Rock Bottom: Win over Ohio State hardly a consolation
COLUMBUS - Even though the ball bounced the right way for a change, it didn't have enough spring to get the Michigan men's basketball team into the Big Dance.
The Wolverines (9-9 Big Ten, 19-11 overall) came back from a 12-point deficit to beat Ohio State, 86-81, in overtime yesterday, thanks to late-game heroics from their three guards and their big man in the middle.
Icers crush Nanooks in first round
The regular season did mean something after all.
Consider the Michigan hockey team's reward for finishing on top of the CCHA - a first-round conference playoff series with Alaska-Fairbanks.
Accepting an NIT bid the right move
COLUMBUS - Let me be the first to congratulate the Michigan basketball team. Yesterday, the Wolverines made one of the best decisions they have made all season - to accept the NIT's invitation.
A head above the rest
Nicole Forrester is not one to blend into a crowd. Actually, standing at a height of 6-foot-2 1/2, the star high jumper for the Michigan women's track team doesn't exactly have much of a choice.
Men's tankers reclaim title
BLOOMINGTON - For one year, the Michigan men's swimming and diving team has been tuning up for this meet, trying to prove that it was not ready to relinquish its dominance in the Big Ten.
The Wolverines rationalized last season's loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten championships, claiming that Olympic training weakened their squad.
Grapplers grab fifth-place finish
MINNEAPOLIS - Looking to continue a 61-year streak as Big Ten Championship finalists, the Michigan wrestling team found its saviors in a crisp Bill, strong Bones and an aspiring Dr. Richardson.
All-American wrestlers and tri-captains 150-pound Bill Lacure, 167-pounder Jeff "Bones" Catrabone and heavyweight Airron Richardson represented the Wolverines in the conference championship finals yesterday at Williams Arena, leading Michigan to a fifth-place finish.
'M' baseball heats up down south: Michigan wins Rollins tournament, extends winning streak to eight
After giving up 62 runs in the first three games of the season at Alabama, it looked like Michigan would be looking at more of the same when it gave up 12 runs in its next game aganst Stetson.
But that was before the Wolverines reeled off eight straight victories in eight days.
Softball fares well over break
The Michigan softball team had a busy break, finishing second and third in two tournaments and sweeping a doubleheader.
In the Speedline Invitational in Tampa, Fla., yesterday, the seventh-ranked Wolverines (15-5-1) dropped the championship game to No. 4 South Carolina, 2-0.
Blue basketball and football: Powers no more
It's a source of pride for you. As a Michigan student, it's what you want to believe. You know what I'm talking about. It's that spiel you give all your friends who go to those "lesser" schools.
Botterill's recent scoring makes a prophet of Laurion
At the CCHA preseason luncheon in September, Alaska-Fairbanks coach Dave Laurion said, "It's hard to tell a guy that's 5-10, 175 pounds, 'Don't get outmuscled in front of the net by Jason Botterill.'"
Laurion probably didn't realize how prophetic his words were - as Michigan's 6-foot-4, 217-pound left wing helped end the Nanooks' season this weekend by single-handedly outscoring them, 6-1, in a two-game series.
Octopi replace vulgarities in student-less weekend at Yost
It was a different breed of crowd this weekend at Yost Ice Arena.
The students' season-ticket packages ended with the Lake Superior series two weeks ago, and the crowd for the first round of CCHA playoff action featured a much different, much older fan base.
Alaska spilled by 'M'
Alaska-Fairbanks coach Dave Laurion was not bothered by the taunts of the Yost Ice Arena faithful, but he had every reason to be.
The Nanooks came back all year long and made the CCHA playoffs in only its second season as an official member of the league - an outstanding accomplishment for the distant school. But the Michigan fans hardly seemed to care.
Playoffs pass through CCHA campuses
SAULT STE. MARIE (AP) - Brett Punchard had three goals and Curtis Fry scored twice as fifth-seeded Bowling Green beat fourth-seeded Lake Superior State, 8-4, Saturday to sweep their CCHA tournament first-round series.
The Falcons (17-15-5) will face top-seeded Michigan at 5 p.m. Friday at Joe Louis Arena in the second round.
Tigers take 4 OTs
After five hours, 136 shots on goal and the equivalent of two scoreless hockey games, last season's national runner-up advanced to the WCHA Final Five. Early Sunday morning, Colorado College defeated Wisconsin, 1-0, in quadruple overtime.
Michigan women cagers bow out of Big Tens in first round
INDIANAPOLIS - For the Michigan women's basketball team, the Big Ten tournament was like a really bad ending to a really good movie.
"The most disappointing thing is that we did have a pretty good season," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "We surprised a lot of people but it was just the way we played today that overshadows everything that happened during the year."
Blue's Thomas selected as Big Ten Freshman of the Year
INDIANAPOLIS - Although the Michigan women's basketball team didn't come away with a victory at the Big Ten tournament, at least one Wolverine walked away a winner.
Michigan freshman shooting guard/small forward Stacey Thomas, was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, selected by both the conference coaches and the media. She is the first Michigan player ever to be selected for the award.
'M' women hoopsters plagued by history of losing
INDIANAPOLIS - Old habits die hard.
Real hard.
The Michigan women's basketball team experienced a revitalization under new coach Sue Guevera during the regular season, winning more conference games than it had in the last four seasons combined.
Unforeseen forces hurt gymnasts
Winning on the road is tough - especially if you happen to be in Utah.
That's what the Michigan women's gymnastics team learned this past week, as it tried to accomplish what no visitor to Salt Lake City has done since Bermuda shorts were still in style: beat Utah in its own backyard.
Blue takes in experience
MINNEAPOLIS - They came. They saw. They conquered.
Well, maybe they didn't conquer. They can conquer next year. This year was about winning, but it was also about being part of the experience.
Gardner wins 55 hurdles at NCAAs: Gardner grabs title; 'M' finishes 13th
INDIANAPOLIS - "Under the big top" is a phrase associated with the circus, where lions, tigers and bears perform amazing tricks and humans with extraordinary talents perform daring feats.
Five runners from the Michigan men's track team were "under the big top" at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
'M' women left in dust at tourney: Blue send three, have subpar showing
Pressure. It has inspired songs, deodorant commercials and nervous breakdowns.
And now it seems to have infected the Michigan women's track team.
Ayers' future up in the air at Buckeyes' helm
COLUMBUS - Speculation was rampant at St. John Arena yesterday, and Michigan's tournament fate wasn't the only topic of debate.
Ohio State coach Randy Ayers has long been rumored to be on the hot seat, and the Buckeyes' 86-81 overtime loss to the Wolverines capped off Ohio State's fourth consecutive losing season.
Wolverines feel redeemed with come-from-behind win
COLUMBUS - Say what you want about the Michigan men's basketball team, but that doesn't mean the Wolverines will agree.
The fans and the media may still think the Wolverines are underachievers and quitters who didn't deserve to get into the NCAA tournament anyway, but the players say they proved otherwise - at least to themselves - in yesterday's come-from-behind win over Ohio State.
03-10-97
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