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The Michigan Daily - Tipof
2B - The Michigan Daily - Tipoff 203 - Thursday, November 6, 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
'HE BELIEVED IN ME' PAGE 4
By viewing his players as individuals rather than just members of a
basketball team, Michigan's Tommy Amaker has been forming special
relationships since his coaching days at Seton Hall.
TAKING THE LONG WAY PAGE 5
J.C. Mathis left Virginia just hoping for a chance to play. He found
Ann Arbor, where he's become one of the Wolverines' leaders.
THE ROAD TO MADNESS PAGES 6-7
Eligibile for postseason play again, the road back to the NCAA
Tournament will be filled with potholes for the Wolverines to avoid.
CRYSTAL BALL PAGE 8
The Michigan Daily basketball writers give a glimpse into the future
as they predict what will happen with the Wolverines and the rest of
the NCAA.
2003-04 Roster
No.
2
11
50
25
40
22
5
4
31
32
23
21
44
3
Wolverine
Lester Abram
John Andrews
Amadou Ba
Graham Brown
Colin Dill (c)
Sherrod Harrell
Dion Harris
Daniel Horton
Chris Hunter
J.C. Mathis (c)
Brent Petway
Bernard Robinson Jr.
Courtney Sims
Dani Wohl
Pos.
W
W
C
F/C
F
G
G
G
F/C
F
F
w
F/C
G
Ht.
6-6
6-5
6-10
6-9
6-7
6-3
6-4
6-3
6-11
6-8
6-9
6-6
6-11
5-11
Wt.
190
210
250
255
240
205
200
195
215
235
205
210
230
180
Elig.
Freshman
Freshman
Freshman
Sophomore
Senior
Sophomore
Freshman
Sophomore
Sophomore
Junior
Freshman
Senior
Freshman
Sophomore
(c) 2003-04 captain
Head coach: Tommy Amaker
Assistantacoaches: Charles Ramsey, Chuck Swenson, Andrew Moore
Director of Basketball Operations: Kirsten Green
Administrative Assistant: Lucien St. Gerard
Production crew
SEASONED VETERAN
PAGE 9
Senior Bernard Robinson has been through it all in his three-plus
years at Michigan. Now he's poised for his biggest year yet.
DAILY BASKETBALL WRITERS
Chris Burke
Daniel Bremmer
Bob Hunt
Dan Rosen
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Louie Meizlish
MANAGING SPORTS EDITOR
J. Brady McCollough
MANAGING PHOTO
EDITOR/COVER DESIGN
Tony Ding
COVER PHOTO
Seth Lower
COVER ILLUSTRATION
Sam Butler
BUSINESS MANAGER
Anne Sause
DISPLAY SALES MANAGER
Leah Trzcinski
AD DESIGN MANAGER
Adrienne Barclay
SPECIAL SECTIONS MANAGER
Pam Fisher
SPECIAL THANKS
Beth Adelson
Tom Wywrot
John Lowe
COACHES & MEDIA
PRESEASON
BIG TEN RANKINGS
1. Michigan State (22-13, 10-6, T3rd)
2. Illinois (25-7, 11-5, 2nd)
3. Wisconsin (24-8, 12-4, 1 st)
Last season's overall record, Big Ten
record and Big Ten finish in paren-
theses
PRESEASON
ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Dee Brown, Illinois
Devin Harris, Wisconsin
Chris Hill, Michigan State
Daniel Horton, Michigan
Bracey Wright, Indiana
Paul Davis, Michigan State*
* Davis selected by coaches due
to a tie, but not media
PRESEASON TOP 10
Each week, The Michigan Daily
sports staff will conduct a poll to
determine the top 10 teams in
the nation. Here are the results
from the Preseason poll:
1. Connecticut (9)
2. Duke (4)
3. Arizona (1)
4. Michigan State (1)
5. Kansas
6. Syracuse
7. Kentucky
8. Florida
9. North Carolina
10. Missouri
First-place votes in parentheses
PRESEASON COACHES
TOP 25 POLL
The Big Ten Conference was solid
last year, with eight of its 11 teams
playing in postseason tournaments -
five in the NCAA Tournament and
three in the NIT - and this year should
be no different.
"The conference is definitely going
to be better (this season)," Michigan
State coach Tom Izzo said. "it is a bet-
ter conference, top to bottom"
Here's a look at the "better" Big Ten:
Illinois
KEY PLAYERS: Dee Brown (sophomore),
James Augustine (sophomore)
2002-03 RECORD: 11-5 Big Ten, 25-7
overall
2003-04 OUTLOOK: After losing head
coach Bill Self to Kansas and Big Ten
Player of the Year Brian Cook to the
NBA, it would be easy to count out the
Fighting Illini in the Big Ten race. But
factor in four returning starters, two
returning top reserves and a motivated
new coach in Bruce Weber, and Illinois
should still be a factor in the Big Ten
race. Brown, named Preseason Big Ten
Player of the Year by the media, will
look to improve on last year's averages
of 12 points and 5 assists per game.
Indiana
KEY PLAYERS: Bracey Wright (sopho-
more), A.J. Moye (senior)
2002-03 RECORD: 8-8, 21-13
2003-04 OUTLOOK: Indiana took three
huge hits with the losses of Tom
Coverdale, Jeff Newton and Kyle
Hornsby - who combined for nearly
35 points per game; The Hoosiers will
count on stellar performances from
Wright and Moye, along with solid con-
tributions from their role players to try
Big Ten Conference should be 'better,
By Daniel Bremmer
Daily Sports Writer
and improve on last year's .500 record of a team that lost Rick Rickert
in conference play. points per game last year) to the
draft. Rickert's loss will probably
big for the Gophers to overcome.
KEY PLAYERS: Jared Reiner (senior),
Glen Worley (senior)
2002-03 RECORD: 7-9, 17-14
2003-04 Ou.OOK: Experience will be
a key for the Hawkeyes, who boast five
seniors on their roster. Leading the way
will be Reiner, the Big Ten's top
rebounder (8.3 per game) last season.
Iowa's season ended last year with a
loss to Georgia Tech in the NIT, and the
Hawkeyes will look return to the
NCAA Tournament this year
Michigan State
KEY PLAYERS: Chris Hill (sophomore),
Paul Davis (sophomore)
2002-03 RECORD: 10-6,22-13
2003-04 OUTLOOK No. 3 in the Pre-
season ESPN/tJSA Today Top 25, Tom
Izzo's squad is poised for another
NCAA Tournament run - last year,
the Spartans were bounced in the Elite
Eight by Texas. Standing in their way
this season is a tough schedule, which
includes road trips to Kansas, UCLA
and Syracuse. Look for the Spartans'
depth at the perimeter to be a big factor,
as Michigan State looks to win the Big
Ten for the fifth time in seven years.
VY3 Iowa
Northweste
KEY PLAYERS: Jitim Young (senio
Parker (sophomore)
2002-03 RECoRD: 3-13, 12-17
2003-04 OuTooK: Coach Bil
mody's Northwestern squad
improve on last year's 0-8 record
Ten road games if it hopes to
another long season. Young is <
the most underrated players in t
Ten, averaging 13.4 points an
rebounds pergame last year F
whose brother Tony plays for tI'
Antonio Spurs, put on 15 pour
muscle over the summer and ho
hold his own against stronger B
oppos ton.
x: Ohio State
KEY PLAYERs: Velimir Radinovic
ior), Emonte Jernigan (senior)
2002-03 REcoRO: 7-9, 17-15
2003-04 OUTLOOK: The Buc
were left with a gaping hole
backcourt with the losses of
Darby and Sean Connolly to g
tion. That means junior Tony Stoc
and sophomore J.J. Sullinger wil
big shoes to fill. At 7-foot, Rad
should provide a big presence
middle as long as he can stay
foul trouble.
*.Penn Stat(
KEY PLAYERS: Ndu Egekeze (senic
Jagla (junior)
2002-03 RECORD: 2-14, 7-21
2003-04 OUTLOOK: Coming
seven-year stint at East Tennessee
BIB MEN ON CAMPUS
PAGE 10
The days of being too thin in the frontcourt appear to have passed
Michigan by, as the Wolverines' lineup will include six big men.
I
>::.
fit;
Minnesota
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O II
lo
bol
DnnI
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KEY PLAYERS: Michael Bauer (senior),
Maurice Hargrow (junior)
2002-03 RECORD: 8-8,19-14
2003-04 OUTLOOK: The Gophers are
another Big Ten team that will look to
reach the NCAA Tournament this year
after losing in last year's NIT semifinal.
Bauer and Hargrow are both high-ener-
gy players and will need to be the heart
U
Fatl Hours
Mon - Thurs (10am - 11 pm)
Fri - Sat (1Oom - 11pm)
Sun (1Oam - 11pm)
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25.
Connecticut (25)
Duke (3)
Michigan State (1)
Arizona
Kansas
Missouri
Syracuse (1)
Florida
Kentucky
North Carolina (1)
Texas
Gonzaga
Illinois
Wisconsin
Oklahoma
Louisville
Stanford
St. Joseph's
Cincinnati
Notre Dame
Wake Forest
Pittsburgh
Marquette
Oklahoma State
Maryland
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