The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 11, 2001-11
tate loses Kichardson,
Randolph may be next
SAGINAW (AP) - Michigan State
sOphomore Jason Richardson, the lead-
ing scorer on the team that went to its
third consecutive Final Four this year,
is leaving the Spartans for the NBA.
"I'm going to forgo my junior and
senior season at Michigan State and
rsue my career in the NBA,"
'Kchardson said at a news conference
yesterday.
Richardson is the first Michigan
State player to turn pro as an under-
classman since Magic Johnson left
fltr his sophomore year in 1979.
Richardson, who averaged 14.7
points per game, is expected to be a
top-10 pick. He averaged 5.9 rebounds
and shot 50.3 percent from the field
and 40.2 percent from 3-point range.
W4eanwhile, freshman Zach Ran-
dotph, a key player who led the Spar-
tans to their third consecutive Final
Four, called a news conference for
today, when he is expected to make
himself eligible for the NBA draft.
Randolph, a former Indiana high
school All-Star at Marion, would not
confirm his intention to leave.
If Randolph joins Richardson,
*chigan State would lose six of its
top nine players from last season,
including seniors Andre Hutson, Char-
lie Bell, David Thomas and Mike
Chappell.
Murphy entering draft,
but may stay in NCAA
SOUTH BEND (AP) - Two-time
All-America forward Troy Murphy has
cided to decide later.
Officially, Murphy announced in a
statement released yesterday by Notre
Dame that he was putting his name in
for the NBA Draft, but still might
return to school for his senior season.
"This is something that I've thought
a great deal about since the season
ended. I feel that I owe it to myself to
pursue this option," Murphy said in a
tement. "I've discussed my future
ith some agents, and although I
haven't signed with one, I feel that it is
best to take advantage of this opportu-
nity."
Murphy said he would work out for
several teams, but would not attend
pre-draft camps.
Coach Mike Brey said Murphy did
not attend the news conference
announcing his decision in part
ause he may yet decide to return to
k rsh.
Wanna be like Mario:
Jordan could return
WASHINGTON (AP) - One Wash-
ington Wizards owner thinks Michael
Jordan is preparing for a comeback.
Another Wizards owner thinks it just
'at so.
"Opinions on a possible Jordan return
were everywhere in the nation's capital
;yesterday. The rumor that has circulated
for weeks gained new credibility Mon-
day night when Wizards primary owner
Abe Pollin went on television to reveal
his "gut feeling" that "the odds are that
he's going to come back" and play for
Washington next season.
"I didn't think he'd come back when
I first heard the talk," Pollin then told
kWashington Post. "But when Mario
L'mieux came back to the Penguins, it
stirred something in Michael."
A Jordan comeback would mirror
that of Lemieux, one of the owners of
the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, who
ended a three-and-a-half-year retirement
in December.
Lemieux said yesterday he has talked
to Jordan this month and expects him to
*ke a comeback.
"I think it's great for basketball and,
obviously, I'm very excited about it,"
Lemieux said of reports of a Jordan
comeback. "He's going to give it a shot
and he's working very hard. He's taking
his time, he's taking a few months to get
ready, but I'm sure when he gets back,
he'll be the best player again."
Pollin's words were stunning, given
the business relationship between him
d Jordan. As the team's president of
ketball operations, Jordan is answer-
able only to Pollin.
Jordan also owns a small piece of the
Wizards, and he would have to divest
his ownership under NBA rules before
returning to the court.
Odom leaves Wake
for South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Dave
Odom, who coached Wake Forest
for 12 seasons, was hired as coach
at South Carolina yesterday after
the school's top two choices turned
down the Gamecocks' offers.
The schon1 schedied a news con-
EAGLES
Continued from Page 10
Eagles catcher Chris Coon.
In the third, the Eagles were threat-
ening with two runners and two outs. A
hard-hit ball by Garcia was making its
way out of the infield between first and
second when it struck Soliz, en route to
second, in the foot. Not only was the
interference the third out of the inning,
but it kept a sprinting Cogswell from
scoring from second. Michigan escaped
the third inning still down only 2-0.
From there the Wolverines' bats took
over. In the bottom of the third, senior
captain Scott Tousa cracked an offering
from Eagles pitcher Derrick Peterson to
right field for a homerun - his first of
the year. Two batters later, thirdbase-
man Brock Koman hit a solo homerun
to give the Wolverines a two run lead.
Junior Nate Wright, who was last
week's Big Ten player of the week,
added the fifth RBI in the eighth. Zahn
was pleased to see consistent produc-
tion out of Wright, Koman and Tousa.
"We're starting to develop a charac-
ter of this team - guys you can rely
on, guys believe in themselves, and we
believe in each other," Zahn said.
"Tousa's a senior, and he got the big hit
for us Sunday too. He's been a great
leader for us, and it's something I
expect of him."
Michigan will try to make it eight
straight today against Western Michi-
gan in Kalamazoo at 3 p.m.
Tennis back from dead in Big Tens
Streaking
and Centr
By David Roth
Daily Sports Writer
It doesn't take a physics major to
understand that Michigan's game today
against Central Michigan will put Isaac
Newton's three laws of motion to the
test.
First, objects in motion stay in
motion unless an external force is
applied. Both the Wolverines and
Chippewas are on a roll and have won
nine of their last ten games. But today,
at 2 p.m. at Alumni Field, the external
force of a doubleheader will likely put
one of these teams at rest.
Second, force equals mass times
acceleration. The Wolverines' force
has been the mass acceleration of
Melissa Taylor toward first base and
beyond. Taylor is batting .480 and
leads the teams with 20 runs. Also, for
Central Michigan, pitcher Amber
Puchalski (12-6) has been throwing
fastballs with great force, and on April
6 the freshman hurled the second per-
fect game in Central Michigan history.
Newton's final law tells us that there
is an equal and opposite force. Both
Michigan and Central Michigan started
their seasons very slowly and neither
had mustered a winning record by mid-
March. But now both teams have
caught fire and are in the midst of their
longest winning streaks of the season.
And you don't have to have an apple
Michigan
ra collide
By Albert Kim
Daily Sports writer
Going into its three-match homestand
last week, the Michigan men's tennis
team knew that those games would
determine its season.
And the Wolverines
delivered. EAST
The big shots fell for the wh,:Michit
Wolverines at crunch time, Ten, 9-7 ove
and when the bell rang, ganState(:
Michigan answered the call. Whm 6 p.r
The whole team stepped LatSt t's1
up. It won tight tiebreakers thtwo t
and played smart, focused series82-17
tennis to spark a three the last ten
match win streak, capped
by a 4-3 gut-check thriller against Ohio
State.
"One thing we don't do is lose to
Ohio State," co-captain Henry Beam
said. "If everyone on their team broke
our legs, we'd still be out there playing
in wheelchairs."
Two weeks ago, it didn't even look
like there'd even be a stretch run for the
Wolverines, as they were left for dead
after losing seven of eight and going
winless in the Big Ten. But faster than a
first serve, Michigan is riding high as it
travels to East Lansing to take on
'Lj
igar
.m
ithe
tear
7 a
nmE
Michigan State today.
At 3-3 in the Big Ten, Michigan is
tied for fifth with Northwestern, Purdue
and Indiana. Illinois stands atop the
conference at 6-0, while the Buckeyes
are second. Michigan State rests tied for
eighth with Iowa -
which Michigan plays
ANSING Sunday -at i-5.
in (3-3 Big The Wolverines have
Il) vs. Mict* beaten Michigan State 10
,7-13) straight times, including
last year's 5-2 win at the
100th time Varsity Tennis Center.
n will face And this year feels no dif-
nd has won ferent for Beam.
eetings. "I would say that we
will beat Michigan State,
and we will beat Iowa," Beam said.
The key to Michigan's recent surge
has been mental toughness down the
stretch. Earlier in the year, players felt
that the team was not winning the big
points. But the tables have turned, with
the Wolverines pulling out tight match-
es as of late.
"We did sit down as a team, in a
players only meeting," sophomore
Chris Rolf said. "Everybody agreed that
we need to work harder and be more
positive. We've been working a lot
harder in practices, and it's been paying
off."
The doubles game that has bein
missing for a while finally showed up-
against Ohio State on Sunday, keying
the victory by getting a much-needed
point. And the doubles play will need to
be at a high level for the last four
matches of the season, if the Wolverines
are to get to the NCAA Tournament.
"Our doubles - we're still mixing
and matching," Beam said.
The Wolverines will need to win at
least three of the next four matches to
get to the NCAA Tournament - a
tough feat - but they're confident that
they have what it takes.
"Indiana will be tough, and Purdue
will be tough," Beam said. "But I think
everyone's working hard on what they
need to work on."
ALUMNI FIELD
Who: Michigan (21-11-1) vs. Central Michigan
(19,5)
When2 p.m.
Latest Today is the final home game before
Michigan goes on a six-game road trip.
fall on your head to discover the emo-
tions surrounding today's game.
"We are really excited to play Cen-
tral," Michigan secondbaseman Kelsey
Kollen said. "They beat us last year
and they always play tough."
Last year in Mount Pleasant, the
Chippewas beat Michigan 3-0 in the
first game of a doubleheader. Although
the Wolverines came back to eke out a
1-0 contest, Michigan doesn't want to
split the series again.
"We have been doing extremely
well and hope to stay on a roll," Michi-
gan pitcher Marissa Young said. "The
team is excited not only for another
home game, but for the chance to play
a quality team."
Young leads the team with a 1.20
ERA, which has caught the eye of
scouts.
"Michigan has outstanding pitching
in Marissa Young and hitters who are
on fire," Central Michigan coach
Margo Jonker said. Playing Michigan
"will be a major challenge for us even
though we have confidence going up
against a good program."
Food For Thought
Winning & Losing
The North Vietnamese
and Viet Cong did not
believe they could defeat
the U.S. militarily, so all
of their actions were
successfully aimed
at inflaming the
protest movement.
Gary Lillie & Assoc., Realtors
www.garylillie.com
Jackson
Welcome home for the summer
Get a head start on next fall
Summer classes start May 14 and June 26
Call for a class schedule - (517) 796-8425
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