No pressure on lowest seed

If the IU men's tennis team can prolong its recent success this weekend, the frustration of a long season will dissipate. But not all of the haunting memories will be erased. At the same time, it is a new season; a chance to make the wrongs right. \nIn the first round of the Big Ten Championships at 2 p.m. today, the Hoosiers battle No. 37 Michigan as they attempt to abandon their poor play. All tournament matches are going to be played in Columbus, Ohio at the Stickney Tennis Center. IU (7-15, 1-9) is the No. 11 seed, while the Wolverines (14-7, 5-5) are the No. 6 seed. Last season, IU was the No. 8 seed. \n"This is one of the best college tournaments in the country," coach Ken Hydinger said. "It's a chance, an opportunity for us. Anything is a plus for us."\nLast Saturday, IU hosted Michigan, and the Wolverines spoiled the invitation by winning 5-2. But the match was closer than the score indicates. The Hoosiers were without their usual No. 2 player in senior Rahman Smiley. He sat out with a severely sprained ankle. In addition, Smiley missed six weeks earlier in the season because of a chronic back problem. Besides being without Smiley, two of IU's singles losses came in three sets.\nIllinois (20-4, 10-0), who plays Friday at 10 a.m., is the No. 1 seed in the Tournament and they received a bye for the first round. Host Ohio State (20-3, 9-1) is the No. 2 seed and they play the winner of the Wisconsin and Iowa match at 10 a.m. Friday. \nAfter an emotional victory last weekend, the Hoosiers are optimistic for a chance at redemption. IU beat Michigan State 4-3 last Sunday. Junior Zach Held, a former Michigan player, lost to his former team last Saturday, 6-2, 7-6. \n "This is the most upbeat we've been in a while, probably since the beginning of the season," Held said. "I wouldn't want to be a Michigan player. We are a dangerous, dangerous team right now. I wouldn\'t want to play us."\n The Wolverines split matches with IU and Purdue to finish the regular season. Michigan features players from Sweden, Germany, Canada and the Cook Islands. \n"Michigan is a very good team. We would be happy to play anybody," Hydinger said. "It doesn't really matter who we play."\nThe Hoosiers and Wolverines both have three seniors on their respective squads. Overall, IU is younger with eight freshmen, while Michigan has four. The Wolverines' Henry Beam, a senior, is their normal No.1 singles player. He lost to Rakvica last Saturday in straight sets. Michigan's usual No. 1 doubles team is duo Chris Shaya and Brett Baudinet. \nSmiley is questionable because of his ankle injury. He said he has gotten pretty good at helping the team when he is not in the lineup, and he acts like another coach and is eager to help at the Big Ten Championships. \n"It's going to be a lot different atmosphere," he said. "Coaches and players approach it differently. It's just a complete different feeling."\nLast season, IU defeated Iowa 4-3 in the first round of the Tournament in Madison, Wis. They followed with a loss to Illinois, 4-2. \nSince 1990, IU has won two tournament matches in the same year five times, most recently in 1995 at home when they defeated Ohio State and Penn State.\nWidlansky has consistently improved his game this year. He has won four of his past six singles matches.\nHeld said victories at No. 1 and No. 2 singles are almost guaranteed and not that many teams can claim that. Plus, he said freshmen Ryan Recht has nothing to lose at the No. 5 position. \nHydinger said Rakvica and Smiley know you have to be prepared and focused. He said they know what it takes and that Widlansky knows that the fight starts now, because he has been there. \nIU owns a 5-4 record on neutral courts against Michigan. The Hoosiers and Wolverines have met one other time in the Big Ten Tournament with the Hoosiers winning 5-4 in 1990. \nThe winner will play Minnesota on Friday at 10 am.\n"It's like we've had a bear on our back," Hydinger said. "It would feel great to win a Big Ten Championship"