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NCAA 1st-round tickets will not be available to students

By Michael Rosenberg
Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan men's basketball team may or may not make the NCAA Tournament, but students' fates are already decided. No tickets will be set aside for students unless Michigan makes it to the third round.

Students can, however, apply for tickets at the regional semifinals and finals, as well as to the Final Four. Applications for tickets to Regionals will be taken March 11-13 at the Michigan Athletic Ticket Office at 1000 S. State St. Final Four applications will be accepted March 11-15 and March 18-20, also at the ticket office. Students must apply in person.

Prices for Regionals vary from $60 to $65, depending on the site. Final Four tickets are $73 for one ticket to each game.

If Michigan stumbles and ends up in the NIT, students will have an easier time getting tickets. If the game is at Crisler Arena, students can buy one ticket for $5 at Ticketmaster locations.

Hockey

There was one simple reason why Lake Superior swept Michigan last weekend.

And it wasn't just because the Lakers scored more goals than the Wolverines.

It was the special teams game, which Lake State decisively won.

The Lakers were successful seven out of 13 times with the man advantage. It was the worst showing of the season for the Michigan penalty-killing unit.

Moreover, it followed a stretch of more than six games where the Wolverines killed off 36 consecutive power plays. The most power-play scores Michigan gave up in a single weekend was four -- against Ohio State and Bowling Green at the end of January -- which coincidentally were the last goals given up before the 0-for-36 streak.

"Up until this weekend special teams had been the key to our success," Michigan coach Red Berenson said following Saturday night's 7-3 loss. "We've never beaten as badly on special teams all season until tonight."

So what happened?

"They have a nothing power play," Berenson said of the Lakers. "All they do is take shots from the point and hope for a rebound in front. We gave them too many rebounds at the front of the net and (Michgan goaltender Marty Turco) didn't control the loose pucks.

"A lot of times it's just luck and the bounces the puck takes."

--Alan Goldenbach

Women's basketball

The Big Ten conference announced its 1995-96 women's basketball all-conference teams earlier this week, and for the first time since the 1992-93 season, one of them included a Wolverine.

Sophomore Pollyanna Johns was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team by the media panel and to the All-Big Ten Third Team by the coaches in her first conference campaign.

"It's not a big deal to me," Johns said, although she was glad to be selected. "It will probably sink in later."

Her shots, though, were sinking all season long and she cleaned the glass when opponents shots weren't.

The 6-foot-3 center led Michigan in points and rebounds, averaging a double-double for the season (14.4 ppg., 10 rpg.).

Johns was sidelined for the Big Ten season last year with a knee injury and nobody knew what kind of impact she would have entering the season.

"I didn't know what to expect," Michigan coach Trish Roberts said.

But ask Johns if she thought she'd play this well and her response comes rapid-fire: "Oh yeah. Definitely."

-- Andy Knudsen

Men's Golf

The men's golf team is back in the swing of things and they are packing their bags.

The team is headed to South Carolina for the Fripp Island Ben Hogan Intercollegiate and is looking forward to the sunny skies. This trip involves a first for the men's golf team. It gets to practice before the start of the spring schedule.

Head coach Jim Carras is very optimistic and very enthusiastic about his team. They have eight returning players, and two promising freshmen.

Freshman Mike Emanuel left during the fall season without playing in a single tournament. He had a serious case of mononucleosis and spent most of the semester at home. Mike is back and eager to play for the Wolverines.

Expectations for this year's team are high, even though fall results brought the team disappointment.

"This team is very talented, and the guys have a lot of ability," Carras said. "Our top players, Chris Brockway and Kyle Dobbs, must play well, and it is imperative that we all play well to make it to the Central Regionals."

The University will be hosting the NCAA Central Regional Championship May 16-18.

-- Kim Hart

Women's Golf

Fab freshmen seem to flock to Michigan in droves these days, and the Michigan women's golf team is reaping some of the benefits.

Katy Loy of Ann Arbor, Sharon Park of Lexington, Ky., and Sarah Lindholm of Grand Blanc, Mich., form the team's terrific trifecta of fab freshmen that will look to make an immediate impact.

In the Owl Preview Classic, the first tournment of the season, the top three finishers for Michigan were the freshmen -- Loy in 15th place, Park in 16th and Lindholm in 18th. Overall, the Wolverines finished fifth out of 13 teams.

In the team's next tournament, the Charleston Spring Invitational in South Carolina March 4-5, Michigan coach Kathy Teichert looks for the team to improve, including the freshmen.

"We're looking to improve each time out," Teichert said. "The freshmen have done an excellent job. They are diligent, they work hard, and they like to compete."