Lady cagers look to remedy past woes

By DONNIE COLLINS
and DAN GIGLER
Collegian Staff Writers

There is only one way to best describe the challenge facing any Big Ten women's basketball team that has designs on bringing home the conference championship at the end of this season.

Much like a nickel steak, it's going to be tough.

Five conference teams -- Purdue, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois -- earned berths in last season's NCAA Tournament. Add those accolades to Penn State's run to the championship in the Women's National Invitation Tournament, and it's easy to see that the Big Ten may invade the NCAA women's tourney again in 1999.

Once there, the conference will look to exorcise the demons of past postseason failures.

"We lead the country in attendance as a conference," Michigan coach Sue Guevara noted. "But as a conference, we will get more respect once we get a team in the Final Four. In that respect, it can get better."

Illinois (Theresa Grentz, fourth season, 10-6, 4-2 Big Ten)

1997-98: 20-10, 12-4 Big Ten

Key Players: F Susan Blauser (Jr.) F Alicia Sheeler (Sr.)

Key Players Lost: G Ashley Berggren

Grentz and the Fighting Illini are going to find out exactly how difficult it is to replace a legend. With the loss of Berggren, the Illini won't just be longing for her 18.5 points per game from a year ago. They'll be looking for someone who can step into the leadership role that Berggren filled so adequately for the past four seasons.

"You don't replace her," Grentz said. "Ashley did everything she could possibly do in four years at Illinois."

With Sheeler and Blauser providing frontcourt stability, the Illini should be alive in the postseason, which traditionally was when Berggren was at her best.

Indiana (Jim Izard, 11th season, 12-7, 1-4 Big Ten)

1997-98: 21-12, 10-6 Big Ten

Key Players: F Cindy Kerns (Sr.) C Jill Chapman (Fr.) G Kristi Green (Sr.)

Key Players Lost: C Quacy Barnes

It's not easy being Green.

The Hoosiers nearly made the NCAA tourney last season after finishing 10-6 in the conference, but settled for a WNIT berth. This season, Izard's squad certainly hoped for a better start to conference play. Much of the team's struggles could be blamed on the uncharacteristic sloppy performance this season of Green, who is averaging 7.8 points per game. When her performance improves, so too should the Hoosiers.

Iowa (Angie Lee, fourth season, 8-7, 3-2 Big Ten)

1997-98: 18-11, 13-3 Big Ten

Key Players: C Amy Herrig (Sr.) G Lindsey Meder (Fr.)

Key Players Lost: C Tangela Smith

Even though her team earned the Big Ten regular season championship last season, Lee shouldn't have handed out championship trophies during preseason practice this season.

Instead, she may have benefited more from distributing "Hello my name is..." stickers.

Despite the fact that the Iowa roster is filled with new faces, Lee's Hawkeyes have played well beyond their years. With wins over Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota coupled with a heartbreaking two-point overtime loss to Purdue, these young Hawkeyes are laying the foundation for future success.

Michigan (Sue Guevara, third season, 9-4, 1-2 Big Ten)

1997-98: 19-10, 10-6 Big Ten

Key Players: G Stacey Thomas (Jr.) G Ann Lemire (Sr.)

Key Players Lost: C Pollyanna Johns F Molly Murray

Simply put, Michigan will go as far as Stacey Thomas can carry it.

While Thomas is doing a fine job trying, Guevara said her star guard can't lead her team to conference success without a little help from her teammates.

Lemire is averaging 11 points a game, but no other Wolverine has been able to post double-digit point figures on a consistent basis this season. Despite early non-conference success, the Wolverines will get buried in the Big Ten if those numbers don't improve.

Michigan State (Karen Langeland, 23rd season, 8-6, 2-2 Big Ten)

1997-98: 11-16, 5-11 Big Ten

Key Players: G Maxann Reese (Jr.) F Kristen Rasmussen (Jr.) F Becky Cummings (So.)

Key Players Lost: F Bella Engen G Jamie Wesley

Michigan State is making a Spartan-like effort to improve on a disappointing 11-16 record from last season. With the sharpshooting Reese, the Big Ten Player of the Week for the week of Dec. 14, and continually maturing Rasmussen, Langeland's squad is on the upswing.

Cummings will provide a glimpse into the future, while providing her team with solid post play.

Minnesota (Cheryl Littlejohn, second season, 6-9, 1-4 Big Ten)

1997-98: 4-23

Key Players: F Sonja Robinson (Sr.)

Key Players Lost: F Angie Iverson G Kiauna Burns

The good thing about last year's embarrassing 4-23 Golden Gopher campaign is that there was nowhere to go but up.

With six wins, Minnesota can already claim improvement. But with an influx of freshmen and junior-college transfers representing Littlejohn's reserve squad, it's unlikely the Gophers will be as golden as their name.

Northwestern (Don Perrelli, 15th season)

7-6, 1-2 Big Ten

1997-98: 10-21, 3-13 Big Ten

Key Players: G Megan Chawansky (Sr.) F/C Leslie Schock (Jr.)

Key Players Lost: G Amber DeWall

With a healthy Kristen Divjak, Perrelli's Wildcats were keeping the faith alive for significant improvement over last year's struggles.

But after Divjak underwent season-ending surgery on her left knee last month, Northwestern may simply be living on a prayer.

Without last season's conference scoring leader, the Wildcats have gone 5-5, and have lost their last three Big Ten games, including a 30-point drubbing at Purdue on Jan. 12.

Ohio State (Beth Burns, second season)

11-3, 4-0 Big Ten

1997-98: 15-12, 7-9 Big Ten

Key Players: F Larecha Jones (Sr.) F Marrita Porter (Sr.)

Key Players Lost: None

The Jones and Porter show is changing venues.

This season, the Buckeyes moved into the new Value City Arena at Jerome Schottenstein Center, the largest women's basketball arena in the nation. In Jones and Porter, the fans that frequent the Schottenstein Center will see what may be the best pair of forwards in the conference. The duo is good for 27 points per game on average this season, and that number is steadily increasing as conference play progresses.

Penn State (Rene Portland, 19th season)

10-4, 2-2 Big Ten

1997-98: 21-13, 8-8 Big Ten

Key Players: G Helen Darling (Jr.) G Lisa Shepherd (So.) F/C Andrea Garner (Jr.)

Key Players Lost: C Em Clements G Jamie Parsons

The Lady Lions have relished the underdog role this season, knocking off three top-10 teams. But after their surprising success in the Big Ten Tournament, as well as the WNIT Championship last season, the Lions won't be sneaking up on anyone in the Big Ten this season.

Penn State is led by a pair of MVPs -- Big Ten Tournament MVP Garner and WNIT MVP Darling. Throw in the deep bench, and the Lions have all it takes to pounce on the Big Ten's elite.

Purdue (Carolyn Peck, second season, 11-1, 3-0 Big Ten)

1997-98: 23-10, 10-6 Big Ten

Key Players: G Stephanie White-McCarty (Sr.) G Ukari Figgs (Sr.) C Camille Cooper (So.)

Key Players Lost: None

The Boilermakers established themselves as the premier team in the conference after pulling off a stunning championship victory in last season's Big Ten Tournament. Peck's squad returns all five starters, including the premier backcourt duo in the nation. Between them, senior guards White-McCarty and Figgs are steamrolling their opponents to the tune of 35 points a game this season.

But while everyone talks about the backcourt, Cooper has provided the presence in the post that should give the Purdue faithful a chance to cheer for a serious national title contender.

"Last year, our inside game was labeled as being young," Peck said. "Camille had a great summer. She played for the Big Ten tour team. She's gotten a lot stronger from a year of being in the weight room."

Wisconsin (Jane Albright-Dieterle, fifth season)

7-8, 2-4 Big Ten

1997-98: 21-10, 9-7 Big Ten

Key Players: F LaTonya Sims (So.) F Jessie Stomski (Fr.)

Key Players Lost: G Katie Voigt F Ann Klapperich

Voigt and Klapperich, who accounted for more than 32 points and 10 boards per game last season, desperately have been missed in Cheesehead Country, if not for their production than for their experience. Wisconsin's leading scorers, Sims and Stomski, are both underclassmen. The future looks bright, but the present appears cloudy.