Basketball 2yes top 2001 targets By Dan Williams Daily Sports Editor *ith Michigan State winning a title while the Wolverines missed the CAA tournament for the second traight year, the pressure is on for Michigan basketball coach Brian llerbe to succeed. One area where Michigan hasn't escended under Ellerbe is it recruit- ng. Here are some of the hottest targets hat Michigan seems to be recruiting he hardest early in the game: Centers Eddie Curry Height: 6-11, Weight: 285 Lowdown: Averaged 24 points, 11.8 rebounds, and four blocked shot per game as a junior Michigan's chances: Most likely, he'll go straight to the NBA. " Desagana Diop Height: 7-0 Weight: 285 Lowdown: Averaged II points, 10.2 rebounds, 4 blocks as a senior Michigan's chances: Blue is among the leaders, but slight Miami (Fla.) lean early. Point guard Andre Henty Height: 5-0 Weight: 165 Lowdown: Hot prospect out of enn, but does Michigan need anoth- er miniscule point guard? Michigan's chances: One of five favorites along with Duke, Pittsburgh, Providence and Syracuse. Shooting guard Jason Carter Height: 5-9 Weight: 160 Lowdown: Gary, Indiana native hopes to play three years of Division 191 after attending community col- lege last year. Michigan's chances: Wide open early. Lists Michigan as one of eight schools considered. Small forward Travis Robitson Height: 6-7 Weight: 210 Lowdown: Played at Barton ounty C.C. with Carter after spend- ing less than a full season with Fresno State. Miichigan's chances: Lists Michigan as a favorite along ith Fresno State, Kansas State, UNC- Charlotte and Nebraska. Power forward Andre Patterson Height: 6-7 Weight: 190 Lowdown: One of Michigan's most sought prospects will likely gn somewhere during the early period Michigan's chances: Lists Michigan as his leader, followed by UCLA. The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 24. 2000 - 15 65-team Big Dance? It could happen _<.:' INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The field fCr the NCAA men's basketball tourna- ment might be expanded by one next season with an "opening-round" game the Tuesday before the first round begins. The NCAA, sv-ich confirmed the possible 65-team field last Tuesday, said the winner of the game between two of the lower-ranked conferences would move into the brackets as a No. 16 seed if the plan is adopted: The tournament field is expanding because 31 conferences will receive automatic bids next sear, two more than last season. The committee always selects 34 at-large teams. The additional automatic bids will go to the year-old Mountain West Conference and the Western Athletic Conference, which didn't have one last season after eight members left to form the Mountain West. The Division I Men's Basketball Committee is recommending the open- itg-round game be played on Tuesday, March 13, at the University of Dayton Arena, which is a host site for first and second round games. Then again, that team might have to play somewhere else. "They could play at Dayton," NCAA spokesman Bill Hancock said. "They will be seeded into line No. 16 and if, on selection Sunday, the committee believes that the No. I seed should be assigned to Dayton to play No. 16, then that team could stay in Dayton." The NCAA's Division I Championships/Competition Cabinet will decide Aug. 3 ,shether toadopt the recommendation. The 65-team field will be a first, but it won't be the first time the NCAA has given more than 64 teams a shot at the championship. In 1991, 33 conference champions received automatic bids and six of the teams competed in three play-in games. Those three winners joined 61 other teams in the tourna- ment field. Craig Thompson, the Mountain West commissioner, chaired the basketball committee. "We want to do everything we can to ensure that the student-athletes who compete in the opening-round game get the full flavor of participation in this great championship. The University of Dayton has a strong his- tory of drawing tremendous crowds to NCAA tournament competition,"Thompson said in a statement. The NCAA said the teams playing the Tuesday game will be determined on Sunday, March I1, with the remain- der of the tournament field. The NCAA will try to assign the Tuesday winner to a site playing host to first- round games Friday, rather than Thursday. Dayton's first-round games will be played Friday. "They could stay in Dayton, but they could also move, and that won't be known until selection Sunday," Hancock said. Both opening-round participants will get a full share of revenue for play- ing in the tournament, Hancock said. AP PI The NCAA rewarded the Mountain West and WAC with automatic NCAA tourna- ment bids next year. The result may be an attention unworthy play-in game. DUPREY Continued from Page 12 guaranteed revenue that comes from having a team in the NCAA Tournament every year." Then Rick Majerus could dish out the following accompanying bit: "We want to thank Craig and the NCAA for the automatic bid. And since teams like Air Force and Wyoming have absolutely no chance of ever winning our conference, we at Utah will be proud to represent the Mountain West every year." At least they'd be honest. None of this is official yet. The proposal, which is a "rec6mmenda- tion" at this stage, must still be approved at a cabinet meeting on Aug. 3. A formality, at best. Thompson's ethical standards have now been compromised. Remember this when he smiles at you one future Sunday evening in March and says, "We were impressed with the season Wyoming had, and we fully support our decision to seed them No. I in the West." Don't fret too much, though. At least you'll have a nationally televised Rider-Austin Peay play-in game to drown your sorrows in. - Chris Dupre can be reached io e-mai/ at cduprey@unmich.edu. L-SAT . . " I , 44 O A 444 A c :1 S ErfssuPar St eaa *CCL M Th 100 WORLDeatr ie E e a d s©udnoc E. CDnyos Aiw.tdetnvrsro 80-22-67 t - Call and mention this ad and we will send you our Schools & Scores Report for Free! 800-2-REVIEW Courses www.PrncetonReview.com begin e L jePictdRri sntafiitdwt LA rPJccotUiest 1.. } gg X