Coming off its greatest season ever, Michigan finds itself fighting for respect, again. Stacey Thomas is gone, but Michigan hopes to ride its strong backcourt to the NCAA Tournament once again. The Wolverines are planning their...

Sneak Attack

By David Horn

Daily Sports Writer

Ask Jay Fiedler, Jeff Garcia or Brian Griese about replacing a superstar. It's no walk in the park. But for those three, the responsibility of filling the hole left by a Hall of Fame quarterback fell squarely on their shoulders.

For the women's basketball team, the replacement of Stacey Thomas - one of the most prolific players in the Wolverines' history - will be a team effort.

Last year, Thomas shined as the brightest star on a surprisingly competitive Michigan squad. She was honored as the school's first All-America candidate, and was a member of the First-Team All-Big Ten. Thomas' greatest asset was on the defensive end of the court. She was the 1999-2000 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

But a team may succeed without the recognition from Big Ten coaches and media. What they cannot succeed without, however, are numbers, and Thomas' were extraordinary. The departed forward ranks third in Michigan's history in scoring (1,556 points), second in rebounding (851) and first in games played (115) and steals (372). Her career steals tally is the highest in the history of the Big Ten.

Last year, Thomas averaged 7.7 rebounds per game, 14.4 points per game, and dealt 64 assists. Her 102 steals was a team record. She led the team in points in 10 games, and rebounding in 16.

All good things must come to an end, though. Thomas was drafted last spring by the expansion Portland Fire of the WNBA.

Gone too are starting center Allison Miller and forward Kenisha Walker, including their combined 10 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game and 52 steals - 30 of which came from Walker off the bench.

So where does this leave the team? Not in such a bad spot, if you ask them.

"We definitely lost a lot," senior captain Anne Thorius said. "Each player that graduated had a lot to offer. You're going to get those things from different players on the team though."

Last year the Thomas-led Wolverines placed second in the Big Ten and earned its first-ever appearance in the AP Top 25.

The best remedy for a depleted team is strong recruiting. Michigan hopes that a new freshman class and their greater depth will compensate for the departed seniors and earn them another trip to the NCAA Tournament.

There are four freshmen, each with something very different to offer. Forwards Stephanie Gandy or Christie Schumacher would be the most likely to eventually take the spot of Thomas.

But fifth-year coach Sue Guevara is not interested in charging one of her players with the task of replacement.

"There's not one player who's going to come in and take Stacey Thomas' place," Guevara said. "It's going to be a total team of defense, of help, of boxing out. They're going to have to talk when they're on defense. We may be seeing some more zone."

Of the returning starters, only junior guard Alayne Ingram averaged more than 10 points per game. Her 34 steals last season - highest among returnees - is but a shadow of the omnipresent defense of Thomas. Look for the shift to a zone defense to occur sooner rather than later.

Height is one thing that the Wolverines have not lost to graduation. Despite the departed prescence of 6-foot-2 Miller and 6-foot Walker, the freshmen will provide greater size than the graduating seniors. Jennifer Smith stands at 6-foot-3, and Schumacher is 6-foot.

Schumacher's height can best be used via her play at the 2- or 3-spot. Smith is a center, but will most likely begin the season behind starter LeeAnn Bies.

If help is to come in the play of an individual, it may be via the sophomore Bies.

Last year, as a freshman, 6-foot-3 Bies came off the bench to contribute 10.1 points per game, 169 assists and 30 blocks.

Michigan will need to have continued success from behind the arc (it outshot opponents .347 to .279 last year from 3-point land) if it hopes to maintain offensive balance. Guevara hopes that defenses will be forced to collapse on Bies in the middle, allowing her to distribute back outside.

Guevara has a plethora of possibilities in her lineup, particularly with her forwards. Defensively, their size will be the biggest advantage that the Wolverines will have over their opponents.

Part of the beauty of having continual success in a college basketball program is that there is no "most important" position, nor is there one way to run an offense or defense.

Unlike replacing a quarterback or an ace pitcher, the five players that will take the court for the Wolverines will share the responsibility of duplicating or exceeding the successes of last year.