The Michigan Daily - Friday, March 29, 2002 - 9 Davis finally relieved of his shadow ATLANTA (AP) - Mike Davis took the criti- cism a little too hard. He fretted about the impact on his family. He even thought of quit- ting. Good thing the Indiana coach decided to stick it out. Davis began to escape the imposing shadow of Bob Knight by taking the Hoosiers to their first Final Four since 1992. While the BASKETBALL journey was ultimately Notebook rewarding, there was plenty of discord along the way. "I knew it was going to be a tough task," Davis said Wednesday. "I just wasn't ready for how tough it's been." Anyone who succeeded Knight - especially after the General was forced out under nasty cir- cumstances - was going to face resentment in the Hoosier Nation. Still, Davis let the condem- nation become a little too personal. "Now I understand it's not about me," he said. "It's about being the guy who followed coach Knight." Tomorrow, Indiana meets Oklahgma before more than 50,000 fans at the Georgia Dome. Kansas and Maryland, both No. 1 seeds, are paired in the other semifinal. The winners will play Monday night for the championship. COVERDALE STILL IN QUESTION: Indiana point guard Tom Coverdale is off crutches but is still questionable for the national semifinal tomor- row night because of his sprained ankle. The team won't make a decision on whether he plays until game time, Hoosiers spokesman Jeff Fanter said yesterday. Coverdale, a starter, sprained his left ankle last Saturday in the Hoosiers' 81-69 victory over Kent State in the South Regional Championship. Indiana coach Mike Davis instructs sophomore standout Jared Jeffries. The Hoosiers face off against Oklahoma in the national semifinals tomorrow. LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily Michigan freshman Leanne Rutherford stepped up when it counted last night, fighting back from a 5-3 first set deficit to win her match 7-5, 6-1. He rode a stationary brcycle for the second straight day yesterday. Earlier this week he was on crutches and wore an "ice boot" If Coverdale can't play, he would be replaced by freshman Donald Perry. Coverdale, the MVP of the regional, is second on the team in scoring at 12.2 points a game. His 172 assists are almost double the next best total on the team. HOGS HIRE HEATH: After a 30-win season and whirlwind ride through the NCAA tournament, Stan Heath was hired yesterday as the successor to Nolan Richardson as the coach at Arkansas. Heath, who guided Kent State to the final eight of the NCAA tournament, replaces the only coach to lead the Razorbacks to an NCAA basketball title. Richardson was fired one game shy of completing his 17th year at the school. Heath called Richardson a pioneer for black basketball coaches. "I'd like to thank Coach Richardson," said Heath, who is black. "He's opened up barriers. He's a leader." Arkansas hopes Heath can extend his one year of success at Kent State to a school that won the NCAA title in 1994 and made three Final Fours between 1990 and 1995. "We have a coach here who can continue the great tradition of Eddie Sutton and Nolan Richardson," athletic director Frank Broyles said. Heath inherits a team that was 14-15 last sea- son. He said he talked to Richardson before accepting the job. "I feel like Coach Richardson would want me to be here," Heath said. S PARTANS Continued from Page 8 an interesting situation." The other match that gained the atten- tion of the crowd was freshman Leanne Rutherford's No. 4 singles match against the Spartans' Mandy Caldemeyer. Ruther- ford was facing defeat in the first set, down 5-3. But faced with adversity, she began to pick up her game. Carefully selecting her shots and dictating play, Rutherford won the next four games on the way to a 7-5 victory. After being worn out by Rutherford's commanding play, Caldemeyer dropped the second set 6-1, putting Michigan ahead 3-2 in the match scoring. "When I'm down, it always makes me more eager to fight back," Rutherford said. "Winning the first set gave me momentum and helped me through my second set." The loss gives Michigan an even record heading into Sunday's match against No. 2 Wake Forest, the highest-ranked opponent the Wolverines will face this season. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. Who: Michigan (1-4 Big Ten, 7-7 overall) vs. No. 2 Wake Forest (3-0 ACC, 16-2) When: Noon Latest: Wake Forest's Bea Bielik won the ACC Player of the Week for the second time this season. She is ranked No. 1 nationally in both singles and doubles. Rowers counting on Ketcheson to lead By Steve Jackson Daily Sports Editor This weekend the torch will be passed. All-American Kate Johnson led the Michi- gan rowing team to a second-place finish at the NCAA Championships last sea- son, but this weekend her seat will 0 6 be filled by a freshman. BELLEVI Not just any first-year rower can step into that spotlight and and Virginia shine, but Leah Ketcheson is up When: Tomor to the challenge of the coveted and 2 p.m. "stroke seat." Latest: The We The person in the stroke seat, ished second< which is located at the stern of the Championshil boat, is important because all the but lost All-Am other rowers can see her during Johnson to gr the race. This enables her to set the rhythm. "She's mentally tough and has a very consis- tent stroke," said Michigan coach Mark Roth- m LL an ro Nol at ps me ad stein, who was named National Coach of the Year last spring by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association. "It's very unusual for a freshman to get the stroke seat." In fact, the only other person to accomplish that feat as a freshman was Johnson, the only rower ever to be named to the All- ' " America first team on three sepa- E LAKE rate occasions. .DukeBut the rest of the first varsity . Du eight have plenty of experience, as w at 9 a.m. three seniors and coxswain Helen Dalis return from last season's run- verines fin- ner-up team. the NCAA "We have very high goals for last year, this season," Rothstein said. "We rican Kate have expectations of winning the uation. Big Ten and qualifying for nation- als. We have great speed, but it's too early to tell (if we can compete for the NCAA title)." Rothstein's squad will be tested tomorrow at Belleville Lake in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Michigan will take on Duke in the morning and perennial powerhouse Virginia in the afternoon. Ohio State will also participate but won't compete head-to-head with the Wolverines. According to Rothstein, rowing on its home course won't be a big advantage for Michigan. "There's not much of a crowd factor in our sport. It's mostly family and friends, and they can only really be a factor for 20 strokes of the race," said Rothstein, who expects around 200- 300 people to attend tomorrow, despite the starting temperature forecast of 36 degrees. Braving the cold weather is something that the Wolverines have plenty of experience with. After training through this year's brutal Michigan spring, the Wolverines could have an edge when the cold air starts blowing. "We're definitely used to it," Rothstein said. "We train out there for 100 hours for every minute of competition. The girls are really excited." AS CONTROLLER FOR A MAJOR SPEND $800,000 ON FASHION HOUSE YOU A SHOW THAT 12 MINUTES TRAVEL 6,760 MILES TO OPEN A FLAGSHIP STORE IN TOKYO CHARGE $ 1, 699 FOR A PIECE OF FABRIC 4 FT LONG START HERE. GO PLACES. If you know business and accounting, you can get a job anywhere. 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