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6B - Monday, March 24, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
Blue heads for
Albany regional
Phillips looks for consistency
From page lB
captain Kevin Porter said. "Those
were the teams we wanted to
play. Everyone's going to be
good in the tournament, but I
think we're in a great bracket.
"To play Niagara in our first game
is great, especially having to play
North Dakota the last two years.
I mean, they're going to be a good
team, but it's nice not having to play
North Dakota in the firstgame."
While the Wolverines (31-5-4)
may be relieved to see anyone but
the Fighting Sioux in their bracket,
theyknow Niagaraisn't ateamthey
can take lightly. The Purple Eagles
boast an explosive and opportunis-
tic offense, averaging more than
3.5 goals per game and converting
23.3 percent of their power play
chances.
Led by forwards Vince Rocco
and Matt Caruana (45 and 38
points, respectively), Niagara went
undefeated this year against CCHA
opponents. The Purple Eagles post-
ed awin againstBowlingGreen and
two against Western Michigan.
Michigan coach Red Berenson
admitted that he and his staff don't
know too much about Niagara yet.
Earlier this season, the Purple
Eagles played Wayne State in the
Palace of Auburn Hills before
Michigan took on Notre Dame in
the same building, and Berenson
caught a few minutes of that game.
Other than saying Niagara
looked far better than Wayne State,
Berenson didn't want to offer an
opinion on the Wolverines first-
round opponent until he could
break down some film.
In the NCAA tournament two
years ago, No. 1 overall seed Min-
nesota was upset by Holy Cross.
Michigan, the two-seed in that
regional, was in the building.
"No one thought it could hap-
pen, especially Minnesota," Por-
ter said. "They had a great team.
All they could think about was the
next game. I think that gave them
some trouble. We can't do that this
year."
Berenson knows the upcoming
weekend won't depend on prior
successes. It's a whole new game.
"This is the part of the year
you're going to be judged by, not
what you've done up until now,"
Berenson said.
Heading into the WNIT, the
Wolverines need Phillips to
bring her best game
By CHRIS MESZAROS
Daily Sports Writer
As Michigan center Krista Phillips goes, so
goes the Michigan women's basketball team.
And if the Wolverines hope to make a deep
run in the Women's National Invitation Tour-
nament, the sophomore will
have tobe at her best.
Michigan plays Virginia VCU at
Commonwealth in the first Michigan
round of the WNIT tonight.
The Rams dominated in a Matcup:
13-point win over Charlotte Michigan 17-13
on Saturday and come into
Crisler Arena on a seven- When: Tonight
game winning streak.
But will Phillips be at her Where:
best? The 6-foot-6 center Crisler Arena
has been inconsistent this
season. At times, the sophomore played solid
basketball, making a buzzer-beating 40-foot
three-pointer against Wisconsin and dominat-
ing Penn State with a double-double.
But instead of building on those perfor-
mances, she took a step back with awful late-
season games against Minnesota and Iowa.
For Phillips, the second tallest starter in the
Big Ten, success always came easily in high
school.
"I was that much bigger than people," Phil-
lips said. "I was a pin, catch, score kind of girl.
But I like the contact. I'll go at someone and
kind of draw contact and its been a change for
me."
The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native eas-
ily outmatched her high school competition.
Phillips averaged 19.2 ppg as a senior and was
the runner-up for Canada's Miss Basketball
award.
But during her first two years at Michigan,
she has struggled at times to adapt to the phys-
ical play of some Big Ten teams. In response,
Phillips has begun to adapt to a different play-
ing style.
Michigan's late-season losses to Minnesota
and Iowa affirmed how important Phillips isto
her team. The sophomore was limited to just
13 points and two rebounds in both contests
combined. It is Phillips' dedication to the team
that has allowed her to come back from these
slumps.
In the game after Minnesota, Phillips domi-
nated Penn State, scoring a double-double with
15 points and 10 rebounds.
"Oh my goodness, she's done a great job,"
Michigan senior Krista Clement said. "I think
MARCH 24-28, 2008
three weeks in one...
Earth Week
Campus Safety Week
Disabilities Awareness Week
For more information, visit
www.msa.umich.edu.
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Sophomore Krista Phillips goes for a shot against Minnesota earlier this month.
that being a 6-6 girl, we put a lot of pressure
on her. I pass it in to her and say, 'Hey KP, go
against everyone.'"
All of the Wolverines have spent extra time
in the gym, but Phillips has gone the extra
mile. During the final men's basketball game
against Purdue, Phillips was waiting in the
tunnel for the game to end so she could take
shooting practice. The sophomore worked on
her shot for more than an hour after the game,
taking shots from the top of the key and from
the wing.
Michigan coach Kevin Borseth has tried to
develop Phillips into a dual-threat player. The
sophomore routinely shoots more than 300
shots per practice, many of them threes. And
Phillips has rarely shied away from an oppor-
tunity to take a shot from downtown.
"It's important to be versatile," Phillips said.
"There's a lot of big people that can't do both.
That's one of the perks of my game and one of
the things coach Borseth has been pushing. If
you can shoot, then you are that much of a bet-
ter player."
Phillips's dual-threat ability and post pres-
ence can carry Michigan deep into the tourna-
ment, but her inconsistency could easily cut it
short.
What's going onP
The Graduate Employees' Organization represents
approximately 1,700 Graduate Student Instructors
and Graduate Student Staff Assistants who work
throughout the University. GEO began renegotiating
its contract with the University in November 2007.
What Is GEG asking forP
GEO's members currently earn $781 less than the
University's financial aid estimate for the cost of
living in Ann Arbor for 8 months. Its members
ask for a living wage that keeps up with inflation,
affordable health care, and an equitable workplace.
Can the University afford thisP
Tuition does not increase because of our wages.
In 2006, increased tuition and fees brought the
University $57 million in additional revenue. That
year, the total raises given to GEO's members
cost less than $800,000! In addition to an annual
operatin budget of $1.3 billion, the University
has a $7 billion endowment. Recently, universities
such as Duke and Brown with smaller endowments
have begun giving free tuition to low- and
middle-income students. Our position is that the
University should invest in both its undergraduate
students and its graduate employees.
Will there be a walkoutP
GEO's contract expired March I. Its members voted
to extend the contract twice in order to continue
bargaining in good faith with the University. Today
the contract expires. GEO members are prepared to
walk out if an agreement cannot be reached.
P1
If there is a walkout, GEO's members
will ask the community not to cross
their picket lines.
The fooing organizations
Ak M M Asupport GEO:
Lecturers' Employee Organization
Students Organizing for Labor and Economic
Equality
Michigan Student Assembly
University of Michigan Professional Nurses Council
House Officers Association
University of Michigan All Campus Labor Council
American Federation of Teachers - Michigan
American Federation of Teachers - National
AFL-CIO - Michigan
AFL-CIO - National
Alliance of Graduate Employee Locals
Washtenaw County Workers Center
Huron Valley Central Labor Council
Washtenaw County Local Skilled Building Trades
Council
Black Men In Unions
Michigan Summer School for Women Workers
Latino Workers Leaders Institute
United Leadership of Labor and Community
Industrial Workers of the World - Detroit Branch
Teamsters
Coalition of Graduate Employee Unions
Sheet Metal Workers Local #80
Graduate Employees Union - Michigan State
University
Wayne State University Union of Part-Time Faculty
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