It's been long enough; Fisher's time to win is now
Unfortunately for Steve Fisher, time doesn't stand still. His prize recruits can't hang around Ann Arbor for 10 years. In fact, they have a difficult enough time just staying for four. And this year's version of the Wolverines is no different.
Big things expected of big Blue's big men
Jenny Craig might be as valuable a coach for the Michigan frontcourt as Steve Fisher. The theme this summer for Michigan's returning big men - Maurice Taylor, Maceo Baston and Robert Traylor - was weight, both the loss and the gaining of it.
Nothing tiny about guards
They can run the floor; they can shoot; they can score. And if all goes well, they might even be able to penetrate the lane, break down defenses, dish to the open man, and create some quality scoring opportunities.
Plugging up the holes: Uncertainty forces Fisher to tinker with lineups
Michigan fans' worst nightmares came true Friday, when Michigan coach Steve Fisher announced that sophomore forward Albert White was not only suspended for the semester, but he was released from the team. White was suspended from all team functions until the end of the semester for violating a team rule on Oct. 14. Fisher then decided last Friday that White had not shown a desire to conform to team standards.
Blue warms up with four Midwestern cupcakes
The Michigan men's basketball team will face non-conference opponents Ball State, Cleveland State, Bradley and Detroit in a span of a week and a half. And probably the most excitement generated from the games will come from watching former Villanova coach Rollie Massimino mess his hair and dance around the sidelines for his current club, Cleveland State.
'M' says 'Aloha' to Classic field
Cleveland. Columbus. Long Island. Michigan has to deal with some bad road trips this year. But that's the breaks of the schedule. Tough luck. Yeah, tough luck the Wolverines have to spend the last week of December in Honolulu.
Blue dances with Devils
November doesn't mean much to Michigan. Sure, the Wolverines will be massively disappointed if they don't emerge undefeated after the first month of the season.
Lopez, Hamilton lead driving Red Storm
In 1994, Michigan and St. John's arguably had the nation's top two recruiting classes. The Wolverines' class was advertised as the second coming of the Fab Five, and the Red Storm had one of the most heralded high schoolers of the last decade in Felipe Lopez. Two years later, both of those classes can easily be called major disappointments. Of the four players remaining from Michigan's quintet, only two have contributed significantly.
1996-97 Michigan men's basketball schedule
Changing of the Guard
The championship game was a bundle of contradicting emotions: happiness, sadness, jubilation and despair. The sun shining high above the gym buried within the state of Illinois, the band playing, and the cheerleaders cheering all set the stage for the greatest rendition of Cinderella.
Is he back?
Jerod Ward stood on the sidelines all by himself. Even at 6-foot-9, he looked helpless, even awkward, chewing at his fingernails, watching his teammates practice. After missing a huge chunk of the past two seasons, Ward still hasn't gotten accustomed to being off the court - even when he's just taking a five-minute breather.
Tigers won't be growling anytime soon
Last year was the 10th anniversary of Louisiana State's improbable run to the Final Four. And if coach Dale Brown had his way, the Tigers were going celebrate with history repeating itself. Brown had what was going to be the nation's top backcourt with Ronnie Henderson and Randy Livingston. Henderson led the Southeastern Conference in scoring last year, and Livingston was one of the top players ever to come out of Chicago.
Youth key for 'Cats
It's certainly not an understatement to say that Arizona has been a thorn in the Michigan basketball team's side for the past decade or so. Since the Wolverines bested the Wildcats in 1957, they have lost six straight games to Tucson's finest, including an 86-79 loss in last year's Preseason NIT.
Two sides to Lions' coin
The best way to look at Penn State's season might be to look at the good news and the bad news. The good news: The Nittany Lions had an outstanding 1995-96 campaign under coach Jerry Dunn. Penn State got off to an 18-2 start and went undefeated in its new arena, the Bryce Jordan Center.
State still looking up at Michigan
Beating Michigan in basketball is so important in East Lansing, professors actually cancel class so students can attend the game. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo thinks he's landed a freshmen class that can help him top the Wolverines.
Illinois: 'What to do without Lou?'
Lon Kruger is regarded as a savior at both Kansas State and Florida. Within the past 10 years, he not only rebuilt both of those school's programs, but he also became the winningest coach at each stop. But pulling the trifecta with his next endeavor would be his greatest accomplishment yet.
Bennett's Badgers need to overachieve
Wisconsin fielded only eight scholarship players last season and lost a pair of guards to injury. Yet first-year coach Dick Bennett was able to eke out 17 victories from his team and flirt with an NCAA Tournament bid.
Hawkeyes boast senior leadership
After throwing his name into the NBA draft pool, senior Jess Settles abruptly fished it out, and hope returned to the Hawkeyes' nation. Iowa coach Dr. Tom Davis - the most relieved man in Iowa City these days - will now have the senior tandem of his dreams, as Settles will team with point guard Andre Woolridge to provide the skills and leadership the Hawkeyes need to help replace three lost starters.
Hoosiers' inexperience troubles Knight
When you're trying to find a way to replace the Big Ten's leading scorer, there's a lot of uncertainty. Ditto when you have five freshmen (including one redshirt) on your roster.
Gophers' season could be Golden
If history meant anything to Minnesota coach Clem Haskins last season, it sure doesn't now. The NCAA Tournament selection committee made the Golden Gophers the first Big Ten team ever to be snubbed with at least a 10-8 conference record.
Keady will need deep bag of tricks to win 4th title
No Big Ten team has won four straight conference titles. Then again, no Big Ten team has Gene Keady - except Purdue.
'Cats try to claw out of basement
Maybe the best thing that can be said about this season's Northwestern Wildcats is that they only have to wear purple shorts, not the full-length pants their colleagues on the football field play in. And that's really about the only comparison one can make between the two squads. Somehow, though, Northwestern coach Ricky Byrdsong remains optimistic. Not only does his team have a chance to break out of the Big Ten cellar, but he even thinks it has a chance to be competitive.
Sophs must lead Buckeyes
If Ohio State were any good, it would be the Nebraska of college hoops. Not just in terms of wins, however - we're speaking of legal troubles.
Postseason tourney could hit Big Ten by '98
It's Saturday, March 8, 1997. You sit down in front of your television to watch some college basketball, some exciting, last-weekend-before-the-NCAA-Tournament hoops. You turn on the TV set. You get Iowa at Northwestern. Or Illinois at Purdue. Games scheduled for that date, all likely to appear on your local stations.
Tipoff '96 Staff
11-14-96