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SPORTS
michigandaily.com/sports
sportsdesk@umich.edu
WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 16, 2002
11
r
'M' looks to turn 'Cats
into road kill tonight
By Steve Jackson
Daily Sports Writer
On Jan. 6, Florida State shocked the world
with a 77-76 upset of No. 1 Duke. Earlier this
year the Seminoles fell to Bill Carmody's
Northwestern Wildcats in the Big Ten/ACC
turning the ball over on five of their first six
possessions.
Northwestern also ranks last in the Big Ten
in free-throw shooting (.604) and rebounding
margin (-3.4 per game).
Michigan's top two offensive players
(LaVell Blanchard and Bernard Robinson)
Challenge.
That prompted Ed Carmody,
the coach's eight-year-old son to
ask, "Does that make you No.
1?"
Who: Michig (
Ten, 6-7 overl
Nope, that would make Ford- western (0-3,
ham the nation's top team. After When:7:00p
all, the Jesuit school knocked off TV/Radio: No
the Wildcats earlier this year 63- (1050 AM)
60 on a neutral court in Bronx, Latest: Michi
N.Y to the Wildca
Northwestern (0-3 Big Ten, 8- two met at C
6 overall) pumped up its record
in the nonconference season with home wins
against Liberty, Virginia Commonwealth,
Chicago State and Louisiana-Lafayette.
But the Wildcats have not been nearly as
successful on the road, where they have yet to
lose by fewer than 10 points.
Michigan (2-2, 6-7) hopes that hosting
Northwestern may be the answer to its two-
game losing streak.
The Wolverines' tough and aggressive team
defense was supposed to be a staple of new
coach Tommy Amaker's program. But in the
last two games, Michigan's opponents have
been shooting like they were in an empty
gym. Illinois shot 68 percent on Saturday and
Minnesota converted at a 69 percent clip a
week ago in Minneapolis.
"Both of those teams played very well
against us offensively," Amaker said. "They
have a lot of weapons, a lot of guys who can
score. We've done better against teams that
might not have as many weapons."
Northwestern, which ranks last in the Big
Ten with just 62 points per game, may be one
of those teams.
"Shooting is so important, and right now
we are not a good shooting team," Carmody
said after his team's 55-48 home loss to Ohio
State.
The Wildcats fell behind 8-0 in that game,
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gan lost 75-70
ats when the
risler last year.
each shoot more than 83 percent
from the charity stripe:
That could be a key for the
Wolverines if the game remains
close down the stretch.
But Michigan cannot enter this
game with too much confidence,
because last year over spring
break the Wildcats triumphed 75-
70 in Crisler Arena.
"The teams are pretty similar
- we both have a lot of the same
guys coming back," Carmody
said. "Our players know about it. Their players
know about it. I don't make a big deal about it
either way."
The Michigan players didn't appear to be
considering the teams' history either.
"Did we lose to them?" senior tri-captain
Rotolu Adebiyi asked yesterday.
Carmody left Princeton a year and a half
ago to begin the rebuilding process with the
Wildcats, who have been without a senior
scholarship player for the last two seasons.
During that time they amassed a 16-44
record.
But Jitim Young may be part of the answer
for this hapless program. The sophomore
guard is the first Chicago high schooler to
accept a scholarship to Northwestern since
1990. He currently is among the Big Ten lead-
ers in points (15) and steals (2.3).
Another sharpshooter that the Wolverines
will have to watch is Vedran Vukusic, who
hails from the same hometown in Croatia as
Toni Kukoc of the Atlanta Hawks.
Vukusic opened the season 11-for-Il from
beyond the arc. As a team, the Wildcats lead
the Big Ten with more than eight 3-pointers
per contest.
This will be one of just two Big Ten
games all season that will not be broadcast
on television.
A-Train'
named top
offensive
rooke
The Associated Press
Anthony Thomas, not even a starter
in Chicago at the beginning of the
season, still rolled to a 1,000-yard
performance that earned him The
Associated Press Offensive Rookie of
the Year award yesterday.
Thomas, Michigan's all-time lead-
ing rusher, was a backup to James
Allen at the start of the season. By
midseason, he was an overpowering
presence in the Bears' backfield, help-
ing them to the NFC Central title.
"A lot of people didn't think I could
do it," said Thomas, the Bears' sec-
ond-round draft pick last year. "But
Chicago had faith in me and gave me
an opportunity, and I tried to make
the best of it."
He did precisely that, operating
behind an improved line and keying a
balanced attack that complemented a
superb defense. Thomas rushed for
1,183 yards and seven touchdowns,
with four 100-yard efforts. He compiled
his impressive numbers despite missing
two games with a hamstring injury and
totaling three carries for 9 yards in the
first two weeks of the season.
But when he got on track, Thomas
showed why his nickname is "A-
Train."
"It's a good offense for a running
back," he said. "Our offensive line did
a great job and our receivers always
do a great job of blocking downfield
to help me out. I think it always help
when you're a part of a good team
that is jelling at the right time."
Thomas earned 20 votes, beating
San Diego running back LaDainian
Tomlinson, who had 16.
Behind Thomas and Tomlinson
were Miami wide receiver Chris
Chambers with seven votes and Ari-
zona guard Leonard Davis with five.
DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily
Michigan sophomore center Josh Moore won't suit up against Northwestern tonight, or any other night.
The University dismissed him yesterday for falling to meet its academic requirements.
Moore fouls out of college
By Joe Smith
Daily Sports Editor
After meeting with several administrators
from the Division of Kinesiology, Josh Moore is
no longer a student at the University.
The Michigan Athletic Department announced
his dismissal yesterday for "failure to meet the
University's academic requirements."
"It's disappointing," Michigan coach Tommy
Amaker said. "He's bright, articulate and has a
lot of qualities people would think are positive.
It's unfortunate that things haven't worked out
for him."
While teammates are unsure of Moore's future
or if he'll try to return to the Wolverines next
fall, junior Gavin Groninger said that Moore has
some other options available to him."
"It's a tough situation for him," Groninger
said. "But at least he's got some other opportu-
nities out there. He could transfer to another
college or work out overseas. I don't know."
A herniated disk in his back dramatically lim-
ited Moore's practice time in the first few
months of the season, as the sophomore played
in just three games, averaging 5.7 points and 11
minutes per contest.
In early December, Moore's injury brought
him to the end of his rope, and he said that he
would speak with Amaker about a possible sea-
son-ending back surgery and a medical redshirt.
But Amaker didn't need to make that choice.
The new coach effectively ended Moore's sea-
son on Dec. 22, when he declared the 7-foot-2
center academically ineligible and dismissed
him from the team.
Moore played in 29 games for the Wolverines,
averaging 4.6 points and 2.6 rebounds. His
departure marks the eighth time in the past four
years that a basketball player who signed with
Michigan failed to finish his sophomore year.
Moore could not be reached for comment.
Icers turn up intensity with Spartans looming
School catches up with Fraser; former walk-on leaves team to focus attention on grades
By Naweed Sikora
Daily Sports Writer
After taking Monday off, the No.
8 Michigan hockey team returned to
the ice for practice yesterday after-
noon with green in its eyes.
Saturday, the Wolverines will play
No. 6 Michigan State for the first
time since the two skated to a 3-3
tie at the "Cold War" in October.
Although the event will be much
less extravagant, the game will be
just as intense and have much more
riding on it, said Michigan coach
Red Berenson.
"That game was a good experi-
ence for both teams with the envi-
ronment and the crowd," Berenson
said. "But we have a much more
simple event coming up. I don't
think we are looking back as much
as we are looking ahead. We real-
ized from that game that both these
teams match up pretty well, and
either team could have won that
game."
Well into the second half of the
season, it seems appropriate that the
Wolverines are looking to the
future. But the memory of Michigan
State freshman Jim Slater's blast
from the point that tied the game up
with just 47 seconds left still lingers
in the back of their minds.
"We had a chance to put it away,
but they tied it up at the end," senior
Craig Murray said. "But it's a one-
game weekend for us, so we just
have to put it all on the line.
"You come to Michigan to play
against Michigan State. It's a big
attraction and you don't ever want
to lose. Bragging rights, first place
- everything is on the line."
Even though the coaches gave the
team a day off Monday, a players-
only practice was held in order to
prepare for this weekend. The inten-
sity that comes out in practice this
week will be a major indication of
how the Wolverines will come out
Saturday night.
"It's important to have a good
week of practice, because we know
they're going to be ready to play,"
Michigan goalie Josh Blackburn
said.
"Our emphasis will be on getting
our team ready to play the kind of
game it needs to play," Berenson
said. "We need to play with passion
and discipline."
Usually, the Michigan hockey
team ends its first practice of the
week with a light skate. But things
were a little different yesterday.
Instead of a light skate, the
Wolverines finished with sprints.
FRASER LEAVES TEAM: Berenson
announced yesterday that junior
defenseman Brad Fraser has decided
to leave the Michigan hockey team
in order to focus on his academics
at the University. Fraser joined the
team as a walk-on when he came
three years ago.
"He came and talked to me last
Monday," Berenson said. "He told
me that he needed to concentrate on
academics. I respect his decision. I
am glad he recognizes that his aca-
demic future is more important than
his hockey future, and I support
him."
RESTING up: Junior Mike Cam-
malleri and freshman Eric Nystrom
did not skate at practice yesterday.
Nystrom is trying to recover from
an ankle injury suffered in Friday
night's 7-0 win over Alaska-Fair-
banks.
"The X-rays didn't show any-
thing, but he told me it was really
sore on Sunday," Berenson said. "It
hurts for him to put a skate on, but
he felt better Monday, and he felt
better today, so we'll see tomorrow."
Cammalleri, who has been slight-
ly under the weather the past few
days, was given the day off.
STATE OF ALERT: Michigan State
defeated Ferris State 3-2 last night
in a rare Tuesday night CCHA
game.
The victory moved the Spartans
conference record to 12-4-1, giving
them a two-point lead over Michi-
gan in the standings heading into
Saturday night's game.
Ferris State fell to 8-9-1 on the
year and remained in sixth place.
Spartan forwards Steve Jackson
and Lee Falardeau were injured dur-
ing the game, and will miss Satur-
day's battle with the Wolverines.
BRENDANO'DONNELL/Daily
Kyle Smith (left) and his Michigan teammates will take an undefeated team record
to the National Team Dual Meet Championships this weekend.
B " 3
Brink's status stilup
i a
1nr fror Duas -meet
By Rohit Bhave
Daily Sports Writer
At the National Team Dual Meet
Championships this weekend in
Columbus, the Michigan wrestling
team will be facing the nation's best.
As the No. 4 seed in the tournament,
the Wolverines will face Edinboro in
the first round. If they win, No. S
Iowa and No. 1 Minnesota stand in
their way of the championship.
Given the grueling nature of this
weekend's competition, Michigan
coach Joe McFarland wants to retain
his team's conditioning and intensi-
ty.
The Wolverines (6-0) will be
using shorter, crisper practices to
ready themselves. With two after-
noons of hard competition awaiting,
fatigue and injury is something
McFarland wants to avoid.
"I think the guys are in great
... _hnnP , .'r. i t unina to fine-
weekend as he returns to form.
Brink "looked pretty good (last
night) - it didn't bother him at all,"
McFarland said.
Although Brink's injury affects
the Wolverines' depth, Michigan
still has the enviable advantage of
competing with some of the nation's
top wrestlers - in practice. In addi-
tion to headliners like No. 4 Andy
Hrovat (184 weight-class) and No. 2
Otto Olson (174), wrestlers like No.
5 Ryan Bertin (157), No. 6 Mike
Kulczycki (149), No. 10 Foley
Dowd (133) and No. 10 A.J. Grant
(125) provide top-flight competition
for their teammates.
"We've had some really good
practices this year," McFarland said.
"It takes all 32 guys pushing each
other."
Wrestling is a sport that's incredi-
bly reliant on work ethic, and this
year's squad certainly possesses that
ualityi in ahnanen.
Blue desperate for Bies'confidence, leadership
By Jim Weber
Daily Sports Writer
After finishing third on the team in scoring and
second in rebounding as a freshman, LeeAnn Bies
told Michigan women's basketball coach Sue Gue-
vara something she will never forget.
"She told me she had a really good freshman year
because there weren't any expectations," Guevara
said. "There weren't any expec-
tations, so she could just go out BASKETBALL
and play. Well, maybe now
there are some expectations." omment ry
The expectations started at
Big Ten Media Day on Oct. 28, when Michigan was
announced as a preseason favorite to win the confer-
ence and Bies was selected to the preseason All-Big
Ten first team.
Bies quickly started to earn the accolades by car-
rying the team through its early 10-game winning
streak. She recorded double-doubles in Michigan's
victories over defending national chamnion Notre
Unfortunately, Bies has even less confidence in
herself now than she did then. Bies hasn't just doubt-
ed herself in the final 10 seconds of the game; she
has doubted herself for the entire 40 minutes. In
Michigan's last two games against Ohio State and
Penn State, Bies has combined for just 12 points on
as many shots from the field.
Coach Guevara has made it clear that she is not
going to push Bies harder. Instead, her coach wants
to take pressure away from Bies and give the star
center time to regain her form. In fact, Guevara said
that Bies would not be starting if Raina Goodlow was
not out for the season with an infection. That way,
Bies would have gotten a chance to watch the game
and see what she could do differently. But without
that option, Guevara has thrust fellow center Jennifer
Smith into Bies' lead role on offense, because Smith
has something Bies does not: Self-confidence.
"We are going to go to Jennifer Smith," Guevara
said. "I keep telling her (Smith), 'You're good. I have
all the confidence in the world in you.' And she tells
that to herself and she believes it. So let's put the
Furthermore, if Bies has never been a leader
before, will she know how to play that role now?
At 1-5 in the Big Ten, Bies is in the same situation
she faced at the free throw line against Washington;
everyone is counting on her to bring Michigan from
behind. Except, now the entire season is on the line,
and there is no time for someone else to help Bies if
she misses.
x~VVx.x.:.:VV,..~ .~ '~ U N.~' -