C
14 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 21, 2003
'M' gains from extra work
'Crowd-pleaser' Petway ready to showcase dunking talent
Fatigued Blue looks
to rebound at Toledo
By Danl Bremmer
Daily Sports Writer
It can never hurt to get a head start.
While most schools around the country couldn't
hold any practices until Saturday morning - with
many choosing to host "Midnight Madness" at
12:01 a.m. - coach Tommy
Amaker and the Michigan basket-
ball had been practicing for two O
weeks. 8
Because the Wolverines par-
ticipated in an out-of-country
exhibition tour in Toronto over
the University's fall break, Amaker was able to
get an exception and held 10 official practices
before the tour.
"We like to think that it will be an advantage,
but time will tell," Amaker said. "We have nine
freshmen and sophomores, and so when you look
at our roster and our team, maybe to have a cou-
ple extra (practices) here and there and a game or
two, we're hoping that can pay dividends for us
down the road."
In addition to the benefit of having extra time to
work with the team, the Wolverines are also hoping
that their youth will be an advantage this year. Just
three players on this year's roster are upperclass-
men, which is almost unheard of around the
nation. And just one of those three (senior Bernard
Robinson) has logged significant minutes at
Michigan - senior Colin Dill appeared in just
four games last year, and junior transfer J.C. Math-
is has yet to play a game in a Michigan uniform.
"I thought our youth, a year ago, was as big of a
reason that we were able to have a winning season
and turn things around for our program as any,"
Amaker said. "They came from winning environ-
ments, winning families, winning programs, so
that's what they were accustomed to, and I thought
that really bode well for our team. I'm hoping that
will continue (this season)."
Another advantage for Michigan is the NCAA
infractions committee's decision to overturn the
postseason ban that was imposed against the team
in May. With the ban lifted, the Wolverines have
increased incentive for their coming season.
"Individually, it's a goal that is now possible to
achieve," Robinson said. "When I heard (the ban
was lifted), I was really excited and couldn't wait to
get this season underway. It will give us that extra
push or motivation to make it to that tournament."
Amaker said that, after the NCAA's decision, he
hasn't seen a big change in his team's work ethic,
because of how hard the team had already been
working.
IT KEEPS GOING, AND GOING ...: You may already
know about one Michigan freshman, last year's
Michigan Mr. Basketball, Dion Harris.
Make way for Brent Petway.
Petway, a 6-foot-9 forward from McDonough,
Ga., brought the crowd to its feet on multiple occa-
sions with electrifying dunks during Michigan's
tour in Toronto, including several put-back slams.
Look for more of the same when Michgan starts its
season with the Maize and Blue scrimmage on Sat-
urday at Crisler.
"I love to hear the crowd roar," Petway said.
"I'm a crowd-pleaser. If the ball comes off the rim,
I'm trying to go up and dunk it on somebody. I just
try to get the crowd into the game, and that helps
the team, because once the crowd is in the game,
then you start to play harder. I feel like that is my
job. I'm like the energizer bunny."
In high school, Petway won the 2003 Florida-
Georgia Slam Dunk Championship, an event that
features the top high school seniors from the two
states.
By Steven Shears
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan women's swimming
and diving team knows today's meet is
going to be a challenge - even if it is
against Toledo.
Michigan comes off a tiring week-
end in which the Wolverines lost to
national powerhouse Florida and
return to the Midwest to face a much
lesser opponent in the Rockets. But
the level of competition does not con-
cern the Wolverines. Michigan wants
to use this meet to improve.
"This past weekend was tough,"
Michigan captain Anne Weilbacher
said. "There's tons of things we need
to work on, but we're just not sure
what just yet. This weekend is going to
be a test."
Said Michigan coach Jim Richard-
son: "We have some objectives that we
want to try to accomplish in the meet
from the standpoint of improving on
some things that we did Friday and
Saturday."
And this meet couldn't have come at
a better time. It is a convenient chance
to garner a victory while working on
the skills needed to be successful in
the long run.
"I go into this meet thinking more
on the lines of, 'Are we performing the
way we've trained; are we doing the
things we need to do at the end of the
season; and are we making any mis-
takes?' " Richardson said. "I think if
you do that, you get your minds on the
things that are going to make the dif-
ference at the end of the season when
you are trying to swim very, very fast."
But scoring is still important to the
Wolverines, especially since schedul-
ing provides the team with only a few
head-to-head meets.
However, it still comes second to
achieving the goal of improving fun-
damentals.
"All of our meets are important, we
don't have many of them," Richardson
said. "Of course, we pay attention to
the score, we don't train to come in
last.
"But the technicalities are what is
important in this meet. If you know
what is going to get you there: good
starts, good stroke technique and real-
ly good turns, but you spend all your
time focusing on how many points you
got, your emphasis on points is way
out of proportion to their value to
making a person a better swimmer and
a team a better team."
Michigan will look to take advantage
of its experience when it faces the
Rockets. Toledo lost five MAC finalists
from last year and lacks much depth.
But according to Richardson, the
Rockets have a few "foreign swim-
mers that can swim at a very high
level."
Obviously, this test cannot be over-
looked.
"I never take any opponent for
granted," Richardson said.
BRENDAN O'DONNELL/Daily
Michigan sophomore point guard Daniel Horton surveys
the court to find the open man.
Aubum-LSU highlights weak schedule of games
By Gennaro Filice
Daily Sports Writer
Yesterday, the infamous BCS rankings
made their first appearance of the 2003 cam-
paign. Directly under the espn.com version of
the poll is a long-winded
explanation for a ranking
system that's baffled many
while satisfying few. But, C
what's the point? Everyone
knows what's going to hap-
pen at the year's end: An
overrated mid-major will
whine, an underrated west coast team will
moan and a basketball conference will receive
its unearned courtesy bid.
No. 17 AUBURN AT No. 9 LoUIsIANA STATE
- 7:45 P.M., ESPN: In August, many ana-
lysts were talking up an outside, risque pick for
national champion - Auburn. But the Tigers'
Sears Trophy dreams lasted just two weeks.
Then-No. 8 Southern Cal. traveled to Auburn
and embarrassed the Tigers 23-0. One week
later, the Tigers lost at unranked Georgia Tech
17-3. Auburn's vaunted running attack was
kept out of the endzone in its first two games,
and its national title aspirations were crushed.
But, the Tigers are back on track. Junior
Carnell "Cadillac" Williams has separated
himself from his fellow Tigers in a talented
backfield and has led the Tigers to five
straight victories, including consecutive wins
over Tennessee and Arkansas. The win streak
stops in Death Valley, though.
Behind linebacker Lionel Turner and a host
of speed-burners, Louisiana State's defense is
the No. 4-ranked unit in the country. Cadillac
will turn jalopy against this furious front seven.
With running backs Joseph Addai and Shy-
rone Carey questionable for the game, true
freshman Alley Broussard needs to step up big
for the Tigers.
But the deciding factor in this SEC game
will be Tiger Stadium's ear-piercing crowd.
Thriving in night-game atmospheres, Death
Valley is arguably the toughest place to play in
the country. In the 1988 Auburn-Louisiana
State game, the Tigers scored their winning
touchdown with 1:41 left and the purple-and-
gold faithful set off a Baton Rouge seismo-
graph with a raucous celebration.
Louisiana State 24, Auburn 14
No. 12 NORTHERN ILNOIS AT No. 23 BOWL-
ING GREEN STATE - 4 P.M., ESPN2: Northern
Illinois is this year's college football night-
mare - a mid-major team that could go
undefeated and still be excluded from the
BCS. But BCS officials won't have to worry
- the Huskies' run will end this week.
Northern Illinois running back Michael
Turner ranks third nationally in rushing yards
(929) and boasts a 4.8 yards-per-carry aver-
age. "The Burner" has earned water cooler
Heisman talk since the Huskies first win over
Maryland. But Turner's not the most talented
player in the country or the Mid American
Football conference. Turner's not even the best
player in this game - Falcons quarterback
Josh Harris is. The senior passed for 357 yards
and three touchdowns in a victory over Purdue
and almost led the Falcons past Ohio State
with 326 yards through the air. Harris will sur-
pass 300 yards once again and lead the Fal-
cons past Northern Illinois in a shootout.
Bowling Green 38, Northern Illinois 35
No. 5 SOUTHERN CAL AT WASHINGTON -
12:30 P.M., ABC: With two of the most tal-
ented receivers in the country, this game will
boast Fourth of July-quality fireworks. It's the
battle for the Williams surname - Mike vs.
Reggie. Each player boasts a freak of nature
physique. Mike is 6-foot-5, 230 pounds. Reg-
gie is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds. Both boast 4.4
40-yard dashes. But like Southern Cal. is bet-
ter than Washington, Mike Williams is superi-
or to Reggie Williams ... and every other
player in college football for that matter. Mike
and fellow-receiver Keary Colbert will torch
the Washington secondary, and Southern Cal.
will stomp the Huskies in Seattle.
Southern Cal. 42, Washington 17
BIG EASY-BOUND
The first installment of the BCS standings
were released yesterday. The top two teams
in the BCS at the end of the year will p lay
for the national title in the Sugar Bowl.
Team BCS Points
1. Oklahoma 2.77
2. Miami 4.10
3. Virginia Tech 10.23
4. Georgia 12.99
5. Florida State 13.14
6. Ohio State 13.20
7. Southern Cal. 13.83
8. Purdue 21.56
9. Washington State 23.96
10. Northern Illinois 26.00
11. Nebraska 26.45
12.1LSU 26.54
13. Michigan State 27.44
14. Texas Christian 28.17
15. Iowa 32.07
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Sophomore receiver Mike Williams looks to flash another
postgame "Victory V" this weekend against Washington.
Miserable matchups in Big Ten
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SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
THE EARTH INSTITUTE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Earn your IIPA in
Env ironmental Science
and Policy
By Chris Burke
Daily Sports Editor
Well, consider yourself lucky that
Michigan plays at home this week. Out-
side of Michigan's game against Purdue,
there will be better football at tailgates
than on the actual
field in the Big Ten.
MINNESOTA (2-2
BIG TEN, 6-2 OVER-
ALL) AT IWNOIS (0-4,
1-7) - NOON:
Maybe getting out of
<:OV
The Master of Public Administra
Program in Environmental Scien
Policy combines Columbia
University's hands-on approach t
teaching public policy and
administration with
pioneering thinking about
the environment. Beginning in
June, this twelve-month
program takes place at
Columbia University's
ce and
;o
the Metrodome is what Minnesota
really needs.
The Golden Gophers, fortunately,
will not play any more teams from
Michigan this year. Michigan State
built a huge lead against Minnesota and
held on for a six-point win in the
Dome, just eight days after Michigan
completed its largest comeback victory
ever at the Gophers' expense.
It probably had Minnesota longing
for a couple more visits from Troy State
or Louisiana-Lafayette.
But the level of competition actually
won't be that much higher for the Gold-
en Gophers this week when they take
on Illinois. Rumor has it that the Fight-
ing Illini are taking the "Fighting" part
out until basketball season starts.
Illinois, of course, was the pig that
Michigan roasted Hawaii luau-style in
the Big House, 56-14.
To be fair, the Illini did play without
starting quarterback Jon Beutjer, who is
questionable again for this week's bat-
tle, meaning either Chris Pazan or
Dustin Ward could start against the
Gophers. That's the football equivalent
of the Detroit Tigers trying to decide
between starting Mike Maroth, Matt
Roney or some guy from the stands.
Minnesota 48, Illinois 20
No. 20 WISCONSIN (3-1, 6-2) AT
NORTHWESTERN (1-2, 3-4) - NOON,
ESPN2: Anyone not see it coming?
Fresh off an incredibly emotional vic-
tory over Ohio State, Wisconsin fell flat
at home against Purdue last Saturday.
Boilermakers quarterback Kyle
Orton threw for 411 yards, as Purdue
snuck out of raucous Camp Randall
Stadium with a 26-23 win.
On the other side of the ball, North-
western had a bye week last Saturday.
That allowed the Wildcats to enjoy their
37-31 overtime win at Indiana, in a
game that was about as well played as
the title game in "Little Giants."
But don't book your Rose Bowl tick-
ets just yet, Wildcats fans.
While the Badgers slim national title
hopes ended last week, they're still one
of the better teams in the Big Ten.
Unfortunately for the Badgers, they will
again be without quarterback Jim Sorgi.
Sorgi sat out the last minutes of Wis-
consin's win over Ohio State after
Buckeyes' linebacker Robert Reynolds
went mafia hitman on the signal-caller's
neck. Then against Purdue, Sorgi land-
ed awkwardly on his knee and under-
went surgery on Sunday.
If there's a bright spot in the Seventh
Circle of Football Hell that is Evanston,
it's running back Jason Wright, who is
one of the more underrated players in
the nation with 771 rushing yards and
13 touchdowns.
Too bad there's only one of him.
Wisconsin 31, Northwestern 21
PENN STATE (0-3, 2-5) AT No. 16
IowA (1-2, 5-2) - NOON: Seriously,
JoePa, it's time to hang it up.
The once-proud Nittany Lion pro-
gram has fallen on times so hard that
almost everyone in Happy Valley is
secretly wishing for coach Joe Paterno
to retire. Right now, Paterno's doing for
Penn State football what Carrot Top is
doing for collect phone calls.
Penn State's two wins have come over
Temple and Kent State this year ... so
the Nittany Lions have at least two
places to send those "Thanks for not let-
ting us go winless" fruit baskets.
Meanwhile, Iowa dropped a 19-10
game at Ohio State Saturday in a contest
that was instantly dubbed The Worst
Offensive Game of the Year. The
Hawkeyes gave up a punt return for a
touchdown, a blocked punt for a touch-
down and then capped it off by snapping
a ball out of their endzone for a safety.
Spectacular.
Of course the Hawkeyes did manage
to beat Michigan - their defense isn't
all that bad.
It's certainly good enough to shut
down Penn State's "Negative Three Yards
and a Cloud of Crap" attack that the Nit-
tany Lions have worked this year.
Iowa 17, Penn State 2
No. 8 OHIo STATE (2-1, 6-1) AT INDI-
ANA (0-3, 1-6) - NOON, ESPN: Who-
ever makes the Big Ten schedule up is
dumber than whoever came up with the
nickname Hoosiers.
If it weren't for the Purdue vs. Michi-
gan slugfest, it would be hard to deci-
pher this Saturday's Big Ten games from
Friday night high school football.
Indiana also hasn't played since that
anti-ESPN classic contest against
New York campuses.
For more information, please call 212-854-3142,
e-rail: lar46(a2columbia.edu. or visit our Web site.
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