The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - March 3, 2003 - 3B
YESTERDAY'SGAME
~tL Minnesota
Michigan
76
63
Cagers
By Josh Holman
Daily Sports Writer
fall
to
last
STEVE
JACKSON
''?;
THURSDAY'S GAME
Ohio State
Michigan
70
55
Gueva-rant
"We gave them problems, too. The
only problem was they were scoring
and we weren't. We must have
missed 12 or 13 layups, "- Michigan
coach Sue Guevara, on her team's fail-
ure to convert after penetrating.
Key Stat
10
The number of points off turnovers Min-
nesota converted in the first half. The
lead its built off its defense was too
much for the Wolverines to recover
from in the second half.
Daily's MVP
ownsay Whaen
The Golden Gopher junior scored a
quiet 21 points, scoring 10 in the first
half and 11 in the second half.
Whalen's consistent play along with her
part in the trap defense burned the
Michigan backcourt.
YESTERDAY'S GAME
Minnesota (76)
FG FT REB
MIN M-A M-A O-T A F PTS
Von Wald 39 510 4-4 1-4 1 118
Anderson 36 4-9 1-1 4-8 3 2 9
McCarville 33 611 1-3 2-9 1 4 13
Schonrock 37 4-7 2-2 01 5 2 12
Whalen 30 7-12266 02 4 3 21
Hill- 11 1-2 00 1-1 1 3 2
Lieser 3 0-0 0-0 00 0 0 0
Bolden 11 04 1-2 24 0 0 1
Totals 200 2755 IS81140 15 15 76
FG%: .491. FT%: .833. 3-pont FG: 7-12, .583 (Von
Wald 4-5, Schonrock 24, Whalen 1-1, Bolden 01,
Hill 0-1). Blocks: 4 (McCarville 3, Anderson).
Steals: 5 (McCarville 2, Schonrock 2, Hill).
Turnovers: 15 (Schonrock 4, Hill 3, Whalen 3,
Anderson 2, Bolden, McCarville, Von Wald). Techni-
cal Fouls: none.
MICHIGAN (63)
FG FT REB
MIN M-A M-A 0-T A F PTS
Pool 33 613 00 410 0 1 13
Gandy 30 1-9 00 2-3 2 1 2
Smith 29 5-10 5-6 0-3 0 1 15
Carney 23 1-2 3-4 0-0 1 2 5
Reams 33 46 22 1-3 6 1 10
Andrews 17 2-3 2-2 0-2 0 3 6
Hauser-Price 7 12 00 0-0 0 2 2
Goodlow 9 01 00 01 1 2 0
Burlin 6 0-1 00 0-0 0 2 0
ies,.. 13; ,45 22,12 0 2 10
Totals 200 2452 14-1613431017 63
FG%:.462. FT%:.875.3-pont FG: 1-3, .333 (Pool 1-
1, Gandy 03)e ylocks: 2 (Pool, Reams). Steals: 6
(Pool 3, Carney, Gandy, Hauser-Price). Turnovers:
14 (Carney 3, Goodlow 3, Andrews 2, Reams 2,
Burlin, Gandy, Pool, Smith). Technical fouls: none.
Minnesota............31 45 - 76
Michigan.............24 39 - 63
At: Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor
Attendance: 1,482
THURSDAY' S GAME
Michigan (55)
FG FT REB
MIN M-A M-A 0-T A F PTS
Pool 30 2-11 0-0 1-5 0 3 6
Gandy 31 4-12 0-0 4-4 3 1 9
Smith 31 513 2-3 3-6 0 3 12
Carney 30 01 00 02 6 1 0
Reams 19 2-6 1-2 1-2 1 2 5
Andrews 10 1-2 00 0-0 2 0 2
Hauser-Price 3 0-0 00 0-0 0 0 0
Goodlow 16 2-3 02 3-4 1 0 4
Burlin 5 00 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Bies 24 7-11 2-3 6-9 0 3 17
McPhiamy 1 0-1 O-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 200 23-60 5.10 203413 13 55
FG%: .383. FT%: .500. 3-pont FG: 4-13, .308 (Pool
2-5, Bies 1-1, Gandy 1-3, Carney 0-1, Smith 0-2,
Reams 02). Blocks: 0. Steals: 5 (Pool 2, Gandy,
Smith, carney) Turnovers: 16 (Reams 6, Pool 3,
Smith 2, Gandy, Carney, Andrews, Bies). Technical
Fouls: none.
OHIO STATE (70)
FG FT REB
MIN M-A M-A 0-T A F PTS
Reynolds 38 5-8 0-2 2-3 2 1 13
Shackleford 31 2-9 4-4 2-5 1 2 8
Coleman 27 59 36 25 1 4 13
Wilburn 36 5-9 2-2 1-4 7 0 13
Matter 37 6-15 0-0 1-7 3 1 16
Howe 9 0-0 0-0 0-1 1 0 0
Dark 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Turner 20 34 11 46 2 2 7
christenson 2 00 00 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 200 26-54 10-1513-33 17 10 70
FG%: .481. FT%: .667. 3-poInt FG: 8-20, .400 (Mat-
ter 4-20, Reynolds 3-6, Wilburn 1-1). Blocks: 3
(Turner 2, Shackleford). Steals: 8 (Coleman 3, Turn-
er 2, Shackleford, Wilburn, Matter). Turnovers: 12
(Reynolds 4, Wilburn 4, Turner 2, Coleman, Matter).
Technical fouls: none.
Michigan.....................29 26 - 55
Ohio State.... .......42 28 - 70
A St. John Arena, Columbus
Attendance: 3,985
The season came full circle for the Michigan women's
basketball team yesterday. It lost 76-63 to Big Ten power-
house Minnesota, the team that sent the Wolverines on their
vicious cycle of losses at the beginning of the season.
While the No. 13 Golden Gophers couldn't manage the
98 points that they poured onto Michigan in January, they
still proved themselves the superior team in Crisler Arena in
a game that seemed like business as usual for Minnesota.
The teams traded baskets to open up the game, but a sti-
fling Minnesota trap defense handcuffed the inexperienced
Wolverine backcourt, forcing some sloppy ballhandling. The
Gophers capitalized with 10 points off of turnovers in the
first half, and a 19-4 run that lasted 7:20 was enough to
keep Minnesota up for good.
"We knew coming in that pressure was going to bother
(Michigan), especially with the trap and their young guards"
Minnesota coach Pam Borton said. "I think every Big Ten
team knows each other like the back of their hand and that
was one thing we wanted to take advantage of."
Minnesota's lead hovered just below 10 points for most of
the second half. Junior Lindsay Whalen led all scorers with
a reasonably quiet 21 points. The Wolverines were most
noticeably hurt by Minnesota's senior Corrin Von Wald's 18
points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range.
The Gophers shot 7-of-12 as a team from beyond the arc,
serving the Wolverines more problems from the guard posi-
tion, a spot they've had trouble defending all year.
On the flip side, Michigan gave the Minnesota guards
some problems of their own, picking up a number of points
off the drive - a tactic that has been absent in the Wolver-
ines' gameplan for most of the season.
"I thought our penetration was better today than it has
been," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "But it's a matter
of finishing. We were able to get to the basket, we just had
problems putting it in the hole.''
With the victory, Minnesota (12-4 Big Ten, 24-4 overall)
wrapped up the second seed for Thursday's upcoming Big
Ten Tournament. While a Penn State victory over Wisconsin
negated any chance for a share of the Big Ten title, Min-
nesota's conference and overall marks are still the school's
best in the NCAA era, an impressive feat for a program in
disrepair only two years ago.
The Wolverines seem to have replaced the Gophers as the
Big Ten team facing major problems. After reaching the
NCAA Tournament two years ago, Michigan has suffered
two straight years of disappointing Big Ten seasons (6-10, 3-
13) after promising nonconference starts. The only hope of
Senos just a
it's spring training time again in Ari-
zona and Florida. Sports fans hear
that and release a collective boo. But
despite all the problems facing baseball,
it is still without question the No. 2
sport in America.
Yes, my favorite baseball team will
continue to suck. But with Alan Tram-
mell at the helm, my boys probably
won't lose 100 games again this year.
Yes, the big-spending Yankees and
their 326 top-notch starting pitchers are
going to make noise in the postseason
A lot more Americans care about base-
ball.
While most fans won't admit it, it is
not so much the superstars of baseball or
the actual games themselves that draws
us to the ballpark. It is the intangible fac-
tors that make it our national pastime.
Those same intangibles are responsi-
ble for the record-setting attendance in
minor league baseball last season (more
then 38 million tickets sold), as well as
the huge television ratings success sto-
ries of the College World Series and the
Americans love to hate
their national pastime
again.
Yes, 99 percent of
big-league players are
overpaid. Example: Jose
Lima made almost $6
million dollars in 2002
despite the fact that his
bloated 7.77 ERA made
him a part-time starter
for the hapless Detroit
Tigers.
While the whole of this
nation may despise the
fact that Jim Thome
scratches himself 15
times between each
pitch, America still loves
baseball.
Little League World
Series on ESPN.
Baseball is a game
that anyone can play.
Sammy Sosa's family
would never have had
enough money to let
him take up hockey, and
David Eckstein won a
World Series in Ana-
DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily
Junior Stephanie Gandy is met by a crew of Gophers on the
drive. Gandy shot 1-of-9 for only two points.
any type of postseason play for Michigan is if the team runs
the table at the Big Ten Tournament.
"I don't know if I'd call it a relief (finishing the regular
season)," senior LeeAnn Bies said. "But now it's time to go.
It's one and done."
Bies was honored during a pregame ceremony along with
fifth-year senior Raina Goodlow as they played their final
game at Crisler Arena. The emotions may have transferred
to the rest of the team, who opened the game with a notice-
able amount of energy, but it wasn't enough for a win.
"We all said in the huddle before the game that we wanted
to play for Raina and Bies," junior Jennifer Smith said. "I
think we played hard for them this game."
nothier game'
d Michigan State. TOUGH TRAP: Michigan has relied
1 face Illinois on heavily on its corps of freshman
polis. guards, and they have often produced
an and Northwest- some costly turnovers. In yesterday's
he regular season game, Minnesota came out early in the
nce records, the first half with a stifling half-court trap.
ie-breaker for the The resulting turnovers led to just four
Ten looks at the Michigan points over an 11-minute
ference opponent span in the first half.
ed - Michigan "(The trap) rattled us," Michigan
ed Indiana while coach Sue Guevara said. "We didn't
ifth-plaeed Michi-' come to the ball to help our guards."
Michigan rotated through four dif-
time the two teams ferent freshmen guards as the Wolver-
, Illinois forced 29 ines coughed up the ball 12 times -
a season-high, in eight by freshmen, and they were held
to just eight points combined.
Yes, many of best ballplayers in the
world are jacked up on a variety of per-
formance-enhancing substances, endan-
gering their lives and reproductive
organs in the process.
But guess what? Nobody in America
really cares.
Oh, they say they care. It seems like
every man, woman and child with vocal
cords will complain about baseball, and
those without the ability to speak will
use computers to air their misgivings
about the sport.
They say the games take too long.
They say it's boring. And while the
whole of this nation may despise the
fact that Jim Thome scratches himself
15 times between each pitch, that does-
n't change the fact that America loves
baseball.
According to a nationwide poll of
40,000 sports fans conducted by ESPN,
a whopping 78 percent say they follow
professional baseball. Although that
number is considerably below the 89
percent earned by the NFL, it is well
ahead of the NBA (64) and NHL (44).
The world of motor sports continues
to use smoke and mirrors to convince
people that have teeth and don't live in
West Virginia of its legitimacy. But the
reality is that just 19 percent of sports
fans follow NASCAR at all. That is less
than figure skating.
The NHL and NASCAR have a high-
er percentage of avid fans, but don't let
a few people that make a ton of noise
and spent a ton of money confuse you.
heim despite a 5-foot-8, 170-pound
frame that would never have a chance at
the NBA.
Baseball is a game that has real histo-
ry. For more than a hundred years our
country has embraced the sport that the
movie "Field of Dreams" called "a
game of fathers and sons." Baseball is
one of a very few things in American
culture that can unite multiple genera-
tions. When I called my great grand-
mother, who lived to be more than 100
years old, we would often speak about
her beloved Chicago Cubs. I'll never
forget when she told me that they paid
too much money for Sammy Sosa.
Those are experiences that the other
sports just can't touch.
- Baseball is a game that is woven into
the very fabric of American culture.
Other once great sports, like boxing,
have faded into what Mike Tyson calls
"Bolivian." But baseball maintains its
tremendous influence. Just look at the
baseball phrases we use every day, in
our casual conversations. One employee
may land a "home run" job, but another
person looking for the same opportunity
appears to have "struck out." That is,
until something else comes "straight out
of left field."
Next time you think that baseball
fans are a dying breed among America's
youth; just try to imagine a world with-
out "second base."
Steve Jackson can be reached at sjjack-
so@umich.edu
By Brian Schick
Daily Sports Writer
After yesterday's game, seniors
LeeAnn Bies and Raina Goodlow were
honored as their respective college
careers came to an end. But after the
ceremony, it was just another game for
the two co-captains.
"Coming into today;
it felt just like a nor-'
mal game," Goodlow
said. "After being hon-
ored, it felt like the last
home game, and I was
grateful for all the sup-
port."
lost to sixth-seedec
This year, they wil
Thursday in Indianap
Although Michiga
ern both finished tl
with 3-13 confere
Wildcats won the t
10th seed. The Big
highest seeded con
each team defeat
defeated ninth-plac
Northwestern beat f
gan State.
The last and only t
faced off this season
Michigan turnovers,
an 89-57 loss.
$o°
Similar to recent games, Bies and
Goodlow saw limited playing time - a
combined 21 minutes - but were still
important to the team's overall morale
and support from the bench. As a
result, the other players tried their best
to win one last game for their captains.
"I think we played hard for the sen-
iors," sophomore Tabitha Pool said.
"We were working really hard today
and hustling (for them)."
Both Bies and Goodlow have played
118 career games for the Maize and
Blue, one shy of the Michigan career
record. But Goodlow's career has cov-
ered five seasons, as she redshirtted
last season due to a staph infection.
After struggling to overcome the infec-
tion and persevering to return for a
fifth season, it was that much more dif-
ficult to see the last home game.
"I'm just happy to be playing,"
Goodlow said. "Last year could have
been a fatal infection, and I'm proud I
was able to come back."
Despite all the emotion before the
game, both Bies and Goodlow feel that
the season is far from over with the Big
Ten Tournament beginning later this
week.
"Today was bittersweet because it
was the last home game, but we still
have the Big Ten Tournament to deal
with," said Bies. "We still have work
to do"
LONG ROAD TO THE TOP: For the first
time since the Big Ten instituted its
postseason tournament in 1995, Michi-
gan will begin the Big Ten Tournament
from the 11th and last seed. In the
inaugural tournament, the Wolverines
2003 Big Ten Tournament
A k
}ttMM 4N4
1. Penn State
(13-3, 23-7)
8. Indiana
(5-11, 12-14)
3:00 PM
9. Wisconsin
(5-11, 7-20) /
12:00 PM
4. Ohio State
(10-6, 19-8)
2:30 PM
5. Michigan State
(10-6, 17-10)
2. Minnesota
(12-4, 23-4)
6:00 PM
3. Purdue
(12-4, 23-5)
3:30 PM
7:00 PM
6:00 PM
7. Iowa
(6-10, 14-13)
5:30 PM
10. Northwestern
(3-13, 8-19)
BIG TEN
TOURNAMENT
CHAMPIONS
6. Illinois
(9-7, 17-10)
BIG TEN
Team
Penn State
Minnesota
Purdue
Ohio State
Michigan State
Illinois
Iowa
Indiana
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Michigan
STANDINGS
Conference Overall
W L W L
13 3 22 7
12 4 23 4
12 4 23 5
10 6 19 8
10 6 17 10
9 7 17 10
6 10 14 13
5 11 12 14
5 11 7 20
3 13 8 18
3 13 12 15
8:30 PM
8:00 PM
11. MICHIGAN
(3-13, 12-15)
Thursday, March 6
Friday, March 7
Sunday, March 9 Monday, March 10
~I.__I
Sall 71( J
$2.00 Off **"A(
Any Purchase of $15 Or More
Must Mention Coupon When Ordering " Coupons May
Not Be Combined With Any Other Offer. Expires 4/30/03
Weekend results:
Minnesota 76, MICHIGAN 63
MICHIGAN STATE 75, Northwestern 43
Purdue 78, IOwA 68
PENN STATE 76, Wisconsin 55
INDIANA 85, Illinois 82 (OT)
Thursday's results:
OHIO STATE 70, Michigan 55
PURDUE 74, Indiana 48
Michigan State 68, IOwA 58
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