Wednesday November 17, 2004 sports.michigandaily.com sports@michigandaily. com PlReTidlSig 9 . . .......... . .. . . . ....... ......... . .. ..... ...... - . . . . .. .. .. .. . ... .. .. .. Slow first halves could haunt Blue End result neverfor sure in 'The Game' By Sharad Mattu Daily Sports Editor Michigan's recent trend of starting slowly and improving as the game pro- gresses has been something of a mystery, and it hopes to solve it in time for Satur- day's game at Ohio State. In their last five games - all wins - the Wolverines have been outscored in the first half 61-54 only to outscore their ' opponents in the sec- ond half 106-53. "It's been a prob- lem all season," tight end Tim Massaquoi said. "We haven't gotten off to the right start that we want- ed to. We try to emphasize that, but it just hasn't been working out. "But I think the main thing is how we finish the game, and we finish the game playing really well offensively." In particular, its been Michigan's offense that has waited until halftime to really get going. With teams adding new wrinkles to rattle quarterback Chad Henne, the Wolverines have often found themselves making adjustments on the offensive line. "We need to get off to a fast start, and I think we will," redshirt sophomore Steve Breaston said. "The freshmen have been learning a lot as the season goes on. The entire team has been getting better and better and I think it just builds up." Although the Wolverines have devel- oped confidence in their ability to rally to victory, they know that doing it at Ohio MEN'S BASKETBALL Stadium is another story. Two years ago in Columbus, Michigan was trailing 14- 9 after a late touchdown, and had a tough time on offense dealing with the crowd noise. On its last two drives, Michigan moved the ball past midfield but was unable to punch it in. "It's going to be real tough to come from behind," Massaquoi said. "That's why we don't want to be in that situation. We want to be in a situation where the game is in our hands. We don't want to have to come back at Ohio State. That's really tough." Although neither matches up to Ohio Stadium, Michigan has faced two tough road tests thus far this season. In its second game of the season against Notre Dame, Michigan settled for three first-half field goals, and then allowed 28 points in the second half and lost. Against Purdue, the Wolverines strug- gled to get to the endzone, but won on a late field goal. "All we're doing is preparing ourselves for a dogfight in a hostile environment," senior receiver Braylon Edwards said. "We'll have loud noise going all week in practice so we can kind of simulate what goes on in their stadium. We'll just have to have a strong week in practice from all of the guys. The veterans have to tell the young guys what it's all about. "That's what this week is all about." BIG PLAY GINN: After losing its first three conference games, Ohio State rebounded to win three straight before taking a step back Saturday against Pur- due. A significant reason for the Buckeyes' TREVOR CAM PBELL/Daily Steve Breaston will be key for Michigan to get off to a fast start against Ohio State. turnaround is the play of freshman Ted Ginn Jr. In their 32-19 win two weeks ago against Michigan State, Ginn scored touchdowns on a reverse, a punt return and a catch. He was expected to play cornerback this season, but has been a much-needed weapon for Ohio State's otherwise lackluster offense. "He's like our Steve Breaston," Roy Manning said. "He's fast - he can prob- ably outrun anybody on that field on Sat- urday. We're going to have to do a good job of keeping him inside the defense. Also, on special teams, I know he's a punt returner, so we have to get down- field. We're going to have a challenge Saturday." Michigan's defense, which tends to be overly aggressive and fall out of position, has been susceptible to big plays. In its last two games, it allowed touchdown runs of 72 and 64 yards to Michigan State's DeAndra Cobb and 68 yards to Northwestern's Noah Herron. INJURY NOTES: On Monday, Carr said he was "very optimistic" that linebacker Scott McClintock would play Saturday. The redshirt junior did not play in the Northwestern game due to illness. Backup safety Willis Barringer, who was carted off the field on Saturday with a leg injury, isn't expected to play. FINAL THREE: Senior Braylon Edwards was named as one of the three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award for the top wide receiver in the country, along with Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield and Ball State's Dante Ridgeway. BOB HUNT Unleashed At the start of one of my classes on Monday, my professor asked everyone if they thought Michigan would beat Ohio State this weekend. Almost everybody raised their hands. Then she asked if any- one had their doubts. Of the approximately 35 people in the room, I was one of two that raised a hand. Not that I don't think Michigan can win on Saturday, but with the optimistic feel- ing all over campus these days, it is appar- ent that a history lesson is in order. Yes, Ohio State is having a down year. Yes, Michigan hasn't lost since September. But to everyone who is already looking for plane reservations to southern California, I have one thing to say: * This is Michigan-Ohio State. This is a rivalry that has been defined by the seasons that have been ruined in late November. Ohio State may be 6-4 and unranked, but this is a game that, over the years, both teams have often come in as severe underdogs and have ruined the other's chance at a Rose Bowl or National Championship. If you don't remember, let me jog your memory. 1%9: Undefeated and top-ranked Ohio State looked to be on its way to a Rose Bowl and national title, but it first had to travel to Ann Arbor to face first-year coach Bo Schembechler and the Wolver- ines. The Wolverines picked off six passes and upset the Buckeyes 24-12. Michigan football was changed forever, and a rivalry was truly born in a win considered the best ever over Ohio State. 1972: This time, No.3 Michigan trav- eled to Ohio State with a 10-0 record. It also dominated. It threw for 160 passing yards compared to Ohio State's 17. It made 21 first downs compared to Ohio State's 10. It ran 84 offensive plays, compared to Ohio State's 44. But Michigan also failed to score when it had a third-and-goal at the Ohio State one-yard line in the fourth quarter, and lost 14-11. The Wolverines' season ended on that day, as just one Big Ten team was allowed to go to a bowl game until 1975. 1973: Both schools went into this game undefeated, and the game ended in a 10-10 tie. Michigan felt it played a better game after Ohio State failed to complete a pass. But the Wolverines fell short of the Rose Bowl because of a special athletic direc- tors' vote, ending their season once again. 1974: Michigan was ranked slightly ahead of Ohio State as it once again entered the matchup undefeated. Kicker Mike Lantry missed a short field goal with 18 seconds left, and the Wolverines lost 12-10 on Czechoslovakian import Tom Klabon's four field goals. For the third straight year, Michigan enters the Ohio State game unbeaten. For the third straight year, Michigan ends up short of the Roses. 1981: Ohio State comes into Michigan Stadium unranked, but Michigan settles for field goals of 19,26 and 23 yards, while Ohio State gets in the endzone twice. The Buckeyes win 14-9. Michigan ended up in the now defunct Bluebonnet Bowl. 1982: Ohio State is unranked going into Michigan week again, but this time the Wolverines have to travel to Columbus. Michigan quarterback Steve Smith throws three interceptions and loses two fumbles. But it was the fumble by Anthony Carter at the Ohio State 14-yard line in the 4th quarter that dealt Michigan a 24-14 defeat. The Wolverines ended up going to the Rose Bowl anyway, but lost to UCLA. 1993: Ohio State came into Ann Arbor needing either a win over unranked Michi- gan or a loss by Wisconsin against Michi- gan State in Tokyo (yes, Tokyo) two weeks later to head to Pasadena. It got neither. The Buckeyes threw four interceptions, and were shut out for the first time in 11 years in the 28-0 loss. The Badgers went to their first Rose Bowl since 1962. 1995: No. 2 Ohio State came to Ann Arbor undefeated, trying to prevent North- western from heading to its first Rose Bowl since 1948. But Tim Biakabutuka ran for 313 yards, dwarfing Heisman Tro- phy candidate and eventual winner Eddie George's 104, and.Michigan won 31-23. 1996: Having blown chances at the Rose Bowl in 1993 and 1995, no one thought another undefeated Ohio State team would let another Rose Bowl oppor- tunity slip away again. The Buckeyes entered the game as 17.5-point favorites. Ohio State had a 9-0 lead at halftime, but a 61-yard touchdown strike from Brian Griese to Tai Streets started the comeback. No.21 Michigan won 13-9, ending anoth- er Ohio State national title bid. 2001: No. 11 Michigan needed a win against unranked Ohio State to head to a BCS bowl. It fell down 23-0 at half- time. Quarterback John Navarre was even pulled from the game for Jermaine Gonzales, but had a shotgun snap went over his head for a safety. The Wolverines got within 26-20 after a Marquis Walker touchdown catch with 2:26 remaining, but that's how the game would end. Michigan lost to Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl. Saturday's game has some strange simi- larities to many of these battles. Michigan has the Rose Bowl in its grasp, and this game will constitute Ohio State's season. So don't plan your holiday break just yet. Bob Hunt is looking for things to do for "On the Road" Friday night in Columbus. If you would like to give him any ideas, you can e-mail him at bobhunt@umich.edu. M' looks to avoid letdown in NIT By Brian Schick Daily Sports Editor With the first game of the season over, Michi- gan looks to put its shaky start against Bingham- ton behind it. A 12-point deficit in the first half was seen as a major defensive meltdown, con- sidering the Bearcats were playing in Division II just two season ago. The Wolverines managed to turn it around in.the second half. Michigan was able to rely on its experience to help overcome the halftime deficit, as junior Daniel Horton and sophomore Dion Harris led the Wolverines to victory. The win came in large part to a second-half rally, despite Horton's early turnovers (six turnovers in the first half) and Harris's poor shooting (1- of-5 from the floor). Michigan's opponent tonight in the second round of the Preseason NIT, Colorado, isn't able to rely on its experience, as it returns just one starter from last year's 18-11 squad. But the Buffaloes appeared to, overcome the problem on Monday, sending College of Charles- ton home with a 72-57 loss. Michigan will face Colorado tonight, and eras- ing a double-digit lead might not be as easy as it was on Monday. "Defense won the game for us," Harris said. "We need to play tough defense from start to fin- ish. We need to take pride in our defense (this season)." TONTGUT'V . Michig$;v.. 7 <~m CtserA n ESPN Chances are that the Buffaloes won't shoot 15 percent in the second half, like the Bearcats did. Colorado freshman Richard Roby made an impressive debut, scor- ing 19 on 7-for-l shoot- ing, and led all Buffaloes with 32 minutes against less if Michigan would face Colorado or Col- lege of Charleston, Amaker said heading to New York for the semifinals of the Preseason NIT undefeated would be a great start to the season. Michigan could potentially play No. 10 Arizona or No. 2 Wake Forest in the semifinal and finals, respectively. "It'd be a tremendous start for us to go 2-0," Amaker said. "For our team, we feel good about playing in New York. We've played there and had some success there and that'll be in the back of their minds. The other teams that make it will deserve to be there, so we'll have our work cut out for us." Michigan and Colorado have a history in the NIT, as the schools' last meeting came in the 1991 Postseason NIT, with the Buffaloes coming out on top 71-64. Michigan needs to be wary of overlooking Colorado and toward the potential of playing in Madison Square Garden. The Wolver- ines feel fortunate to have these games to add to their NCAA Tournament resum6 come Selection Sunday. "This is a great chance to play quality teams," Horton said. "It's a great opportunity for us." College of Charleston. Jayson Obazuaye and Julius Ashby shot 50 percent from the floor and added 10 and 13 points, respectively. Michigan coach Tommy Amaker admitted after Monday's game that he hadn't looked at either Colorado or College of Charleston, but said he'd start looking at the winner of the game immediately after the game was over. Regard- Flippin, Clement give Burnett backcourt options By Stephanie Wright Daily Sports Writer Before the start of the exhibition season, Michi- gan women's basketball coach Cheryl Burnett believed she needed to find one standout point guard to lead her team. With two exhibition games complete, Burnett has yet to find one player. Instead, she's found two. Freshmen Becky Flippin and Krista Clement split point guard duties in the exhibition games and they averaged 2.5 assists apiece. Clement believes Flippin has secured the starting spot, but as a natu- ral shooting guard, Clement is more than happy to switch over to the point to give Flippin a break. "It lets our coaches tell (Flippin) what to do next without having to take a timeout," Clement said. "I like making that opportunity available to the coaches." Sharing time is nothing new for Flippin - her summer AAU teams used a similar system, and she has come to enjoy playing with another point guard on the floor. Not only does it give her a sec- ond pair of eyes to survey the opposing defense, but it also enables her to create shooting opportunities for Clement when sh'es in the game as a shooting guard. "Becky is great in terms of seeing early passes down the court," Burnett said. "Her innate instincts are just incredible." But perhaps the most impressive part of Flippin's game is her dribbling. Flippin spins and weaves through defenders, deftly protecting the ball and bailing her teammates out of trouble, according to Clement. "She's better than anyone I know at handling the ball," Clement said. "Every time she's on the floor, she's all over the place." In contrast to Flippin's flashy ball-handling, Clement is more of a steady floor general when playing point guard. At LaSalle High School in St. Ignace, her coaches stressed basketball funda- mentals, usiig many of the same drills that Burnett employed the first few weeks of practice. Burnett believes this experience enabled Clement to grasp Michigan's offense and defense faster than most players. "Krista has the understanding of a senior who's been in the program for four years," Burnett said. "She's so exceptional - I've never seen anyone like her." Clement has used this knowledge to provide senior-like leadership on a young team, commu- nicating with her teammates and working hard in practice. She is developing into a vocal leader in game as well. In the closing seconds of last week's exhibition win against the Australian Institute of Sport, Clement loudly instructed her teammates to hold onto the ball and not shoot on their final pos- session. But for all their individual strengths, Flippin and Clement believe they are most effective together. They - along with freshman Katie Dierdorf - spend almost all their time together off the court, which has taught them how to deal with each other on it. "It goes beyond the two of them - the team chemistry is phenomenal," Burnett said. "But (Flippin and Clement) have been great in terms of sharing what they see with one another and running the team in tandem." RYAN WEINER/Daily Krsta Clement has been a vocal leader on the floor, despite being a fresman.