is no joke." Wut Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe would rather focus on this season and tonight's game between the two in-state rivals. "I try to forget last year," Ellerbe said. "We've got a totally different team. We are younger than we were, and I think they are deeper than they were... But there is noth- ing we can discuss about last year that can help us right now." To beat the Spartans this time around, the Wolverines will have to continue to cut down on turnovers, get back on defense to guard against Michigan State's transition game and stop the Spartans on the glass. For the third-straight year, Michigan State leads the nation in rebounding margin. The Spartans dominate their opponents on the boards, outrebounding them by an average of 16.5 rebounds per game, and they do it at both ends. Michigan State has grabbed 290 offen- sive rebounds to its opponents' 31 1 defen- sive ones. That means that the Spartans rebound 48.5 percent of their own missed shots. "We can't let them get inside position;" Young said. "Every time a shot goes up we have to find our man and put a body on him." Another key for Michigan will be stop- ping sophomore Jason Richardson, who leads the Spartans with 16 points per game in Big Ten play while shooting 59 percent from the field. The Wolverines will have to stop the swingman from getting to the basket while still respecting an outside shot that has allowed him to sink half (15-of-30) of his 3-point attempts over the last seven games. "He is big-time player," Ellerbe said. "With big-time players, you try to limit their opportunities. I don't think you ever stop them." For Michigan to win, it will take a mon- umental effort. Every single player will have to be firing on all cylinders and com- pletely focused on the task of beating the heavily favored Spartans. "We have to play our best basketball of the year to win," Ellerbe said. A4 c/lance for closure' and a new begining PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHIGAN STATE SPORTS INFORMATION Tom Izzo and Michigan State have reached the top of the college basket- ball world in the last year. Today, Michigan looks to climb a few notches. Probable starting lineups Michigan State G Charlie Bell G Marcus Taylor F Jason Richardson F Andre Hutson C Zach Randolph 've had a lot of cinematic fan- tasies about what could happen tonight and beyond. For instance - after a recent stint of improved play, Michigan finally arrives, bests the defending National Champions and rides its new found faculties to the NCAA tournament and beyond. Unfortunately, I can't think of any reality-based precedence for such an event. Zeroes-to-heroes stories don't occur within a'sports season unless you're renting "Major League." Even if the Wolverines play the game of a lifetime and succeed, they're just 4-4 in the Big Ten -- a long way from the promised land, March Madness. But if Michigan can upset the Spartans tomorrow, it could at least go a long way towards reinvigorating the program. A canyon has somehow developed between these neighboring rivals in a very short amount of time. Of course I recall tales of early departees for the NBA, Ford Explorer accidents and some prospects from Flint that panned into national champions. But it just seems amazing that Michigan State has reached the pinnacle so quickly while Michigan keeps bot- toming out. These programs have been polar opposites since they met in Ann Arbor a year ago - winners and losers. An analysis of the gap: Michigan State is fighting for a No. I seed in the Tournament while Michigan is fighting for any postsea- son play. Tom Izzo has become the nation's coaching poster-boy, while Brian Ellerbe's position is insecure and his relation with the media is lukewarm. The Spartans have a more talent- laden squad. Michigan State is out-recruiting Michigan and the Spartans are viewed nationally as the superior pro- gram. The Wolverines now suffer from the same syndrome as Michigan State football. As Michigan attempts to make basketball progress, everything will be measured against the Spartans. The harsh reality has finally sunk in around town, and Michigan people no longer retort when confronted with their basketball instate inferiority. But the bright side is that tables can turn quickly - they could turn with just one win for Michigan. With a victory tonight, the Wolverines are on a roll and back in the NCAA tournament stratosphere. It's a national statement to recruits. media and competitors - reports of Michigan's demise have been exag- gerated. And this one victory could close the book on Michigan's year- long tale of suffering. The flip side of the coin is that a loss buries the Wolverines further into their subordinate role. Of Michigan's current players, only Josh Asselin has ever beaten the Spartans. Another loss means that Michigan's image as the state's second-best basketball team is further implanted in the minds of the nation. All this adds up to a make-or-break", game for the Wolverines - in terms of the season and in terms of rehabili tation. One of Ellerbe's favorite things to preach is that one game is just that - the meaning of a single contest shouldn't be overemphasized. It doesn't do much good for his team to get caught up in hype or fore- casting. I can empathize with this line of thinking. Still, I believe the Michigan players realize the magnitude of the approaching contest, even compared to other rivalry games. I think they are quite aware that the Wolverines need a bridge between the unsatisfactory present and a potential- ly bright future, and that this game could have immeasurable repercus- sions. Dan Williams can be reached- Hgt. Year PPG 6-3 6-3 6-6 6-8 6-9 senior 15.3 freshman 8.2 sophomore 15.7 senior 13.0 freshman 11.1 Off the bench: Mike Chappell. David Thomas, Adam Ballinger, Aloysius Anagonye, Adam Wolfe and Jason Andreas. - Michigan State usually runs 11 players deep. Michigan G Avery Queen G Bernard Robinson F LaVell Blanchard F Chris Young C Josh Asselin Hgt. Year 5-7 6-6 6-7 6-9 6-11 freshman freshman sophomore junior senior PPG 5.2 14.4 18.4 8.1 10.8 Off the bench: Maurice Searight, Gavin Groninger, Leon Jones and Josh Moore. - Michigan usually runs 9 players deep. -it dbhi TRACKING MICHIGAN STATE'S BEST HH~L~W: AND MICHIGAN'S WORST IN A YEAR. February 2, 2000 Michigan State beats Michigan in Ann Arbor, 82-63. President Michigan State Clinton visits wins the Big Ten the Michigan Tournament and State campus then the 2000 and celebrates National the title with championship. . 9, 2000 the team. March 4,2000C p p May 9, 2000 Sept. 4, 2000 Dec, exits Jan. 9, 2000 In the rematch in the after a suspension- Starting point guard Michigan falls Breslin Center, Mic.g,. other way. Michigan State is one of the best : cnunternttack teams in the country. If the' U I I UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN PLATTE VILLE Study Abroad Programs Learn Your Way Around The World * Study abroad in England, Japan, or Spain * Courses in liberal arts and international business- * Fluency in a foreign language 0gt required * Home-stays with meals I