4B - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, January 20, 2004 0 Players of the game SUNDAY'S GAME Kelli Roehrig (Michigan State) Roehrig kept Michigan lead scor- er Jennifer Smith at bay, allowing the center just four field goals. She also contributed 10 points. Tabitha Pool (Michigan) Pool scored nearly a third (10) of the Wolverines' points on Sunday. She was the only Michigan player to score in double digits. . V Michigan 33 67 Talkin' the talk "When (Jen Smith) is not scoring, Tab (Pool) is not scoring and Steph (Gandy) isn't scoring, no one looks to do anything, and no one knows what to do." - Michigan freshman Kelly Helvey after Michigan's loss to Michigan State. is Michigan State SUNDAY'S GAME Michigan State (67) FG FT REB MIN M-A M-A 0-T A F PTS Haynie 23 2-5 0-0 0-2 3 2 4 Bowen 30 4-10 5-6 0-4 2 0 14 McKinney 21 2-3 3-3 1-3 0 5 7 Roehrig 19 4-4 2-2 0-5 2 2 10 Shimek 28 6-8 1-2 3-12 0 0 14 Pagel 20 1-2 2-2 4-8 1 1 4 Jackson 4 0-0 0-0 0-1 0 0 0 Pusateri 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Haynes 26 2-11 6-8 0-2 0 3 11 Lucas-Perry 15 1-7 0-1 1-4 3 4 3 Grantham 4 0-0 0-0 0-3 0 2 0 Bannister 8 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 Totals 200 22-51 19-2413-45 9 14 67 FG%:.431 FT%: .792 3-pint FG: 4-16, .250 (Haynes, 1-3, Shimek 1-3, Lucas-Perry 1-4, Bowen 1-5, Haynie 0-1. Blocks: 2 (Grantham, Roehrig). Steals: 7 (Bowen 2, Haynie 2, Bannister, Pagel, Pusateri). Turnovers: 12 (Bowen 2, Lucas-Perry 2, Roehrig 2, Bannister, Haynes, Haynie, Jackson, McKinney, Pusateri). Technical Fouls: none. MICHIGAN (33) FG FT REB MIN M-A M-A 0-T A F PTS Pool 28 4-12 0-0 1-5 1 4 10 Hauser-Price 20 2-4 0-0 1-2 0 3 5 Reams 27 1-5 0-0 3-8 0 2 2 Gandy 28 1-10 0-0 1-1 2 3 2 Smith 29 2-6 3-4 4-7 0 0 7 Andrews 1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Carney 20 0-3 0-0 0-0 2 2 0 H-elvey 19 1-9 3-4 1-2 1 1 5 Burlin 14 1-4 0-1 0-4 0 1 2 McPhilamy 14 0-1 0-0 1-4 0 3 0 Totals 200 12-54 6-9 :2-33 6 19 33 FG%: .222. FT%: .667. 3-point FG: 3-26,_115 (Pool 2.8, Hauser-Price 1-3, Reams 0-3, Gandy 0-3, Carney 0-3, Helvey 0-3, Burlin 0-3. Blocks: 2 (Hauser-Price, Helvey). Steals: 5 (Carney 2, Pool, Reams, Helvey). Turnovers: 16 (Gandy 3, Carney 3, Smith 2, Pool 2, Helvey 2, Hauser-Price, Reams, Burlin). Technical fouls: none. Michigan State....................37 30 - 67 Michigan..............................20 13 -33 At: Breslin Center Attendance: 7,923 BIG TEN STANDINGS Pool's 'understanding'crucial to Burnett's first two years at 'U' J. BRADY MCCOLLOUGH The SportsTuesday Column mmediately after Friday's women's basketball practice had ended at Crisler Arena, Cheryl Burnett and Tabitha Pool walked to the far side of the court and talked for about 10 minutes. For the first time in their young rela- tionship, class was in session for Michigan's first-year coach and her most talented player. Because of your ability, you have to set your standards high, Tab. You need to make yourself accountable to a very high level. Pool nodded her head. You're such a phenomenal basketball player; don't try to think so much, just play. Let me give you an analogy: If as a person, you have a situation and you're getting advice from fourfriends, you intake all of the wisdom, and you use what you need to use. Do the same thing with basketball -you don 't need to spend time worrying about every lit- tle detail. Pool nodded with the frequency of a bobble-head doll. They were nods of understanding, the most crucial element that can exist between coach and player. Under former coach Sue Guevara, Pool said she didn't get that kind of personal attention. "I needed it," said Pool, a junior. "It really let me know what (Burnett) expects of me and what she wants me to do ... to be more of a leader, even though I'm not a captain. "For me to actually see what she was talking about when she's talking to me - actually see what she's getting at (was important)." Pool is not alone in her need to build confidence in herself, as well as trust in her coaches. Burnett and her staff inher- ited a group of girls that collectively had the confidence of the boy with glasses and braces at a middle school dance. This first chapter in'Burnett's Michigan career is about rebuilding the psyche of the team and this program. And it starts with Pool, equipped with a baby face and a jumper that's as smooth as a baby's bottom. "It took just one individual workout to see what kind of player Tabitha is, what her potential is," associate head coach Karen Rapier said. "The game comes easy to her. She can drive, she can shoot and she can rebound. It's just developing an understanding." Reality ensues Pool scored more points than any other player in Michigan's last two games, against Penn State and Michi- gan State, putting up a combined 29. Unfortunately for Burnett, Pool's effort didn't do much good; the rest of the team totaled just 60 in those games. Burnett admitted she was out- coached following a 12-point loss to Penn State Thursday. After a 67-33 drubbing in East Lansing Sunday, she actually uttered the phrase, "I don't know if I'm a good coach." It's been that kind of a week for this program - the kind of week that could make Burnett's dirty blonde, Dol- lyesque 'do emit a few more gray hairs. The Wolverines are 9-9 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, but let's not expect this group to go above .500 for a while with the next two games on the road in Madison and Iowa City. The loss at Michigan State was so bad -so bad - that even Burnett couldn't find a positive spin to put on it. The Spartans are deep and experi- enced on the floor, but their depth extends to their raucous crowd. Almost 8,000 fans cheered on the Spartans - that's about three times what Michigan would expect to draw for a home game. Welcome to Michigan, Cheryl. Like any good friend, the Spartans exposed all of Michigan's weaknesses. Double- and triple-team center Jennifer Smith, who averages 21 points a game, and you can beat Michigan. Smith struggled the entire game to find open teammates when the Spartans con- verged on her, so Pool and senior Stephanie Gandy didn't get enough open looks. Michigan shot 32 percent from the field in the first half. If that made you cringe, brace yourself. The Wolverines shot 14 percent (4-of-29) in the second half and shot 20 3-pointers, making just one. If Pool, Gandy and Smith aren't scoring, nobody is. Burnett was dealt a difficult hand, as Guevara's last two recruiting classes didn't materialize. Did Guevara hit a lag after landing Pool, Michigan's Ms. Basketball and one of the top five recruits in the country three years ago? It appears so. Every coach enters her new job hoping that somehow she can turn around the program in her first year. It's time to play a different tune now - one of patience. After Sunday's game, Burnett stated that maybe in three years, Michigan could be playing at the level of Michigan State, currently No. 25 in the country. But there's a problem. Pool, the most skilled player Michigan has had in years, hasn't been to the NCAA Tour- nament yet and has just one more year left after this one. Turning understanding into results Legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt sat in Pool's living room just three years ago, trying to convince the Ann Arbor native to play in Knoxville at one of the nation's pre- mier programs. Pool declined, devoted to the idea of playing close to home. She averaged 7 and 11 points in her freshman and sophomore years, respectively, as Gue- vara's teams combined for nine Big Ten wins. Three years later, Pool's decision to play here screams "WHAT A MIS- TAKE!" to the casual observer. Luckily, there's still time, and more importantly, she's got loads of potential. At 6-foot-1, a player isn't supposed to be able to run the break in the women's game. But Pool could play point or off guard, as well as small forward. She's the team's second-lead- ing scorer (13 points per game), lead- ing rebounder (eight a game) and best 3-point shooter (34 percent). Of Michigan's top three scorers, she has the best assist-to-turnover ratio (36-to- 52). Last season, Pool's ratio was a whopping 46-to-106. Someone is improving. But there's something missing; Pool still isn't a star. According to Rapier, "Tabitha is almost unselfish to a point that it might be harmful for her." In Thursday and Sunday's games, it seemed like she was hesitant to drive to the basket to create her own shot. Pool said after Sunday's game that she is try- ing to get her teammates good looks. That's admirable, but not smart when you're the best scorer on the team. "We want Tabitha to be the go-to player as far as getting the ball in her hands and her to take the open shots," Rapier said. "We talk about passing up a good shot for a great shot, but I I PennState Minnesota Purdue Michigan State Iowa Ohio State Indiana Michigan Wisconsin Illinois Northwestern Big Ten W L Pct. 6 0 1.000 4 1 .800 4 1 .800 3 2 .600 3 2 .600 2 2 .500 2 3 .400 2 3 .400 1 4 .200 1 5 .167 0 5 .000 Overall W L 13 3 15 1 14 2 13 3 9 7 10 5 9 7 9 9 7 8 7 10 7 9 Pct. .813 .938 .875 .813 .563 .667 .563 .500 .467 .412 .438 DORY GANNES/Daily Michigan coach Cheryl Burnett converses with junior forward Tabitha Pool during Sunday's 67-33 loss to Michigan State. 4 UPCOMING SCHEDULE Thursday, Jan. 22 Indiana at Illinois Michigan at Wisconsin Michigan State at Northwestern Minnesota at Penn State Purdue at Ohio State Sunday, Jan. 25 Northwestern at Wisconsin Michigan at Iowa Michigan State at Minnesota Penn State at Ohio State Purdue at Indiana Thursday, Jan. 29 Indiana at Minnesota Penn State at St. Joe's Iowa at Northwestern Michigan State at Illinois Ohio State at Michigan 7 P.M. 7 P.M. 7 P.M. 7 P.M. 8 P.M. 12 P.M. 2 P.M. 2 P.M. 2 P.M. 2 P.M. TBA TBA 7 P.M. 7 P.M. 7 P.M. there's a balance to that. She basically has the green light. Any time she's open, that's a good shot. She's starting to feel that." If there's any chance of Michigan beating Burnett's new three-year timeframe, Pool has to take Burnett's advice. She has to take moreof a leadership role on this team and look for her own shot above her current teammates. Next season, Gandy and Smith will be gone, and Pool will be the only proven scoring option Michigan has. "Tabitha is the next one to step into that role," Burnett said. "It's crucial for her to gain an understanding (of that)." One thing is for sure: Burnett is thankful to have Pool, and Pool returns the favor. Why wouldn't she? Burnett has been credited with molding many great women's basketball players, including the Los Angeles Sparks' Jackie Stiles, whom Burnett coached at Southwest Missouri State. "I always tell recruits that (Burnett) is a coach that is going to make you reach your maximum potential;' said Rapier, who played under Burnett at SMS and then joined her staff 13 years ago. "If you want to be the best player you can be, you need to play for coach Burnett." If Burnett succeeds in helping Pool eclipse her potential, Burnett's first two years won't have to be as forgettable as Guevara's last two. .1 Brady McCollough can be reached at bradymcc@umich. edu. WOMEN Continued from Page 11B first Wolverine other than Smith, Gandy, or Pool to score a field-goal in more than two games. In contrast with an unproductive Michigan bench, Michigan State's depth catapulted it to an early 27-14 lead on a 3-pointer from Rene Haynes. The Spartans led 37-20 at halftime and widened that margin to 37 points Bench can't salvage dreary offensive day By Ellen McGarrity Daily Sports Writer EAST LANSING - Two-and-a-half minutes into the second half of Sunday's women's basketball game against Michigan State, the Wolverines had already missed two 3-pointers and were well on their way to their ultimate 67-33 loss. Frustration showed on the face of Michigan coach Cheryl Burnett, and she didn't hesitate to w put that frustration into action. $0 She promptly subbed in four of her second-string players - jun- ior BreAnne McPhilamy, sophomores Rachael Car- ney and Mie Burlin and freshman Kelly Helvey. Senior starters Jennifer Smith and Stephanie Gandy, junior Sierra Hauser-Price and sophomore Niki Reams all reluctantly took the bench, looking as if they'd just been scolded by their mothers. "I just felt like we could have been playing harder, and sometimes that kind of change does that," Burnett said. "And I really think it actually did. Not enough of a change to make a lot of difference, but those kids had some really good energy." Burnett has stressed throughout the season that if a player wants court time, she must earn it. Michigan's bench shot just 2-of-17 for seven points. Freshman Kelly Helvey scored five points on 1-of-9 shooting, and Mie Burlin was 1-of-4 for two points. TOUGH CROWD: Spend one day on either Michigan or Michigan State's campus, and you will undoubtedly see or hear some piece of information bashing the other school. The rivalry between the two colleges is ;_+o-- 0-2 - -A n 1" nf [ ai with eight minutes remaining in the second half. Burnett took a seat midway through the second half - something she rarely does - displaying the quelled remnants of the patented stomp used so often in the past to rile up her players. "This isn't the type of game that we were anticipat- ing," the first-year coach said. "We don't feel like we made it into a rivalry game with the way that we played. We feel badly that we didn't compete at a high- er level. Hopefully in three years, maybe we'll be that kind of team." In three years, Burnett will have a team consisting entirely of her own recruits. But in just 23 days, the Spartans will head to Ann Arbor. "We'll keep our heads up, work on the stuff that we need to work on," forward Niki Reams said. "We know that we got them at home. The outcome will definitely be different." Blue joined at State by bus full of faithful By Megan Kolodgy Daily Sports Writer SOMEWHERE ON I-96 - Unlike Crisler Arena during women's basketball games, seats are hard to come by on the bus to East Lansing on Sunday morning. The charter bus is packed to the gills with admirers of all ages. Their enthusiasm, as well as a strong sense of community, blend to create an atmosphere of anticipation. This year, $10 could buy fans a ticket to the game and a ride to and from East Lansing. Scanning the faces of the passen- gers, it is plain to see that Michi- gan's fans are as diverse as the Wolverines themselves. Middle-aged adults - most of whom have children in tow - popu- late the center rows. One such moth- er is athletic booster Deb Kloska. The chipper mother looks forward to witnessing her first road game of the season. She and her daughter, Emily, are on the way to making the trek to Michigan State a tradition. "We went to the State game last year, and we drove," Kloska says. "We had a blast. When we found out it only took an hour to get there, we were like, 'OK, why haven't we done this before?'" In the back, young girls sit with a pair of giant headphones on their ears. They chat loudly, speaking over the road noise and the music blaring in their ears. Emily Kloska dons the jersey of one of her all-time favorite Michigan players, Anne Thorius, with whom she exchanged e-mails a few years ago. Over the summer, she attended Wolverine Basketball Camp and met senior Jennifer Smith. These interactions have inspired the 11-year-old aspiring center, who alreadv towers ahove her mother to good guard and a good ball-handler. She's just really cool." Watching this Michigan team pro- vides a tutorial on work ethic and attitude that helps the girls see how athletes operate on a more mature level. They believe this gives them a bit of a boost above their peers. "I've learned that if the referee calls a foul that you think is unfair, you can't get too upset," Laetz says. "You just have to go with it. A lot of people on my team, if they take a foul, get really upset and cry and stuff. I've learned not to do that." Taking the wobbly walk up to the front of the bus, the noise dies down, and you find yourself among the more senior fans. An elderly couple naps in the front seats, re-charging for an afternoon of thrills. Across the aisle, John Simpson sits quietly. As an usher for both the men's and women's teams, he attends all home games, but makes the trip to Michigan State because of his sense of duty to the program. "The girls need support," Simpson says. "They're trying really hard, so we need to support them." When he begins discussing his favorite players, his eyes, like the girls in the back, light up. "I like Jennifer, and I like the class we got last year," Simpson says. "Kelly's (Helvey) pretty good, and I like Niki (Reams) and Rachael (Carney)." As someone who has observed the team for several years, he has noticed a distinct change in its atti- tude since coach Cheryl Bunett's arrival. "She's going to be great for the University," Simpson says. "(The difference is in) her professionalism, the way she coaches and the way she handles the kids." DORY GANNES/Daily Senior forward Stephanie Gandy scored only two points in 29 minutes of play at the Breslin Center on Sunday. Gandy. alone with three other starters, was sent to the bench early in the second half of Michigan's 67-33 loss.