01
michigandaily.com
sportsdesk@umich.edu
iPORTS
8A'
Take Cover!
Loss to Indiana third straight forBleayfrmhe
By Set awayfromhom
Daily Sports Writer l tvk
J. BRADY
MCCOLLOUGH
Cagers not good enough
to win going one-on-one
BLOOMINGTON - Prior to yesterday's 63-49
thrashing of Michigan, Indiana coach Mike Davis told
his players, "We have to make this the hardest game
Michigan has played all season."
The Hoosiers stepped out
and. did just that, as they : MICHIGAN 49
ferociously attacked the
Wolverines in the first half, JINI NA 63
forcing Michigan to make
uncountable unforced errors and held the Wolverines
to a dismal 18 points in the half.
"In the Duke game at least we gave a little effort,"
freshman Lester Abram said. " We didn't give any
effort in this game."
Michigan came out of the gate ready to play, as it
committed just one turnover and went 4-of-8 from the
field in the first 5:30 of play to knot the score at nine
apiece. But after that, Michigan struggled to do any-
thing right. Michigan's failure to attack the rim, inabil-
ity to go to the free-throw line and carelessness with
the ball allowed Indiana to take a 14-point lead into
halftime.
"We were embarrassed," Michigan coach Tommy
Amaker said. "I though that we played about eight
minutes where we showed some toughness and life. I
am hoping as we move forward, we understand what it
means to play a curtain way and that if we don't, we
are not a team that can compete in this league."
See HOOSIERS, Page 11A
B LOOMINGTON - When the
Michigan basket ball team
began its improbable 13-game
winning streak just two months ago, it
was playing for one thing, and one
thing only - pride.
There was no NCAA Tournament
berth to play for. At 0-6, the idea of
being able to compete for the Big Ten
championship was ludicrous. Michigan
was the laughing stock of the conference
- again. Then, something happened.
It all started with pride - that little
voice inside your head that's always
fuckin' with you. No Michigan player
was even thinking about a Big Ten title
two months ago.
But the past two weeks, basketball
fever has swept through Ann Arbor, a
previously dormant basketball town, and
everyone with a maize-and-blue heart
has been thinking big picture. Big Ten
this, Big Ten that. I was a victim just like
you. And don't think that the young
Wolverines didn't fall into our trap.
Tom Coverdale and the Indiana Hoosiers ended their five-game losing streak against Michigan last night.
I
I.
signed jersey you'll never ever wash: $150
2003 game sched
5 f
...., w{} f F fj f f 't' y fi JFf {
k t
t k k a'
k .
{ t
2
S }
john franco poster: $20
lule: $0
trophies: $0
,fV
Gam finger: $i
subscription to "baseball america": $62
6
Last night in Bloomington, for the
first time since Michigan's 8 1-59 loss
to Duke on Dec. 7, the Wolverines
crumbled. They crumbled because
they were individuals, thinking about
something more than just playing win-
ning basketball for their teammates -
maybe.how great it would be to win a
Big Ten title and be heroes?
"We weren't doing anything togeth-
er tonight,"Michigan freshman Lester
Abram said. "It was like everything
was one-on-one.
"It just seemed like Indiana just want-
ed the game more than we did toniht."
Even coach Tommy Amaker said
that last night's 63-49 loss to Indiana
was "uncharacteristic of the team
we've been the past two months:'
That's because for 32 minutes of
action, the Wolverines weren't a team.
In road losses at Illinois and Minneso-
ta, Michigan played its game for the
majority of each contest, but just fell
to the hands of a tough team in an even
tougher environment.
But this one will be hard to swallow.
The Wolverines scored just 18 points
in the first half, as their ball movement
resembled that of the Brian Ellerbe
era. They stood around and watched
instead of taking the ball to the hoop
and earning easy points at the line.
Michigan shot no free throws in the
first half and just five for the game.
Senior LaVell Blanchard, who
Amaker has repeatedly said must play
well for the Wolverines to win, contin-
ued his magic act, as he disappeared
for long stretches of the game and led
the Wolverines with four turnovers. All
Blanchard could say after the game
was "we we en't hitting our shots
ftday. a e~ neglected to mention
was that his teamn wasn't hitting the
forfr looseals or hitting th'
,bria , ; se as Indiana wrestled
away a 40-31 rebounding advantage
with a much smaller lineup on the
floor for most of the game.
"That's what happens when you out-
work and outhustle people," Amaker
said.
He knows those traits well. It's what
he instilled in his team during the run.
Without them, they're a 14-point loser to
an underachieving Indiana team.
Thankfully for the Wolverines, they
received a gift two hours after their game
finished, as Purdue fell to Northwestern
on the road, 78-67. Wisconsin now joins
the Boilermakers and Wolverines at first
place in the Big Ten with a 7-3 record.
But the Wolverines need to forget all
See McCOLLOUGH, Page IVA
SCOREKEPERS
THURSDAY NIGHTS
Killians & Coors Light
Pitchers
9 -10 Pm $150
10-close $250
$1 Long Islands
21 Taps! Full Menu!
I I C e k O tO rW eeFriday/C all D rin ksSt r a / 5 C n 1 ANR -9.1D(1& VRETT H AN AK IN5 C e t
0
0
finding out there's an internship for people like you: priceless
Apply for a summer internship in the sports business at mastercard.com.
You could be sent to Nashville, where you'll spend five weeks learning from industry bigwigs.
Some students will even go on to work with the St. Louis Cardinals® or the New York Mets°
there are some things money can't buy. for everything else there's MasterCard"~
F *# 1
No purchase necessary.5 essay entrants win a summer study program, 2of thre 5S onra 2-week Irnternship. Contest open to underadatr
students, 1825, who are U.S. resdertts. Ends 411103. Resricdu ns apply Go so nistercardaun, fur Offrcial[ Rules anrd complete details.
Maor League Baseaoll trademarks and copyrghts are used wtuh permi sson of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc.
Oficia Hoes. Ne Prchase N8ecessary to Enter or Wit. Eligibilty -18Inrrrrr'nnf of ager and arre enrolledI icircp arr pro -Gmarrundergraduataeam srudeln sinuraU.S. Deprararmentr ofaEducationp accreditedr r2-rydeat or4-yeatrincollegepartniteositycaars occr8n10a anrd rt ther time ofurawrmit aSru'actiontarra attrrr trnEmploarner ofucMrsrtaruardtrInternrationalggInfcMaptrrarddnt(rSaonnaor'c)tlMaaederSposorm)mbastefirdameibrlfinacial intitatl
Major League Rsebarf Pro ars Incr. M. S ddvarrnIMn Ira P Manr iroe ffooouriCrirerrocs frr. rim UrrianBaseball&,rnrrrvr.andrtnrerMajorirLeaigeedrBasebrrllrrCluririandI eachP ofPrnfeirorespective r isharehorldpmrMOemLplayeesn ailarunatsa.diareororsrotffecerrslaffiliates, carplpu-a pryrrta irectaosucfcessorsrlrand. rspignsta(hereinafrtercce'oMLBandassrgrr Oerfrafter.MLB Enrees) nterocneRecods, lrc NEOctaEgonag WorWldwide
Lirmted,. partcpating )unvraere Project brpparr iarr i h c1 farrnrrr nfair i- r~mraipi rr < a. . ,.t.:rrt rrfrnof erroatrs.igoetnors. related er , !,trior jrrrraiermp prrrIpals. agents, fclcns spnors epresentatrces. successors andassrirrs. arid adverrangpopr n ag nerris (collectively rfloanad Parten fard r lre rtg oteimmediate tanmily f(mother. father. brothers, sisters. sons. daughters and spouseadhueodp acsch m loe
are not eligible to p rau ii'n iesr-t u4. rri., r .ra .oa ir, na. ra- rrr ia- ilraa._. rrrirrmrr . , Irrrrr rrariVisu t olst itrcrt ma --,. currinrritsrickh orptherra M srrCaru0 Priceless Ede'"icon lretuaed err SPO AM Central Lug CT ar ,onV 28/3arid r 5 AM CF on 4/1 1;03 iProrrnoarr Pyrrodp 2 1Click o the conr represeting o ur preferred MasterCard0 Priceless Edger" oarse of studa SpodrtManagement or Music &