Wednesday
December 1, 2004
sports. michigandaily. com
sports@michigandaily.com
ThE Atdirga BJtil
PORTFS
10
. .. ........ ... - -- ----- . . . ........... ..
Rambli'
Wrecked
'M' crashes
and burns
in Atlan ta
By Josh Holman
Daily Sports Writer
ATLANTA - In the span of a week, Michigan
played three games against NCAA Tournament-hope-
ful teams on national television. In that span, it has
struggled to prove that it is a tournament-worthy team
itself.
No. 3 Georgia Tech (4-0) blast-
ed the Wolverines (3-3) 99-68
last night at Alexander Memorial GEORGIATECH 99
Coliseum. It was the third straight
loss for the Wolverines, who dropped two games last
week in the Preseason NIT in New York.
"We are concerned about our team," Michigan
coach Tommy Amaker said. "We are concerned about
the psyche when you lose a ball game with this point
differential and the margin of victory by Tech."
The Yellow Jackets dominated in every aspect of
the game. Most notably, they turned what is thought
to be Michigan's strongest weapon - its backcourt
- into its Achilles' heel.
Guards Daniel Horton and Dion Harris, Michigan's
leading scorers this season, combined for just 12
points. Harris scored eight points on 3-of-13 shooting
in 30 minutes of play. Horton's play was most disap-
pointing of all, as the junior scored just four points and
fouled out with 11:33 remaining in the game.
The dismal night from Horton and Harris left
Amaker more than just concerned about his backcourt
for the rest of the season.
"I thought (our) floor game was horrendous,"
Amaker said. "And we aren't going to be a good team
or even have a chance of competing at the level of the
teams and programs we are going to have to face if
those kids don't play better, make better decisions and,
at the very least, (be) out there on the court."
On the other side of the court, Georgia Tech's back-
court looked absolutely stellar. Guards Will Bynum,
B.J. Elderand Jarrett Jack scoreda combined 62
points, with Elder leading the way with 27 points. The
senior turned in a shooting night that most can only
dream of. He finished 10-of-12 from the field and 7-of-
9 from 3-point range.
Bynum did his share of damage as well, shoot-
ing 8-for-12 while adding three treys of his own.
"We shot the ball well," Georgia Tech coach Paul
Hewitt said. "When you're making threes, it gives
you a boost. And in this building, as loud as it gets,
Guards flounder in.
critical matchups
BRIAN SCHICK
Schick Happens
TLANTA - When the
Michigan basketball team
aw that it would face Georgia
Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge this
season, it had to know it would be in for
a huge challenge. The Yellow Jackets lost
last season's NCAA championship game
to Connecticut last season, and returned
the same core from that team. This week
in practice, the players wanted to try
and match the intensity and quickness
of Georgia Tech in hopes of keeping the
score respectable.
Needless to say, last night's 99-68
thumping at the hands of Georgia Tech
showed that this team isn't capable of
playing against high-caliber teams at this
point in the season. I doubt many people
thought the game would be close, but it
seemed the Yellow Jackets could do no
wrong. They went on a 20-0 run at one
point in the first half, shot 57 percent
from behind the arc, forced Michigan's
guards into foul trouble and always kept
momentum on their side.
No matter what Michigan coach
Tommy Amaker tried to stop the
seemingly endless stream of points,
it backfired. When he tried to put in a
big lineup, B.J. Elder and Will Bynum
torched the Wolverines from behind the
arc (a combined 10-for-14) and Georgia
Tech's defense went into a zone and
dared Michigan's guards to shoot. When
hetried to go to the up-tempo lineup with
more guards, 7-foot-1 center Luke Schen-
scher pounded the ball inside, totaling 10
points and nine boards.
Amaker was obviously distraught at
the postgame press conference. He had a
look of stunned disbelief.
"Everything we tried, they had an
answer for," Amaker said. "You have to
give them credit for what they do well
- pretty much everything well."
But it wasn't just Georgia Tech firing
on all cylinders that made this game a
rout, as Michigan played like a team in
a three-game skid. Michigan's starting
guard duo of Daniel Horton and Dion
Harris got into foul trouble early, and
were practically a non factor, chipping in
for a combined six second-half points.
Typically Amaker doesn't call out his
players, but he didn't hesitate to call the
play of Harris and Horton "horrendous."
That may sound a little harsh, but in an
up-tempo game like this one, Michigan
needed strong floor leaders, and the duo's
presence was definitely lacking at times.
"There is no question that those two
starting guards have to recognize their
value and their responsibility to our
team," Amaker said.
At this point in the season, the guards
have clearly been the anchor of the team
thus far. This was the first time either
Harris or Horton didn't finish with double
figures in scoring. One of the two has led
the team in scoring in all games but one
this year. With the stakes as high as they
were last night, and the team needing
them the most, they quiet.
"We didn't get into a good flow as a
unit," Horton said. "It seemed like every
other possession, they were running
down and getting layups and dunks. It
was tough to keep up with them."
With Lester Abram's status still up in
the air (he's technically still listed as "day
to day"), the pressure on both Harris and
Horton won't go down any time soon.
Both players indicated that they wanted
to put this game behind them as soon as
possible and start to focus on this Sat-
urday's game against Notre Dame. But
I wouldn't write off this game yet. Yes,
Georgia Tech put on a shooting clinic and
dominated every aspect of last night's
contest. But it appears as if Michigan has
been playing progressively worse in its
past three games - and it won't get a
break this weekend, either.
Both Amaker and players indicated
See SCHICK, Page 11
Michigan sophomore guard Dion Harris fights for the ball
it's a major boost when you shoot the ball."
The home crowd was rocking early and often.
Michigan kept pace with the Yellow Jackets
for the first four minutes of the game, trailing
just 10-9 early on. But then the flood gates broke
open.
The Yellow Jackets ripped off a 20-0 run out of
the media timeout to open up a 30-9 lead. They
scored nine points in under a minute and a half.
Michigan managed to stop the bleeding with a
3-pointer from Harris and a basket from Horton,
but the remedy was only temporary.
Georgia Tech continued the onslaught for the
in yesterday's defeat.
remainder of the first half. Behind the hot shoot-
ing of Bynum and Elder, the Yellow Jackets piled
on the points. The tandem hit seven of its 13 3-
pointers in the first half.
As a team, Georgia Tech shot 64.2 percent
from the field and 56.5 percent from behind the
3-point line.
Jack sank abu ckta'the half came'to a close,
putting the Yellow Jackets up 59-32. It was a hole
more than large enough to bury Michigan.
"It's very frustrating - a very disappointing.
loss," Horton said. "I can't even put it into words
how frustrating it is."
Stenavich arrested for
disorderly conduct
Last minute costs Blue
By Stephanie Wright
Daily Sports Writer
From staff and wire reports
MARSHFIELD, Wis.
lineman Adam Stenavich
by his hometown
police for disorder-
ly conduct after an
incident in a local
bar, authorities said
yesterday.
No formal charg-
es had been filed
against Stenavich,
21, an offensive
tackle for the Big <4 ;
Ten champion and Sten
Rose Bowl-bound
Wolverines.
- Michigan
was arrested
trict Attorney Todd Wolf said his office
has a 45-day policy on deciding whether
to file criminal charges in such cases.
Marshfield Police Chief Joe Stroik
said Stenavich, a friend of Stroik's
family, was an upstanding young man
growing up and played with Stroik's
two sons on the Marshfield High
School football team.
"From our perspective, depending
on the violation committed, it does not
matter who you are or what relation-
ships you have," Stroik said. "Many
people make mistakes. Sometimes
alcohol plays a part, but people make
mistakes. They pay their dues, and
hopefully that's the end of it."
Michigan sports information direc-
tor Bruce Madej said team officials had
no immediate comment, but said coach
Lloyd Carr planned to release a statement
today.
"I'm not entirely familiar with the
situation," Michigan athletic director Bill
Martin said. "I have heard about that. That
would be a matter the athletic department
and football program would review and
investigate first. I think that's the stage we
are in right now."
Stenavich could not be reached for
comment.
With just over four minutes left, the Michigan
women's basketball team was in control.
As freshman Janelle Cooper
dribbled up court, Drake guardLDSAKEhr d o
Linda Sayavongchanh tried to MCIA 0
force her out-of-bounds. But
Cooper protected the ball, tiptoeing along the line to
pull away from Sayavongchanh and set up a shot for
freshman Ta'shia Walker. Cooper grabbed one of her
three offensive rebounds off Walker's miss and hit a
layup, giving the Wolverines a nine-point advantage
and their second-largest lead of the game.
But her efforts weren't enough.
Despite leading for the first 19 minutes and 51 sec-
onds of the second half, Michigan (2-2) suffered a
heartbreaking 61-60 loss to Drake last night.
"We just kind of let a lead slip away by over-think-
ing what was going on, like, 'Oh, they're not going
to come back, they're not going to come back,' " for-
ward Kelly Helvey said. "I give it to Drake - they
battled the whole time. They knew that they weren't
going to lose, and we didn't have that."
Trailing 56-47 with 3:36 remaining, Say-
avongchanh went on a tear, draining a jumpshot
before setting up a 3-point shot for guard Lindsay
Whorton on the Bulldogs' next possession, which
cut Michigan's lead to four.
Cooper answered by sinking an off-balance
shot, but Sayavongchanh notched her game-high
fifth assist off another Whorton three-pointer to
pull Drake within three.
"They made some adjustments, and then we just
started letting them dribble-penetrate after they'd
make a pass out," Michigan coach Cheryl Burnett
said. "That really was our frustration - when you're
allowing dribble penetration to the rim and easy
shots, that's really not very effective."
After point guard Becky Flippin knocked down
two free throws to give the Wolverines a 60-55
advantage, Sayavongchanh drove into the lane on two
straight possessions, scoring a basket each time to cut
the Michigan lead to one. Then, with just nine sec-
onds left, Drake forward Jill Martin hit an inside shot
to give the Bulldogs their first lead since 9:12 remain-
ing in the first half.
Following a Michigan timeout, Cooper took the
inbounds pass and sent the ball to Flippin, who found
a well-guarded senior Tabitha Pool just inside the 3-
point arc. Pool forced up a shot as time expired, but it
went just left of the basket to give Drake the victory.
"We knew (Pool) was going to take the last-second
shot - we just hoped it would be a difficult shot,"
Drake coach Amy Stephens said. "We wanted to stick
to her like glue."
Pool finished with a game-high 21 points on 9-
for-16 shooting, but did not score in the final five
minutes. That drought was representative of the Wol-
verines' play throughout the game, as they started flat
and allowed Drake (3-1) to score 20 points in the last
10 minutes of the game.
"We just came off a big win - we should have
been energized and ready to go," Helvey said. "Any
other day, we'd beat that team. They're good and
everything, but on our home floor, we should beat
that team."
avich
He was seen by an employee of the
Elixir Nite Club urinating on the floor in
a second-floor area sometime after 1 a.m.
Saturday, according to a police report
cited by the Marshfield News-Herald.
The report said Stenavich refused
to leave, and one of the club's owners
called police who escorted him out-
side. Police said he loudly cursed offi-
cers and continued disruptive behavior
after his arrest.
Police recommended state charges of
disorderly conduct. Wood County Dis-
TREVOR CAMPBELL/Daily
Cheryl Burnett was disappointed after last night's loss.
TRUE OR FAJSE?
~ Animals have languages much like human languages
~ Deaf children go through the same stages of language
development as hearing children
~ English is like so degenerating before our eyes (ears)
~ Inuit languages have hundreds of words for snow
~ The average high school graduate has approximately 45,000
Cooper's play sparks
By Matt Singer
Daily Sports Writer
Janelle Cooper certainly isn't the biggest player on
the floor. But the 5-foot-10 freshman has a knack for
putting herself in the right place at the right time. After
opening the season with a 13-point, eight-rebound per-
formance against Alabama, the for-
hustle, I can help my team."
But last night, Cooper's scoring was a major fac-
tor, and allowed the Wolverines to maintain a lead
for much of the game. She also made the most of her
opportunities with the basketball, going 5-for-6 from
the field. Perhaps most importantly, Cooper showed
tremendous energy on a night when Michigan strug-
gled to maintain its focus.
VOlVerines
have an answer defensively. Drake poured in 14 points
in the last four minutes, allowing them to fight back
from a nine-point deficit.
"When we're giving up 52 percent in the second
half, that means we're not doing what we need to do
defensively," Burnett said. "(Most) of their scores were
dribble penetrations to the rim. We just can't afford to
let that happen against our defense."