Sh-The Michigan Daly - Tuesday, February 20, 2001


llini, Spartans
win with depth

"It's still a very physical league," Monson said.
"Strength and power prevails in most games. And we all
know that going in. You have to recruit that way and
compete that way."
Wisconsin enters the final two weeks of the season
with a depleted bench, as well. Sophomore guard Ricky
Bower, who averages 14.5 minutes a game, was sus-
pended Friday by the NCAA for nine games because the
proper paperwork regarding his transfer from Ricks
Junior College in Idaho had not been filed.
"The best case scenario is that our appeal goes
through and he is reinstated," Wisconsin coach Brad
Sodderberg said.
"I am under the understanding that there will be no
games lost, and the only decision is whether Ricky's sta-
tus will be changed from a suspension to something less
that that."
With no significant injuries of their own to deal with,
No. 3 Illinois and No. 4 Michigan State have been able
to dominate league play by simply overpowering oppo-
nents.
"Illinois is a team that can sub at three or four posi-
tions without any real drop off," said Ohio State coach
Jim O'Brien, whose Buckeyes face the Fighting Ilni
tomorrow.
"And that is what has made them the best team in the
conference to date."

Pitino turns down
Rhode Island position
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) -
Rick Pitino is not interested in coaching
Rhode Island.
University president Robert Carothers
said Pitino had been contacted by the
school, but yesterday "expressed his
desire not to be further considered for
this position."
Pitino, who resigned last month as
coach and president of the Boston
Celtics, had been on a list of 50 potential
candidates for the Rhode Island job.
Rick Avare, Pitino's agent, did not
return calls to his home and office.
The Rams are looking to replace Jerry
DeGregorio, who resigned last Monday
after posting the worst two-year record in
school history.
The Providence Journal said conver-
sations with Pitino started before e
DeGregorio announced he would resign.
Pitino has met with the president at
UNLV about the coaching position
there.
Pitino coached Providence from
1985-87, leading the Friars to the NCAA
semifinals in his last year. He also
coached Kentucky to the 1996 title.
Wolfpack's Lyons
arrested for assault
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North
Carolina State linebacker Corey
Lyons was charged with domestic
violence while awaiting trial on a
charge from last year of assaulting his
girlfriend.
He is the third Wolfpack athlete to
face a criminal charge this school
year.
Police were called Saturday to an
apartment shared by Lyons and a 21-
year-old woman. Police said Lyons
grabbed the woman's arm and threat-
ened to hurt her, according to his
arrest warrant.
The 20-year-old player was charged
with assault and making threats, both
misdemeanors. In May, Lyons was
charged with misdemeanor assault of
the same woman, according to court
records.
He has a December trial date on
that charge and a March 29 court date
on the latest charges.
The player's lawyer, Woody Webb,
disputed the recent charges and said
Lyons would move in with his broth-
er.
Richter out for the
year with knee injury
NEW YORK (AP) - New York
Rangers goalie Mike Richter will
miss the rest of the season after tear-
ing a knee ligament Monday during
a 4-2 victory against Chicago.
An MRI exam revealed a com-
plete tear of the anterior cruciate
ligament of his right knee, an injury
that will require reconstructive
surgery once the swelling goes
down in approximately two weeks. V
Richter's rehabilitation is expect-
ed to last six months, which would
leave him abouta month away from
next season's training camp.
"It probably hasn't sunk in yet
and it probably won't for a few
days," said Richter, who stopped six
of seven shots before he was hurt. "I
guess it's easy to feel sorry for your-
self but this is a part of sports.
You're going to have injuries, you're
going to have setbacks and you're*
going to have things to overcome."
AP POLL
As of February 19, 2001
first-place votes in parentheses

Team Record Pts Pvs
1. Stanford (67) 23-1 1,723 2
2. North Carolina (1) 21-3 1,581 1
3. Illinois (1) 21-5 1,540 4
4. Duke 23-3 1,522 3
5. Michigan State 20-3 1,491 5
6. Iowa State 22-3 1,440 7
7. Florida 18-5 1,239 11
8. Arizona 18-7 1,153 8
9. Virginia 18-6 1,110 12
10. Boston College 19-3 1,046 9
11. Kansas 19-5 1,016 6
12. Mississippi 21-4 907 16
13. Kentucky 17-7 804 22
14. Alabama 20-5 714 21
15. UCLA 17-6 708 24
16. Oklahoma 20-5 639 13
17. Syracuse 19-6 591 10
18. Notre Dame 17-6 568 14
19. Wisconsin 16-7 439 19
20. Maryland 16-9 378 17
21. Georgetown 20-5 351 18
22. Tennessee 18-8 313 15
23. St. Josephs 21-4 285 -
24. Wake Forest 17-8 244 23
25. Providence 18-7 118 -
DAILY SCOREBOARD
NCAA men's basketball
Yesterday's resus
No. 12 SYRAcuSE 65, Connecticut 60
No. 15 OKLAHOMA AT MISSOURI, INC.
Today's games
Indiana-at No. 5 Michigan State 7 p.m.
NORUHCARcUN'ASrATE AT No. 20 MARYAw8 P.M.
K1 ItA