The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Buckeyes
pull away
from Blue
By DANIEL BROMWICH
Daily Sports Editor
COLUMBUS - The taunting rang loud and
clear from the student section as the final sec-
onds ticked off in the Michigan's 76-63 loss
last night at Value City Arena.
"N-I-T! N-I-T! N-I-
T!" MICHIGAN 63
"Just like football! OHIO STATE 76
Just like football!"
The common theme?
Both exemplify Michigan's recent inability
to gain the lead in its seemingly eternal com-
petition with Ohio State.
While the Buckeyes gained a spot in the
BCS National Championship game, Michigan
settled for an appearance in the Rose Bowl.
And with Ohio State sporting two consecu-
tive NCAA Tournament bids, the Wolverines
have been relegated to the National Invita-
tional Tournament in two of the past three
seasons .
Last night, the two squads continued the
trend.
Jim Tressel's success against the Wolver-
ines has been well-publicized, as the sweater-
vest-clad coach is 5-1 against Michigan. But
basketball coach Thad Matta enjoys even a
better winning percentage versus the Maize
and Blue, as his record against the Wolverines
stands at a spotless 4-0 following last night's
victory.
Matta has turned a program once dealing
with NCAA probation and tournament ineligi-
bility into a perennial powerhouse, currently
ranked No. 3 in the country.
But Michigan hung with the highly touted
Buckeyes in this contest.
Senior Courtney Sims's lay-up with 9:34
remaining cut the Ohio State lead to three, and
Michigan had numerous chances in the next
several possessions to cut even further into
the margin.
But the Wolverines didn't manage another
field goal for almost five minutes, and an 11-2
Ohio State run put the game away.
"We couldn't make the big stop ... and it
seemed like every time we cut (the lead), we
couldn't make the big play to get over the
hump," senior Dion Harris said.
Even coming off nine days of traveling that
Matta said made him more nervous than he's
ever been before a game, the Buckeyes made
plenty of big plays. And while freshman center
Greg Oden garners all the publicity, it was a
classmate of his who caused the biggest head-
aches for the Wolverines.
Point guard Mike Conley Jr. consistently
knifed through the Michigan defense, and fin-
ished with a career-high 23 points on 9-of-12
shooting and a game-high six assists.
"I think (Conley) is as good, or better, than
most point guards," Michigan coach Tommy
Amaker said. "He's outstanding. He controls
their team. He scores when it's there, he takes
care of the basketball, keeps everybody happy.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007 - 9A
Netters play
mind games
By CHRIS MESZAROS
Daily Sports Writer
The importance of a strong
mind in tennis can't be over-
stated. Momentum can swing
between players as fast as the ball
moves cross-court.
To combat this problem, Mich-
iganwomen'stennis coachAman-
da Augustus has implemented a
mental training program to help
her players keep their competi-
tive edge during close matches.
"We do a series of drills and
exercises that we to do to help
increase focus and improve our
confidence." Augustus said.
The Wolverines want tobe sure
they are more mentally prepared
than any opponent. Michigan
knows the virtues of confidence,
preparation and preparedness
are key to any tennis match.
Augustus's training concen-
trates on the development of self-
confidence and sustained focus to
ensure that her players can com-
pete at the highest leiiel. The abil-
ity to focus on a match and block
out externalities separates good
teams from great teams.
"It's similar to how we work
on forehands and backhands in
practice" Augustus said. "There
are drills we do to work on focus
and confidence."
The players have responded
well to this training, having won
several close matches thathelped
seal team victories.
Last month, graduate student
Jenny Kuehn rallied back after
dropping her first set to clinch an
upset victory for Michigan.
Earlier in January, junior Allie
Shafner, after losing the first
set, regained her confidence and
pulled out a win. The ability to
rebound from early mistakes has
been a key this year for several
Michigan players.
"The longer someone is able
to concentrate on their task at
hand on the tennis court, the bet-
ter they're going to do" Augustus
said.
In combinationwithcondition-
ingand technical skillsAugustus
believes mental training is the
key to success. Players develop
their own strategies to maintain
focus and keep their competi-
tive edge in a match. Teammates'
support and the home crowd can
help any player in a match. The
support system at home is often
a critical component for victory.
And Michigan proved that point
with their upset win over Van-
derbilt on Saturday.
"When playing at home, every-
one is supporting you, everyone
wants you to win," sophomore
Chisako Sugiyama said. "It is so
full of energy, and it is amazing
to play out there with the crowd
supporting you."
By implementing her mental
training program, Augustus has
ensured her team will be more
successful in one of the game's
critical aspects - possessing a
strong mind on the court. With
this edge, she hopes her team can
compete with some of the best in
the country.
"Tennis is, in many ways, simi-
lar to golf," Augustus said. "You
can put two similar players on the
court, and the mentally tougher
one is going to win the match."
FODRIGOGAYA/Daily
Freshman Greg Oden shoots aver an outstretched Courtney Sims in las! nights 76-63 aoss is Coiumbus.
He's tremendous, and I thought he was cer-
tainly the difference for their team this eve-
ning."
Oden made his presence felt, too, recording
15 points, eight rebounds (five offensive) and
six blocks. The Indianapolis native retrieved
his own miss and scored three separate times
in the game, as the Wolverines struggled to
box out throughout the contest. The Buckeyes
managed 16 offensive rebounds, and those sec-
ond chances led to 15 points.
It was these repeated tries at the basket that
enabled Ohio State to pull away from Michi-
gan and put a lid on each run the Wolverines
attempted to make.
"They missed a couple shots, and then they'd
get offensive rebounds and putbacks, or we'd
foul them," senior Courtney Sims said. "That's
something we just need to work on."
While it struggled on the defensive end,
Michigan recorded one of its best offensive
nights in recent memory. The Wolverines shot
50 percent for the game, and recorded their
best point total since its most recent win, five
games ago against Purdue. Sims tallied 17
points and eight rebounds, and Harris added
14 points of his own.
And the good play on the offensive end
seemed like something of a silver lining for
Michigan, whose players took some positives
away from the loss to the rival Buckeyes.
"If people see the score, they're probably
going to think we got blown out, but it was a
lot closer than it seemed," Sims said. "I think
we played pretty well at certain times, and we
slipped up for five minutes of the game, and
that cost us (the game)."
The balance of power in this rivalry cer-
tainly didn't change hands last night, but for a
struggling team like Michigan, maybe 35 min-
utes of competitive basketball is a step in the
right direction.
university unions-
almost as good as
[come in from the cold.]
MEUniversity
@@Unions
Columbus block party bums 'M'
By MARK GIANNOTTO
DailySports Writer
----------
COLUMBUS - Michigan came
into last night's game No. 1 in the
Big Ten in blocked shots per game.
Ohio State
came in right NOTEBOOK
behind at No.
2.
But after last night's 76-63
Buckeye win, it's clear that those
rankings are misleading.
Led by five blocks apiece from
freshman phenom Greg Oden and
junior college transfer Othello
Hunter, Ohio State completely
dominated the paint, disrupting
Wolverine shooters all game long.
When everything was said and
done, the Buckeyes had 14 rejec-
tions as a team, one shy of a school
record. Before yesterday's block
party, Ohio State had been averag-
ing just under six blocks per game.
The icing on the cake came on
what turned out to be Michigan's
final offensive possession of the
game. Oden registered back-to-
back blocks on freshmen Reed
Baker and Ekpe Udoh.
"When you play against oden,
he's real strong, so it's a tough
time just getting the ball," senior
Courtney Sims said. "But then you
have to worry about Hunter com-
ing off and blocking shots. You
really have to make a quick move
and go up fast."
Michigan averaged more than
six blocks per game entering last
night's contest, but mustered just
one against the Buckeyes.
To the Wolverines' credit, they
didn't allow the blocked shots to
affect their psyche. Michigan con-
tinually attacked the rim, despite
having to be cognizant of Ohio
State's dynamic duo inside.
Sims, who was matched up one-
on-one with Oden for much of the
game, posted solid numbers, net-
ting 17 points on 8-of-13 shooting
from the field.
But every time the Wolverines
seemed on the verge of taking
a lead, it was the Buckeyes who
came up with a timely rejection.
"(Oden and Hunter) were prob-
ably the two best we've faced all
year in terms of shot blocking,"
freshman DeShawn Sims said.
CAREER NIGHT: With usual-start-
er senior Brent Petway unable to
play significant minutes due to
a knee injury, Michigan needed
somebody to step up and fill the
void at power forward.
Freshman Ekpe Udoh did that
and then some.
The forward scored a career-
high 14 points and grabbed five
rebounds, including four on the
offensive end. But it didn't sur-
prise anybody that the Edmund,
Okla., native answered the call.
"He pretty much did what he
always does," Harris said. "He
brought the energy he usually
gives us when Brent is with us."
More than energy, Udoh also
showed off his wide array of offen-
sive skills. He scored on mid-range
jumpers, putbacks, jump hooks
and even a runner in the lane.
And with such a solid perfor-
mance, he may have just earned
himself more minutes - and
another start.
"I thought he played very well,"
Michigan coach Tommy Amaker
said. "He was active, which is what
we need him to be, and he was
aggressive around the goal. I was
pleased with his performance"
SNOWY START: With a winter
storm wreaking havoc on the
greater Columbus area, Tuesday
night's tipoff happened in front of
far fewer than the 18,927 capacity
crowd that was announced.
The Value City Arena was less
than a third full when the game
began at 7:05 p.m. Even press row
was noticeably empty as traf-
fic around the city was at a near
standstill. To play: Comple1
Fans eventually filed in, and
by the second half, the arena was and every 3N
more than three-fourths full.
"I don't think I've ever seen There is n
what the fans did tonight," Ohio
State coach Thad Matta said. "I just use logi
thought they showed tremendous
loyalty coming tonight, and they
didn't have to do that."
INJURY UPDATEs: Although
he didn't start because of his
injured knee, Petway played lim-
ited minutes off the bench. The 2
McDonough, Ga., native was
mostly ineffective, failing to reg- 5
ister a point or a rebound. The
senior admitted to feeling pain in
the knee, and his status will be
re-evaluated before Saturday's
game against Minnesota at Crisler
Arena.
Sophomore Jerret Smith did
not make the trip to Columbus,
although Amaker did not elaborate
on his injury after the game.
The guard suffered a concus-
sion in Michigan's Jan. 24 loss to 17
Wisconsin, but he returned to play
significant minutes against the
Hawkeyes last week. Like Petway,
his status will be re-evaluated
before Saturday's game against
Minnesota.
I