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SPORTS
FRIDAY
MARCH 16, 2001
9
Blue
morning
Aggesse Mavs will
try to repeat the beat
Women hope to give Hoos
rude awakening in NCAAs
By Joe Smith
Daily Sports Editor
It wasn't supposed
did.
to happen, but it
By David Roth
Daily Sports Writer -
In past Big Dance appearances, the
Michigan women's basketball team
hasn't shown "the hustle" it needs to
get out of the first round. Exits in the
past years have corresponded more
with an "electric slide" out of the
wtournament.
No. 8 seed Michigan (18-11 over-
all) has made the NCAA Tournament
hree of tie past four years, and the
Wolverines feel their experience will
'be beneficial. The prob-
11cm is, No. 9 seed Vir-
ginia (1 8-3), Michigan's JoYCE
opponent tomorrow at Who: Michit
.a.m. at the Joyce Center Virginia(18
in Notre Dame, has had When: 11 as
its NCAA Tournament Latest: TheV
"locomotion" running for attempt to w
the past 18 years. NCAA Tourni
"You aren't going to under SueG
the battle-tes
in a national champi- in South Ben
onship until you have
gone to the tournament year in and
year out," Michigan coach Sue Gue-
vara said.
The Wolverines are just beginning
that process. By having all their
seniors, juniors and sophomores with
some postseason experience, this
year's team hopes it has gained an
edge as the most tournament-weath-
red team in the schools history.
The upperclassmen know what to
expect because they have been there
and done that," Guevara said. "I
think the Big Ten Tournament pre-
pares you for the NCAA Tourna-
ment. So when you think about it,
(freshmen Stephanie) Gandy and
(Jennifer) Smith have already played
in two big games where the atmos-
phere will be very similar"
Michigan takes on a Virginia team
led by Schuye LaRue, who compiled
23 double-doubles this season and
averaged 17 points and twelve
rebounds per contest.
"She is very special," Guevara
said. "She can rebound the ball aid
At this time last year, the regular sea-
son conference champion Michigan
hockey team steamrolled into the
CCHA semifinals at Joe
Louis Arena, holding the
No. 1 seed and having an
automatic bid to the
NCAAs in its back pock-
et.
But then came the
unknown - No. 7 seed
Nebraska-Omaha.
The Mavericks, in their
JoE Loils
Who: No. 3 seed
vs. No. 4 Nebras
When: 8:35 p.m
Latest: The twob
their two-game sE
Omaha.
S..s
E CENTER
gan (10-18) vs,
-13)
in.
Wolverines
win their first
ament game
uevera against
sted Cavaliers
nd,Ind.
take it the length of the
floor I wouldn't be sur-
prised if shQ could
dunk it."
Containing LaRue
will be the only way the
Wolverines can come
out on top. But the
problem has no easy
solution.
"I can't really say
what we're going to
MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily
Infini Robinson (No. 31) and Michigan will head southwest to South Bend
tomorrow morning to face ninth-seeded Virginia in the NCAA opening rounds.
do." Guevara said. "I know we're
going to mix it up with some man,
zone and who knows, maybe throw
some junk. We are just going to try
to make it difficult to catch and shoot
the ball."
Virginia likes a fast-paced tempo
and runs well with the ball, whereas
the Wolverines, plagued by missed
layups this year. usually execute bet-
tcr in the half-court :ame.
"We need to do a nice job of main-
taining our composure and setting
the tone, trying to get them to play a
half-court game," Guevara said.
The half-court game is where
Michigan can use size to its advan-
tage.
Virginia "is going to be the most
athletic team that we have played, but
I think we are a bit bigger," Guevara
said. "We have bigger shoulders and
are bigger-boned than they are."
Michigan also has an edge because
it scheduled, and beat, extremely
tough non conference opponents in
addition to its already tough Big Ten
schedule.
"We had a really good year beating
ranked opponents," Guevara said. "I
just looked over our schedule and out
of 29 games that we played, 20 of
those teams are now in postseason
play. Of our I11 non con ference
games, six of those opponents are in
the NCAA Tournament, four of them
are conference champions. I think
our non-conference schedule is get-
ting better, and we are getting better
in the Big Ten."
The Cavaliers will have their
hands full defending M ich igan's
whack-a-mole offense, where trying
to contain one aspect of the game
usually leaves another open.
"We should be able to kick it out
to our guards." LeeAnn Bies said. "If'
they take away one thing they always
leave something else going."
first year in the conference, embarrassed
a Michigan team that seemed unbeat-
able - scoring two goals in the first 15
minutes and streaking out to a 4-I lead
early in the second period.
Michigan's 7-4 loss not only knocked
it out of the tournament, but stripped
away the Wolverines' chances of a first-
round bye in the NCAAs in favor of a
more ominous No. 5 seed.
The Wolverines didn't respect Nebras-
ka-Omaha. and they paid the price.
But the bitter taste of the loss still
remains fresh in Michigan's minds, and
matched with the Mavericks recent tear
this season-15-4-1 in their last 20
games -_ the Wolverines vow that there
won't be a repeat performance tonight
when the two teams face off in the
CCI IA semifinals for a rematch.
"I was thinking about it constantly,"
said Michigan defenseman Mike Roe-
mensky about last year's meeting. "As
soon as I heard we were playing UNO
(this year), flashbacks started coming in.
I don't want to get embarrassed again. It
was embarrassing last year, it could
have cost us a heck of a lot, We have a
lot riding on this game."
Michigan's NCAA hopes may be on
the line, as it is not quite yet a sure bet for
the 12-team field to be picked on Sunday.
To guarantee a berth, Michigan must beat
the Mavericks and then finish it off with
a win in the title game on Saturday
against the winner- of
tonight's Michigan State and
ARENA Bowling Green semifinal.
Michigan But a victory tonight
ka-Omaha won't be easy, as the Mav-
. ericks are much inproved
teams split from a year ago. Paced by a
eries in hot goaltender in freshman
Dan Ellis, intimidating
forechecking and an in-
your-face style of play, Nebraska-
Omaha legitimately clinched home-ice
for the first round of the playoffs in just
its second season in the CCI 14 --
something that impresses Michigan
coach Red Berenson.
"This is, if not already, one of ithe
powerhouses or future powerhouses in
the CCH A," Berenson said.
The Wolverines said they've learned
their lesson from last year's loss,while
realizing this game's NCAA implications.
"I don't think we're safe at all,"
Berenson said of his team's NCAA
chances.
Berenson feels the only guaranteels
running the table and securing an auto-
matic bid by capturing the champi-
onship trophy -- which was recently
named "The Mason Cup" after Michi-
gan State coach Ron Mason. The Spar-
tans raised last year's championship
banner to the rafters of Joe Louis Arena.
"The only way we have control of'our
destiny is to change the color on that
banner" Berenson said. "That's the best
way, but not necessarily the only way."
E b .v . ,.. ,
Wrestlers at NCAAs
'M' nine closing out pre-conference season
In the event of events in collegiate
wrestling, Michigan has put Itself
in a good position after one day
f action in Iowa City. Joe Degain
After the first two sessions,
Michigan finds itself in a tie for
seventh with Nebraska. Minneso-
ta leads the tournament, fol-
lowed by Iowa, Oklahoma State,
Oklahoma, Iowa State and Illi-
nois.
Five of the eight wrestlers the
Wolverines qualified for the
NCAA tournament are still alive
n the winners bracket after two ':
matches. The quarterfinals wil
begin tomorrow at 10 a.m
Senior Otto Olsen, ranked seconc
aCthe 174 lbs. weight class, led the WavID KATzO
charge for Michigan, pinning his first
challenger in 2:38. Sophomore A.J. Grant also scored a major decisions ai
the 125 lbs. Grant will face No. 2 Jody Strittmatter of Iowa, a thorn in Grant's
side throughout the last two years.
Mike Kulczycki, Andy Hrovat and Matt Brink all will face higher-ranked Illinois
foes in t heir quarterfinal matches:
Weight Athlete First match Second match
2 b: "o. 2 Q A.f. Guric ic.: R. N- Mnsueto 8-0 dec. B. ThompCion 4-2
149 lbs. No. I1 Mike Kulc:vi dc. I. [n::en 9-4(OT) dec. E. Schiesing 7-4
7 1at Cwen 't to R. Stuart 6-2 pinned by E. I iarri, 6:37
( ib:. No. _Ic Charle(% Mg eli .e. T. Oitmn 6-3 lost to C. Martin 6-5
74 ihL. No. 2 Otto Ooen pinneJ C. Owen 2:3' dec. B. King 6-4
184 lbs. No. 7 Andy I lrovar dec. T. (ass 1 -6 dec. T. Tis i 1-6
197 lbs. No. 12 hoe DeGain dec. A. Zerkle 9-5 lost to O. EL:en 10-1
heavywt. Matt Brink BYE dec. J. Eschenfelder 4- 3
By Benjamin Singer
Il )y Spirs Wriu r
The Michigan baseball team is 1
migrating north with the coming of
spring.l
After playing its first eight games in
Florida. the Wolverines (5-6) left the 1
sunshine state for good. Coming oft a
three-game series in Louisiana against P
McNeese State. Michigan continues to
more up the map with three games in
Lawrence. Kan. this weekend before its
first home game at Fisher Stadium. The
Wolverines will play in their first-ever
meeting with Illinois-Chicago followed
by two games against Kansas.
The change of scenery saw Michigan
start to right its ship. snapping a fiur-
game losing streak by taking the last
tkwo against the Cowboys.
"We've got a two-game winin
streak." co-captain Scott Tousa said.
"We're just hoping to carry that
momentum into the series (in Kansas)
and get three wins there and then carry
that into the Big Ten season."
The approach to the final games
before the first Big Ten series at lowa is
no different than it has ever been.
"We have been trying to set our ros-
ter, see who's hot and who can do what,"
coach Geoff Zahn said. 'I think that
question will continue to be answered."
'.
The projected pitching rotation for
the weekend in Kansas remains the
same Nick Alexander, Bobby
Korecky and Jim Brauer. Pitching coach
Steve Foster is pleased with the overall
perloahance of his staff thus far.
"I think our pitchers are giving our
hitters the opportunity to win." he said.
Korecky's last out ing against
McNeese State was a complete-game,
3-1 win in which he fanned six. The
Ho(;r.rN lBALLPARK
Who: Michigan (5-6) vs. Illinois-Chicago (3-
12)
When: 2 p.m.
Latest: The Wolverines try to extend their
winning streak to three games in the first
of three weekend contests.
A look at the
underside of U of M
www.universitysecrets.com
freshman Brauer had a shaky first-
career start the next day. I e was pulled
with the bases loaded after allowing
four runs in 4.2 innings.
"I think Jim learned a lot." Foster
said. "lie got in a little bit of trouble in
the middle innings because I think he
got in a pattemn of throwing his break-
ing ball. You learn quick when youhet:
to this level that you can't overuse4he -
pitch because hitters make adjust
ments."
choosing a concentration?
International and Area ealth
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a1G'jr-
Studies C~oncentration Faar
Ch tip
SNk
LS&A* Concentration
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Advising
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and Careers
o
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9noetr4. a :~
For a listing of events, please visit
http://www.lsa.umich.edu/saa/conCfair/
.J
Softball searches for hit
parade in Tallahassee
By Kristen Fdh
Daily Spurts W\rite'
"I'm waiting." Michigan softball
coach Carol Hutchins said.
*iutchins is anxious to see who,
exactly, will support the team's offense.
The 20th-ranked Wolverines i6-')
came out of the field house just over a
month ago to begin its season. So far,
Melissa Taylor and Melinda Moulden
have led the team with 16 and 14 hits,
respectively. But other than a few key
hits from Kelsey Kollen and Rebecca
Tune, Hutchins is still looking for
lrovemnent from the rest of th2
order.
"This team has had as good of a
defense as any tean in all my years o'
coaching." Hutchins said. "Now, we
just need to get the bats on the ball."
This weekend. Michigan travels to
Tallahassee for the Lady Seminole
LADS- SEMINOLF INX'TrNrIONAL
Who: Michigan (6-7) vs. Massachusetts
(7-9) and Maryland (13-8).
When: noon and 6p.m.
Latest: The team will play five games in the
weekend event as the wolverines hope to
get offensive,
duties at third base.
"This is definitely a learning situa-
tion for her," lutchins said. "Third
base is one of the hardest positions to
get used to, and Stefanie has had both
good games for us as well as some
rough times."
Maryland's greatest asset is junior
pitcher Amanda Bettker, who tallied
six strikeouts against the team's most
recent opponent. Boston University.
Troy State's junior pitcher Melanie
Davis, toting a 0.68 ERA, will also be
a Michigan roadblock.
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