6B'- October 27, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com *
Wolverines optimistic
about offseason strides
Borseth
regrets his
big blowup
a
Team practices are
four weeks ahead of
last year's pace,
Sims says
By ANDY REID
Daily Sports Editor
CHICAGO - From the excite-
ment around the Michigan table
at the Big Ten men's basketball
Media Day, you wouldn't guess
that the Wolverines won a scant
10 games last year.
Progress was slow in Michigan
coach John Beilein's first year at
the helm. But after the first few
weeks of organized practice this
season, the Wolverines are opti-
mistic.
"Before our first game with
Radford last year, we were say-
ing things like, 'OK, if we're ahead
late in the game, this is how we
inbound the ball against pres-
sure,' " Beilein said. "We had been
working on things like, 'When
you throw the ball, you need to
have spin on it.' Very fundamental
things."
But junior forward DeShawn
Sims said those days are gone. He
estimated that Michigan is four
weeks ahead of where it was last
year in terms of what it's practic-
ing on a day-to-day basis.
The Wolverines' increased
understanding of Beilein's system
meant they dove into preseason
practices much quicker than
they could last year. After seven
straight days of grueling practice,
Beilein pushed them for one more
day when he usually would have
given the players a break.
"I expected it to be a down
practice, because we really hadn't
had any rest," Beilein said. "And
we went after them and' said,
'Let's see what they got.' And they
responded. They came right back,
and that was really important."
Michigan's struggles lastseason
are similar to what Purdue went
through in the 2005-2006 season,
when the Boilermakers limped to
a 9-19 finish.
Three seasons later, Purdue has
been picked to win the conference
title by a 22-member media panel.
On paper, the Boilermakers are
one of the best teams in the Mid-
west. But that's not enough for
guard Keaton Grant.
"Oh, a national champion-
ship," the junior said when asked
about what he expected from this
season. "That's it. Nothing less,
nothing more. A national champi-
onship."
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Media picks the 08-09 season, but the most
important player on the court
ichigan to finish maybe junior center Krista Phil-
lips.
ixth in Big Ten She led the team in scoring
and rebounding last year on her
By RYAN KA1RTJE way to an All-Big Ten Honorable
Daily Sports Writer Mention.
And her performance made
ICAGO - In 'his first sea- others around the conference pay
Michigan women's basket- close attention.
oath Kevin Borseth made "She's a strong post, and she's
esence heard on the nation- so physical," Illinois junior center
ne. Jenna Smith said. "That height
d it was loud. advantage with her ability to
se first time we get blocked shoot outside make her unlike
e get called for a damn block anyone else in the Big Ten."
Borseth said after a 69-67 This summer, Phillips worked
.to Wis- with the coaches to improve her
n on Feb. NOTEBOOK play with her back against the
slamming basket, a skill that draws dou-
:t to the podium. "We don't ble teams and leaves perimeter
out very damn well, and shooters uncovered.
not getting calls. What else "Will she be able to compete
u want to know?" down low and get it in the bas-
-seth's press conference rant ket?" Borseth said. "That's going
d in YouTube lore and put to be her biggest challenge, to
olverines into the national establish someone in the paint
ght. that the other team needs to dou-
at Big Ten Media Day Sat- ble team. That's huge."
in Chicago, he said that he REJUVENATING A RIVALRY:
ts his outburst and hopes it With a newly energized program
't continue to define Michi- and three nail-biters last season,
s a team. the Wolverines looked to have
hat outburst has changed ignited a rivalry that had since
fe," Borseth said. "Every grown stale.
second guess what I said. I Butthe Spartans said yesterday
recruit a kid, and every time they didn't feel the same way.
et it. I just want to run away "It really hasn't been a big
se I just feel like the guy rivalry or a big game. for us,"
ng around with the chain- Michigan State junior forward
Aisha Jefferson said. "Last year
it's Borseth's intensity that was one of the first times they've
anging the culture of the beat us in a long time. I've never
am. been beaten by them before, so I
chigan brought in Borseth was pretty upset about that."
ach after the Wolverines In East Lansing last year, the
ed five straight losing sea- Wolverines' first winning season
cappedby a 10-20 campaign in six years looked like it would
2006-2007 season. continue with an NIT semifinals
with Borseth at the helm, berth.
quad notched Michigan's And with 6:27 left on the clck
winning season in six years in their quarterfinal game March
a 19-14 record, and earned 30th, Michigan looked to have
et to the Women's National Michigan State where they want-
tional Tournament. ed them.
e Wolverines won two And then Michigan came up
s before a heartbreaking with nothing.
ime loss in the quarterfinals The Spartans downed the
state rival Michigan State. Wolverines after holding them
e's done a wonderful job for one of their longest scoring
g a culture of, 'This is the droughts of the season.
we do things'," Michigan Despite the heartbreaking
basketball coach John Bei- postseason loss, Michigan pulled
aid. "Once you've created out a victory against Michigan
ulture, it feeds off of itself. State last season in front of the
s just what (Borseth) is try- home crowd at Crisler Arena.
do." The win was the program's first
Borseth, that means finally against its in-state rivals in six
g his team the tradition and years.
ty it has lacked. The Spartans are predicted to
'e don't have any tradition," finish ahead of the Wolverines in
th said. "And we need to the preseason Big Ten coaches
that tradition to really suc- poll at No. 3, but Borseth says
as a program. You don't just Michigan is denitely capable of
at over night." playing above its No. 6 ranking.
ST PRESENCE: The Wol- The Spartans travel to Ann
es have five seniors for Arbor on January 15.
Michigan coach John Beilein believes his team is better prepared to start the season than last year's squad, which tallied 10 wins.
Other Boilermakers, like coach
Matt Painter, weren't so willing
to admitthat they were aiming to
cut down the nets in March. When
told. about Grant's statements,
Painter couldn't help but laugh.
"He's got high goals," he said.'
"We've had some tough days at
Purdue. We've continued to stay.
positive and work hard to make
strides. ... Right now, our goals lie
in the improvements we're trying
to make every day in practice."
The other teams picked to fin-
ish in the top three in the Big Ten
were Wisconsin and Michigan
State. The bottom eight teams
in the preseason poll were not
released to the public.
The Wolverines weren't dis-
couraged by their absence from
the list.
"I just look at (the polls) from a
fan standpoint," Sims said. "I like
to see what teams out there they
have ranked. ... At the end of the
day, if you come in and compete
as a team, those polls don't really
mean anything."
The media panel also voted
on a preseason All-Big Ten team.
Sophomore guard Manny Harris,
who was second-team All-Big Ten
in his freshman season, made the
team. He was joined by Michigan
State forward Raymar Morgan,
Wisconsin senior forward Marcus
Landry and Purdue sophomores
E'Twaun Moore and Robbie Hum-
mel. Hummel was named pre-
season Big Ten Player of the Year.
The season will kick off Nov.
6, when the Wolverines host an
exhibition game against Saginaw
Valley State.
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Michigan coach Kevin Borseth is looking to build on last year's postseason success.
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