41
Page 6- The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday- December 11, 1989
One man not enough
to handle Robinson
Lory Knapp
Fr
the Knapp
by Steven Cohen
Daily Basketball Writer
Saturday's basketball game
showcased two of the nation's most
heralded point guards at different
stages of their careers, Michigan's
Rumeal Robinson and Bobby
Hurley.
Though both players played well,
the difference in the game amounted
to the fact that Duke was forced to
expend more energy on Robinson
than Michigan did on Hurley.
First Hurley gave it a shot -
trying to guard Michigan's 6-foot-2
inch, 195 pound Robinson. Phil
Henderson, Brian Davis, and Billy
McAffrey were to follow without
too much success.
None of the aforementioned
guards were able to handle Rob-
inson for an extended period of time.
The attention Duke paid to
Robinson helped other Wolverines,
such as Terry Mills, Loy Vaught,
and Sean Higgins to shine.
And though he fell into foul
trouble and shot only 8-21 from the
field, Robinson was still the key
man for Michigan. As Fisher has
said, "He's our leader, as he goes so
will the team."
"He's so physically strong that
he wears °you out so that one guy
can't guard him all the time," Duke
coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "I
thought we did an alright job on
him, he had to work for his points.
But in concentrating on him you
can't help on anybody else. That's
what makes them a good team."
Duke assistant coach Tommy
Amaker added: "Obviously Rumeal
is an unbelievable talent. I think
he's going to be a tremendous player
this year and I'm sure he'll do a good
job in the NBA because I'm almost
positive he'll be a high round draft
choice."
Amaker should know about
quality backcourt play. A stellar
guard during his college playing
career, Amaker played alongside
current Philadelphia 76er Johnny
Dawkins at Duke. In 1984, he was
the last point guard to start for Duke
as a frosh.
His protege, Hurley, arrived in
Durham with piles of press
clippings and a mythical national
championship won at St. Anthony's
High School in Jersey City, New
Jersey.
Hurley, widely touted as the
nation's second best frosh guard
behind Georgia Tech's Kenny
Anderson, amassed 10 assists in
Duke's 78-76 loss to Syracuse on
Thursday night.
Hurley, who finished with 19
points, including 4-6 shooting from
three-point territory, and 6 assists,
held his own against Robinson, who"
finished with 22 points and 8
assists. Yet Hurley fouled out in
overtime before he could help his
team win.
"He's a very good player," Hurley
said "He (Robinson) deserves to be
an All-American. He made the big
shot at the end of the game, made
some big free throws. He's just
really tough."
1 a'/
Michigan center Terry Mills battled Duke center Christian Laettner
effectively for much of his 29 minutes. Mills, who fouled out in the
waning minutes of regulation, finished with 18 points.
Blue cagers look to
J
z~
G
DUKE
Continued from page 1
Michigan scored at will. Mills
passed to Higgins for a three pointer.
The next two times down the floor
Mills simply elected to score 10-foot
jumpers. On the ensuing trip, Mills
passed up the inside jump shot to
pis$ to Calip, who calmly made a
wide open three pointer.
"Abdelnaby got those two quick
fouls and they were tentative," Mills
said. "I told Loy before the game
than.if we could get them in foul
trouble, it would be easy."
It was easy until the second half.
Duke opened the half with an 8-0
run, tutting the Michigan lead to
five.
. "We were playing really good
defense," Krzyzewski said.
"(Michigan) may have been a little
lax at that time. They looked like
they were standing around a little on
offense."
While Michigan stood around,
Duke continued to cut away at the
lead. Phil Henderson made both free
throws after an intentional foul was
called on Michigan's Mike Griffin,
cutting the lead to one. A lay-up by
Robert Brickey after the Blue Devils
inbounded the ball gave them the
lead.
Their momentum carried them to
extend their lead to five points before
Michigan came back.
"We've got kids who are winners
and who play hard," Wolverine coach
Steve Fisher said. "The win allows
our kids to say 'hey, we found a way
to win under pressure."'
tame haple
By Steven Cohen
Daily Basketball Writer
In case anyone was wondering,
Michigan did not look past Duke in
anticipation of its upcoming battle
royale with Chicago State.
"I don't know anything about
them (Chicago State), Michigan
coach Steve Fisher said on Saturday.
"I've never seen them play, I don't
know any of their players."
Tonight, Fisher will get
acquainted with the Cougars, as they
bring their overmatched squad into
Crisler Arena.
Chicago State, an independent,
finished 12-16 last season. The
1989-90 season has begun equally
dismal for the Cougars (1-5), who
field only one player taller than six-
feet-seven inches.
In a trip during which their team
bus broke down five times, the
Cougars lost to basketball powers-
Minnesota (85-62) Illinois (82-
ss Cougars
62)- and nonpowers: Grambling
State (85-80) and Detroit (81-70).
At home Chicago State defeated
Southern Illinois, 73-60 and lost to
Northeast Illinois, 81-67.
"Our chances against Michigan
depend upon them as much as it does
on us," Chicago State coach Tommy
Suits said. "We're going to need
some help from them. I just don't
think many people have the players
like (Loy) Vaught, (Terry) Mills,
and (Rumeal) Robinson, as far as
strength, speed, and quickness for
their positions.-
6-2 guard Gerald Collins and 6-7
forward James Parker lead the Cou-
gars in scoring at 17.6 and 17.0
points per game, respectively. Parker
leads the team with 10.2 rebounds
per game and 5-10 guard Rod Parker
is tops in assists with 6.6 per game.
The contest is expected to provide
an opportunity for Michigan's bench
players to see significant minutes.
M' proves to nation
that they're for real
If you missed Saturday's basketball game between eighth-ranked
Michigan and No. 6 Duke, then you missed what Blue Devil coach Mike
Krzyzewski appropriately dubbed "one hell of a game."
The enthusiastic crowd, which was boosted by the 10,000 free
pompons provided by local sponsors, lent a tournament-like atmosphere
to the clash of the collegiate powers. Both teams went at it as if the
national championship were on the line.
"I think everything that went on here, a player would dream of," Terry
Mills said. "It was unbelievable... I think everyone came out and
performed up to that."
But this was more than just a good showing for Michigan. Far more.
Before the game, this was a Wolverine team that needed to prove itself,
both as individuals and as a team, to gain an identity.
After a nationally televised, mediocre showing against Arizona that
resulted in an 82-75 loss to open the season, Michigan realized that it
could not rest on the laurels of last season's National Championship.
After all, last year's stint in Seattle was played by a different team,
under very different circumstances. Then, the team banded together in the
face of adversity. Now they had to do it all on their own, which
oftentimes proves more difficult.
But Saturday afternoon the powerful Duke team, which battled, but
lost to No.1 Syracuse, 78-76, as well as the opportunity to play on
national television, provided the impetus the Wolverines needed to reprove
themselves as a national power.
Despite some opening jitters at the beginning of the first half, a coach
Steve Fisher-inspired ballclub put together what ABC commentator Dick
Vitale termed one of the finest first halves seen this season.
As the second half began, however, the Wolverines were outplayed.
Michigan watched as Duke narrowed a 13-point halftime lead to just five
and suddenly a potential blowout was a close game again.
But just when the Wolverines could have allowed themselves to get
down and pack it in for the day, they responded instead by picking
themselves up and turning up the intensity another notch.
Individually, Michigan center Mills played one of his best games ever
before fouling out late in the second half. And Loy Vaught, who stepped
in as the big man when Mills left, hit a career-high 27 points. And don't
forget Rumeal Robinson (22 points) or Sean Higgins (32 points).
"We didn't play that well (against Arizona) and we wanted to show
America that we're still Michigan and we can play well," Higgins said.
As a team, the Wolverines were able to regroup and regain their
composure - even when the crew of ACC officials called a much tighter
game than the Wolverines were accustomed. Duke went to the foul line
32 times,16 more times than Michigan.
That composure was threatened, however, when Duke's Greg Koubek
put back an offensive rebound with less than one second to go in
regulation to send the game into overtime. Coming off of the floor, the
Wolverines looked for someone to blame and rookie Eric Riley, who
missed the coverage, was to be the scapegoat.
But Fisher quickly nipped that in the bud, insisting that his players
not rehash the past. Only overtime and winning the game mattered.
"I just can't say enough about coach Fisher in the time-out," Vaught
said. "He said, 'Forget it, its done.' There is no way a team should come
here and take a win."
Even if Michigan had lost the game, it really would not have mattered.
Playing with their heart and soul, the Wolverines, led by Fisher, showed
the entire country that not only can they be a great basketball team, but
that they are.
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