POReTS1dhyan ilq michigandaily.comIs ports sportsdesk@umich.edu WEDNESDAY JANUARY 23, 2002 9 77 rToughness Fr ss1F~oi x , e>, r qY P0 , lacking for¢ S1"3 r x> . 554T a, (yRSteveTJackso ' ni Daily Sports Writer What is going on with Iowa and Michigan State? Each team opened the year with high expectations and NBA-caliber talent, but when they got into the thick of conference play they found out - toughness wins in the 'j Big Ten. After Iowa's 75-71 BASKETBALL win last night, the Notebook Spartans (2-4 Big Ten, 11-8 overall) and No. 24 Iowa (3-4, 14-7) are now ninth and sev- enth in the conference, respectively. "We're not as tough - all of a sudden %.f.. we're not quite as good defensively' Michi- gan State coach Tom Izzo said. "That's what K I've been complaining about." Izzo knows the importance of toughness more than anyone else in the conference. In the last four years, the Spartans won or shared four Big Ten titles, and the team's ..football-like style was a big part of that. Many of Izzo's best players, including Mateen Cleaves and Andre Hudson, brought r gridiron experience and attitude with them from high school. "I've always said that players play, but tough players win," Izzo said. The Hawkeyes have one of the most intim- IN yidating players in. all of college basketball in center Reggie Evans, but he still has not DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily proved to be "tough" in the eyes of his coach Freshman Dommanic ingerson made a key 3-point basket late in Michigan's win over Minnesota on Saturday. He is Steve Alford. quickly evolving into one of Michigan's clutch performers down the stretch. See HAWKEYES, Page 10 Amaker not out to cut corners for Blue TOM FELDKAMP/Daily Michigan punishes Its opponents, and their fans on a regular basis when they visit Yost Ice Arena. Martin tells fans to keep it clean at Yost By Seth Klempner Daily Sports Writer By Joe Smith Daily Sports Editor Talk about a major role reversal. One week, freshman Chuck Bai- ley was sitting on the bench for all but four of the 40 minutes that the Wolverines played in - watching former walk-ons taking his spot in the rotation during critical situa- tions. The next week, the freshman for- ward started the game ahead of his mentor, LaVell Blanchard, and took Blanchard's spot when the junior fouled out late in a "must win" home game against Minnesota. Bailey came in down the stretch and made a key block when his team desperately needed a stop. Minutes later, he drained two elutch free throws and, in the waning sec- onds, found an open Chris Young for the go-ahead basket as the shot clock expired. "If he doesn't make those shots, we don't win the game," Michigan coach Tommy Amaker said. "I mean, he's 50 percent from the line and he goes 4-for-4 down the stretch - that's maturity." The same can be said for Michi- gan's other freshman, Dommanic Ingerson. The sharpshooter knocked down a key 3-pointer to even the score with just over a minute left in the Minnesota game. This came just one week after he spent his fair share of time on the bench next to Bailey in two Michi- gan losses. Both freshmen had to learn that in Amaker's eyes, it's not just what you do in the games or in the spot- light that gets you playing time. Instead it's how Amaker "feels kids are paying attention, how kids are giving effort in practice and how they are off the court" which will determine who will be a major player in the coach's quest to rebuild the Michigan program. Just ask Blanchard, a preseason Naismith Award candidate, and Bernard Robinson. These two, arguably Michigan's best players, didn't start against Minnesota, sit- ting on the,bench in the important first few minutes of the game. Amaker realized that with his team's limitations, the Wolverines' margin for error is "slim to none" and that "every possession is criti- cal." But he also knows that he's not going to sacrifice the ideals of his program, even if that may cost Michigan a few games. "We're not going to try to cut corners and be shortsighted here," Amaker said. "We're going to look at one or two games or losses for the sake of this program." Amaker said that a sign that his players are buying into his philoso- phy was the inspired play of Blan- chard and Robinson on Saturday. Both were benched for the start of the game and ended up with great performances - Blanchard with 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting and Robinson with his first career dou- ble-double. In addition, Blanchard was the first one to embrace Bailey after the freshman made two of his key free throws late in the game. "It was more of a bear hug, not just a tap," Amaker said with a smile. In creating a "first-class pro- gram," moments like these are what Amaker seems to value more than huge individual performances, wins or preseason accolades. "He just tries to treat each player the same way," said fifth-year sen- ior guard Mike Gotfredsqn. "It doesn't matter if you play two min- utes or 40 minutes, if you don't run the line drills as hard as you can, you're going to be sitting on the end of the bench." Gotfedson is a prime example of Amaker's plan in action. He's a for- mer walk-on who barely saw any significant minutes in his previous years at Michigan. But he has start- ed 13 of Michigan's 15 games, sometimes in favor of last year's starter, Avery Queen. Gotfredson said he knows his role, and that Amaker has explained it to him. Others, like Bailey and Ingerson, haven't been so sure in the past of why they were sitting, probably because this is the first time they have had to 'deal with such a situation. Bailey has continually said he "doesn't really know" what he is~ doing wrong, and that he "hasn't gotten around to" taking advantage of Amaker's "open-door" policy and asking the coach for answers. But Amaker said that when he addresses the team, he is talking to each player individually as well. And sometimes, Amaker said, the players know full well the reasons why they aren't playing - they just don't reveal them. "I think they know," Amaker said. "I'd be disappointed if they didn't know. Sometimes, as kids, it's easy not to say, or maybe you don't want to tell what the real reason was." Others - including Ingerson - have come to Amaker themselves and inquired about the coach's motives and confidence in them. "Our kids know that we're going to do things for the right reasons," Amaker said. "Everything counts and everything matters." When fans walked into Yost Ice. Arena Saturday night, they were expect- sing to see one of the most exciting hockey games of the year and to jab Michigan State players with their witti- est and most biting insults. The remarks, delivered with the uni- son of a seventh-grade boys choir, add to the boisterous intimacy and charm of Yost. These chants, the trademark of any experience at Yost, are often full of, expletives and insults directed toward the opponent. But when fans arrived at their seats Saturday night, there was'a letter from Michigan Athletic Director Bill Martin encouraging them to be respectful and to avoid using vulgar language directed at opposing parents, players and fans. These letters were placed on every seat in the arena except those reserved for players' guests and parents - located behind the team bench. In the letter, Martin told fans that the athletic department, "needs your support and we want (you) to do it in a classy manner -like true Michigan fans. "When you cheer for the Maize and Blue, direct your efforts to the support of the team on the ice, not the fans and/or parents of the opposition." Fans did not appear to take any heed to the wapning as they dispensed their usual batc1'of cheers and chants toward opposing players and their parents. Many of the chants were directed at Michigan State goalie and Yost nemesis, Ryan Miller. But they didn't appear to distract last year's Hobey Baker Memo- rial Award winner, as he stopped 42 shots in the 1-1 tie. "I just try to have fun with that stuff," said Miller, who leads the CCHA with a 1.56 goals against average. "I don't take the comments as an insult, I just treat it as something to laugh about. The fans at Yost are pretty sharp and definitely had some good ones about me. They are USCHO ToP 15 Team Record Points '1. Denver (40) 22-2-0 600 2. New Hampshire 17-4-2 546 3. St. Cloud 20-4-1 518 4. Minnesota 17-4-4 460 5. Michigan State 17-5-3 419 6. Boston University 14-5-2 400 7. Mass.-Lowell 16-5-1 398 8. Michigan 13-7-5 .289 9. Colorado College 14-8-2 246 10. Northern Michigan 15-7-2 245 11. Maine 13-7-4 200 12. Cornell 11-5-1 184 13. Alaska-Fairbanks 14-8-2 91 14. Ohio State 14-8-2 61 15. Nebraska-Omaha 14-9-3 40 definitely getting better." While the fans didn't bother Miller, he said that few of their comments were clean enough to be repeated. Some of the most popular chants directed at Miller include "ugly goalie" when Miller (or any goalie) takes off their mask and an applause thanking 'him for putting his mask back on. Miller is not the only player amused by the fans at Yost Saturday night. Freshman Charlie Henderson, an East Lansing native whose three uncles are the rink manager, music director and color commentator at Michigan State's Munn Ice Arena, had not heard some of the remarks until coming to Michigan. "The one I always laugh at is the 'ugly parents' chant," Henderson said. "But I think, 'If you can't get into col- lege, go to State' is the fminiest one I've heard all year. A lot of them are hilari- ous and keep the mood light" Despite the largest crowd at Yost since the renovation in 1997-98, there were no reported problems in the stands. Coach Red Berenson thought it was the best crowd the Wolverines have had all year. Michigan will play seven of its remaining 10 games at home. Rutherford, DaCosta clicking for Michigan By Albert Kim Daily Sports Writer In doubles, you can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't click with your partner, it's a disas- ter in the making. Fortunately for the Michigan women's tennis team, the freshmen doubles duo of Leanne Rutherford and Michelle DaCosta found instant chemistry the moment they stepped onto a court together. "It's hard to explain," Rutherford said. "We just have a really good sense of where one another is on the court, and we have lots of fun." "From the very first match, we just clicked together," DaCosta said. What makes this chemistry more intriguing is the difference in the outward personalities of DaCosta and Rutherford. At first glance, they seem as different as their hm~trniirr - Ruitherford is from On the other hand, DaCosta is more soft-spoken and serious. But DaCosta says that she and Ruther- ford are more similar than it appears. "Leanne talks more, but we have the same kind of personality," DaCosta said. "There are people on the team that are louder than both of us." Rutherford agrees. "I like to laugh," Rutherford said. "But we're all happy and we always have a good time." Personalities aside, the two get along on and off the court. This was made blatantly obvious to Western Michigan and DePaul last weekend as Rutherford and DaCosta went undefeated in doubles play - even though they played in the No. 1 spot. "Coming in they were both pretty strong, and they've gotten much better since :comine~ here," No. 1 '.'. '';>; 'cry' 4.z.' i? ,xx?-3 z> 'f ', i , <: nsr. . i r':f.« ,: 5:. ., yxS:a ' e ,: o".. " 4; " ::,;::x;.:<.:ycgv".. ,' h.: « o s ' ' 'wr '.:. a. ,c rs>. k. .gin., 43u. # ; ;.. :. ..k..z ....: a+.. ';;k. ':io 'sk. ;': ;<. .: cv a FI