Cagers rough up Minnesota By Dena Beth Krischer Daily Sports Writer Stop me if you've heard this one. Fans at Crisler Arena were watching a wrestling match, and a women's basketball game broke out. No, really. The players - from both Michigan and Minnesota - were all over the floor, fighting for the ball more often than they were looking towards the basket. But, in all actuality, the game wasn't all that physical. "Other teams that we've played before have been as physical or more physical," junior center Alison Miller said. "It's just basketball." Whistles weren't sounding as arms and legs were sprawling out out all over the court as Michigan somehow managed to pull out a 73-55 victory. Not that the victory was undeserved. "I have to give credit where credit is due," Minnesota coach Cheryl Littlejohn said. "Michigan came out and executed its game plan against us. Yes, I'm disappointed because a lot of the things we've been working on the past few days, we didn't come out and execute." Michigan (6-3 Big Ten, 14-6 overall) outshot, out rebounded and out-everythinged Minnesota (1-8, 8-12). In the first half, the Wolverines overpowered the Gophers from the floor - outshooting them 38 to 26-percent. Despite two easy three-pointers from freshman center LeeAnn Bies, the first two attempts of her college career, Michigan was held back by double-teaming, even triple-teaming, which caused players to rush themselves and made sinking a basket difficult. "We were rushing ourselves," sophomore guard Alayne Ingram said. "We could have taken our time, made easier baskets and get the ball down the court." Minnesota, on the other hand, gave new meaning to the word "suspense". Each of the numerous times Minnesota ran the shot-clock down to the last second and made the "air-ball" a prominent feature of the game, Michigan picked up one of 23 first-half rebounds and went the other way - ready to expand the lead. But low and behold, something unfortunate - like a foul, a traveling call, a holding call or just a bump to the elbow of the shooter - forced the Wolverines to play with higher intensity and less skill than they're used to. Still, after holding the Gophers to only six points in the first 10 minutes, Michigan left the half with a comfortable 12-point lead. And then it happened. Perhaps it came from Ingram when she said "We want to punish them." Perhaps it was for Michigan's loss to Minnesota last year at Crisler. Perhaps it was to make up for the statistically meager first half. Perhaps it was to take out the should-have-been-wins earlier this season. Or perhaps to simply make a statement. "Everybody's dangerous (in the Big Ten)," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "We wanted to come out with some intensity and set the tone right away, and that's what we did. The first five minutes of the second half are critical. That's when you're going to make the run or that's where you're going to bury them." And as the Gophers descended into the six-foot-deep hole they'd dug for themselves, Michigan went of to shoot 58.3-percent from the floor in the second half - with 21 more rebounds and 12 more assists. The Wolverines went into the second half the same way they wanted to go into the second half of the Big Ten season - with the intensity to beat the teams they're supposed to beat, and demoralize those that think that they're better. "We can beat every team that we play," Ingram said. "It's just important that we take care of the ones at home, and we did. It's important that we end the Big Ten with a bang." Everytime Minnesota ran the shot-clock down to the last second and made the "air-ball" a prominent feature of the game, Michigan picked up one of its 23 first-half rebounds and went the other way - ready to expand the lead. But low and behold, something unfortunate - foul, a traveling call or just a bump to the elbow of the shooter - forced the Wolverines to play with higher intensity than they're used to. Still, after holding the Gophers to only six points in the first 10 minutes, Michigan left the half with a comfortable 12-point lead. And then it happened. Perhaps it came from Ingram when she said "We want to punish them." Perhaps it was to avenge Michigan's loss to Minnesota last year at Crisler. Perhaps it was to make up for the statistically meager first half. Or perhaps it was to simply make a statement. "Everybody's dangerous (in the Big Ten)," Michigan coach Sue Guevara said. "We wanted to come out with some intensity and set the tone right away - the first five minutes of the second half are critical. That's when you're going to make the run or that's where you're going to bury them." And as the Gophers descended into the hole they'd dug for themselves, Michigan went on to shoot 58.3-percent from the floor in the second half. The Wolverines went into the second half the same way they wanted to go into the second half of the Big Ten season - with the intensity to beat the teams they're supposed to beat, and demoralize those that think that they're better. "We can beat every team that we play," Ingram said. "It's important that we end the Big Ten with a bang." Originally on page 1B in the 1-31-2000 issue of the Daily.