Twice is nice for women's basketball

They've dreamed about it. They've talked about it. They've planned for it.

Now it's time for the members of the Michigan women's basketball team to play in it.

'It,' of course, is the women's NCAA Tournament, March Madness, the Big Dance. The Wolverines will make their second-ever appearance in the tournament when they face No. 25 UCLA (19-8) in Tuscaloosa, Ala., at tonight at 7.

The Wolverines (19-9) have come a long way in the two years that coach Sue Guevara has led the team. In the four years preceding Guevara's arrival in Ann Arbor, Michigan went a combined 5-63 in the Big Ten.

After a marginal improvement in Guevara's first season at Michigan, the Wolverines have blossomed this year, posting a 10-6 record in the Big Ten.

This year's seniors played the first half of their careers at Michigan under former coach Trish Roberts, who never won more than three Big Ten games in a season.

Two years later, the Wolverines have received a 10th seed at the NCAA Tournament.

"P.J. was saying before that this just wipes out those first two years," senior co-captain Molly Murray said of her fellow senior, Pollyanna Johns.

The Wolverines will need large contributions from both players if they hope to keep playing after tonight. Johns led Michigan in scoring all season, putting up 17.5 points and pulling down nearly 10 rebounds each game. She became the first Michigan player ever to be named to the all-Big Ten first team.

Murray thrived in her role as a co-captain this season.

She earned a starting spot about a quarter of the way into the season and pushed her scoring average to double digits.

In the Big Ten Tournament, Murray scored 15.5 points per game on her way to being named to the all-Tournament team.

While Michigan relies on its seniors to lead the team, UCLA is very young.

Four of UCLA's five starters are sophomores, including three who average better than 10 points per game.

The Wolverines, who start three guards, might have trouble matching up against the tall UCLA front line. The Bruins' three leading scorers, Maylanna Martin, Marie Philman and Janae Hubbard, are all more than 6 feet tall.

The last time the Wolverines faced a team with a similarly strong front line was at then-No. 11 Illinois on Jan. 11.

Michigan failed to shut down the Fighting Illini's taller players, allowing 6-foot-3 center Alicia Sheeler to pour in 22 points and grab 13 boards.

Although the Wolverines hung tough for much of the game, the Illini pulled out a three-point win, 66-63.

Hubbard will present a similar challenge to Michigan's Johns. Hubbard stands 6-4 and tips the scales at 245 pounds.

"She leans on you," Guevara said. "She gets lots of offensive rebounds, and she's able to put it back up and in."

Another key matchup will be between Michigan's Stacey Thomas, last year's Big Ten freshman of the year, and UCLA's Erica Gomez, also a sophomore guard. Gomez scored 7.6 points per game on her way to being named to the Pac-10 first team.

Gomez was second in the Pac-10 in assists as well.

Thomas, who prides herself on her improved defense this season, led the Big Ten in steals, averaging 3.1 picks per game.

Thomas also averaged better than 11 points per game.

The last time Michigan was playing this late into March was in 1990, when coach Bud VanDeWege led his Wolverines into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The 1989-90 team won a school-record 20 games and defeated Oklahoma State in the opening round of the tournament.

This year's Wolverines hope to fare as well, if not better, than their Michigan predecessors. If they defeat the Bruins, they would most likely face host Alabama, a No. 2 seed in the region.

For now, however, the Wolverines are concentrating on UCLA and their first NCAA Tournament game in eight years.

"The officials are going to have to put on their track shoes," Guevara said. "Because both teams are going to get up and down the floor. It'll be a good first-round game."

03-13-98