S.

Page 6-The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - March 18, 1991

Theodore Cox

BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Fisher looks ahead i

CU witnesses how
mighty have fallen
BOULDER, Colo. - You could see it in their faces: they wanted
to go home. Who would have really cared if they won the NIT? They
could hear the whispers - "What happened to Michigan? Two years
ago they were Champs, now they can't even make the NCAA
tournament."
With three minutes left in the game against Colorado last
Wednesday, and a victory still within reach, every Wolverine but
guard Demetrius Calip gave up. The lone senior wanted a few more
games before he left the friendly confines of Ann Arbor for the real
world, as he took six. of Michigan's last seven shots.
But as was the case all year, Calip could not carry the team alone,
and the Wolverines' season ended with a 71-64 loss.
Michigan's speedy decline to mediocrity seemed to bother the
people of Boulder more than anyone else in the country. The city is
still in a state of euphoria over the Colorado football national
championship last January. It seemed to worry the university that
championships rarely last more than a year.
The focus of the media and the talk around campus wasn't of how
great the Colorado basketball team was playing, but how far Michigan
had dropped.
Although the Michigan fans and media haven't been as direct, the
feeling is mutual in Ann Arbor. Crisler Arena was sold out only once
this season. There's been more interest in the Wolverines' recruiting
class then the current crop of players.
After the game, not one Michigan player seemed frustrated or
upset for having blown a ten point lead in the last ten minutes against
.i less talented team.
"Just another loss," was the typical facial expression in the locker
room.
"We got very fatigued and the stress got to us," Michigan coach
Steve Fisher said.
Colorado on the other hand was hungry for a victory. It was the first
time in 22 years the Buffaloes had been in any post-season

after tough season

:...l'

by Theodore Cox
Daily Basketball Writer
BOULDER, Colo. - For the
first time in nine years, Michigan
finished with a losing record (14-
15).
"You're always disappointed,"
Michigan coach Steve Fisher said.
"But we have to use this as a tool
for next year. We're going to win
next year."
When center Eric Riley was
asked if this season was a disap-
pointment, he just shook his head.
MADE IN MICHIGAN: Two of
Colorado's starters came from De-
troit. 6-foot-4 guard Stevie Wise
and 6-foot-6 forward James Hunter
both attended Southwestern High
School.
"This was an extra incentive for
us," Wise said. "Maybe we tried
too hard at first."
B EST NAME IN COLLEGE
SPORTS: Buffalo forward House
Guest. The 6-foot-5 senior received
the nickname because while in
high school, his dunks usually
brought the house down. Guest is

the owner of several other nick-
names including "Manimal" and
"Chief" (the latter because of hii
resemblance to Robert Parish). Hie
real name is not listed in the Col:
orado media guide.
THE G-MAN WATCHES AT
GROUND LEVEL: Rich (G-Mai)
Goins, the Denver radio sports di,.
rector who camped out on a bill*
board for 33 days until the Broncdg
won, was in attendance at the
Michigan-Colorado. y
The Michigan alumni arnd
Walled Lake native, however,
didn't cheer for Colorado. Thi#
sparked a fierce war of words witfr
his fellow morning dee-jays, Rick
Lewis and Michael Floorwax, on
KRFX-FM.
Lewis and Floorwax ended up
bringing two buffalo mascots to the-
game, Schempy and Schnoble.
The next day after the Michigan,
loss, the pair credited the victory,
to Schempy who ignited the 8,177
in attendance.
Goins wisely stayed home and,
did his sports broadcasts on tape.

Wolverine guard Michael Talley goes for a layup in a game earlier this
year at Champaign against the Fighting Illini.

Women gymnasts look toward Big Tens

by Andy Stabile
Daily Sports Writer
Hoping to finish its season un-
defeated at home, the Michigan
women's gymnastics team hosted
both Michigan State and Central
Michigan Saturday at Keen Arena.
Both teams had the potential to
put an end to the Wolverines' un-
beaten streak. The Spartans de-
feated Michigan in East Lansing
earlier in the season, and the
Chippewas were ahead of the
Wolverines in the regional com-
posite scores - determining which
teams advance to regional compe-
tition.
In the end, however, Michigan
defeated both schools with another
school record score of 187.20 to
MSU's 186.00 and CMU's 185.60
Because of the three-team for-
mat in which one team has to sit
out each of six rotations, Michigan
was the only team to compete in
both of the first two rotations.
Therefore, after two events, the
Wolverines had an early lead and
set the standard for the other teams
to meet.
After its first bye, however,
Michigan's balance beam routines
cut their lead drastically. With
four gymnasts falling off the beam,
the meet was again in question.
As Michigan sat through its
second bye, it watched and waited
as CMU finished their meet with
their 185.6. The Wolverines had to

finish strong on their final event,
the floor exercise, to win. They did
so, garnering an impressive score
of 47.8.
"We had a couple of breaks to-
day, and were able to get over
them and hang tough," Wolverine
coach Bev Fry said. "That's what
separates a good team from a great
team."
The win marked Michigan's
first victory over MSU during Fry's
two-year tenure. Although the
Spartans beat Michigan three
weeks ago, the Wolverines' per-
formance didn't surprise MSU as-
sistant coach Chuck Shiebler.
"We knew they were going to
be tough," Shiebler said, "they
just had to put it all together."
The Wolverines were led by
first-year gymnast Wendy Wilkin-
son, who finished second in the
all-around competition, while
counting a ail or the beam.
Sophomore Allison Winski was
fifth and junior Kim Crocker fin-
isher eighth in the all-around.
Saturday's meet was the final
preparation before the Big 10
championships next weekend. Al-
though the Wolverines set another
school record this week, Michigan
assistant coach Jack Evanoff feels
the best is yet to come.
"As the year goes on, the girls
have been trying to improve their
focus. The scores have been going
up and up," Evanoff said.

tournament. Only terrible first half shooting kept Colorado from
destroying the Wolverines.
Nervous hands threw up airballs and bricks for the Buffaloes, as
they shot only 13.8 percent in opening stanza. But eventually the
opening jitters disappeared, and so did Michigan's lead.
"I'm not going to stop shooting just because I've missed some
shots," Colorado guard Stevie Wise said.
And neither did the rest of the Buffaloes as they scored 52 second
half points.
Only one Michigan player was intense from the very beginning of
the season to the very end - Calip. He never gave up and he pulled
his team back in several games this year. But Calip proved too small
to do anything about Colorado center Shaun Vandiver. The 6-foot-10
senior was j1st as hungry as Calip, but he had a little more talent,
finishing witl 27 points and ten rebounds.
Calip scored 29 points, but in the end, he really didn't care how his
final game's statistics looked.
"It's kind of hard to assess the way I played because you're always
looking toward the team," Calip said. "So right now I've yet to go
back and see what I could have done better."
Unfortunately, Calip will now have plenty of time to watch the
game on tape.
For Fisher, the work over the summer will be even tougher. He will
still have a young team next year, and the expectations will be even
higher because of this year's recruiting class. He has to find what was
written all over the Colorado locker room and programs - "It's a new
attitude." ___________

)ailI.

Gymnast Wendy Wilkenson performs on the uneven bars Saturday.


READ
THE
DAILY
CIASSIFIEDS
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Blue caps regular'
GYMNASTICS NOTEBOOK
season witSye
by Andy Stabile Y
Daily Sports Writer team held an open reception to the large crowd on
The Michigan women's gymnastics team finished hand. Approximately 1100 fans showed up to watch
its regular season schedule Saturday at Keen Arena the final home meet of the year.
by defeating Michigan State and Central Michigan. "The girls really appreciate the really big crowd,"
Because it was the last home meet of the season and Evanoff said, "We're real happy with the support
the last competition before Big 10's, some special we're getting. Originally there were just a lot of
events were held. parents, but lately we're seeing a lot of people really
FURLONG RECOGNIZED: Michigan honored its interested in Michigan gymnastics."
sole senior, Chris Furlong. Furlong was injured in
competition last year and unable to finish the season A LOOK A H E A D: Considering that the
or compete at all this year. She was All-Big Ten on Wolverines will have no seniors competing at Big -
the vault in 1989 and held the school record in that Tens in Champaign this weekend, the Wolverines'0
event coming into this season. Furlong was a Student will be considered a young, but not unexperienced,
Assistant for the team this year. team. Although they hope to finish in the top three
"We wanted to recognize her and let everyone places at this year's championships, and possibly
know that she was really an outstanding gymnast for contend for the title, next year's team should be even
us." Wolverine assistant coach Jack Evanoff said. stronger with no losses to graduation and three strong
RECEPTION FOR FANS: After the meet, the recruits already signed.

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