The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
November 24, 2008 - 3B
After upset of UCLA, 'M'
falls in championship round
Duke just one
more testfor
Blue this season
Wolverines bested by
experienced Duke in
15-point loss
By RUTH LINCOLN
Daily Sports Writer
NEW YORK - The odds stacked
against the unranked Michigan
men's basketball team were hard
to ignore considering the number
of players with NCAA tournament
experience.
Duke: 10
UCLA: 7
Michigan: 0
Expected to finish third at best,
Michigan found itself in the final
round of the 2K Sports Classic.
Less than 24 hours after their
thrilling win over No. 4 UCLA,
the Wolverines couldn't rally for
a second upset, falling 71-56 to
No. 10 Duke on Friday at Madison
Square Garden.
"It would've been a great week-
end if we came out on top, but
there's 16 teams in the whole tour-
nament, and we came out second,"
said sophomore forward Manny
Harris, who led Michigan with
25 points. "It's not bad, but you
always feel better when you're No.
1."
Many imagined Friday's cham-
pionship game would preview
a potential Final Four matchup
between Duke and UCLA. The
Wolverines (3-1) didn't enter the
finals with the same national
hype as the Bruins, but Michigan
remained competitive against
the Blue Devils' talented, veteran
team.
Sparked by junior forward
DeShawn Sims and sophomore
point guard Kelvin Grady, who
contributed 11 first-half points off
the bench, the Wolverines went
into the locker room down 39-31.
Harris opted to pass rather
than finish his drives in the first
half. But he looked more like
himself -after the break, scoring
17 points. Several times, he diced
through the lane into the out-
stretched arms of the tournament
MVP, Duke's Kyle Singler. As the
beneficiary of all three of Singler's
fouls, Harris kept the Wolverines
in the game, going 11-for-12 from
the charity stripe.
NEW YORK -
Michigan coach John
Beilein loves calling
each game a "measuring
stick."
Usually, an early season game
doesn't mean much over the course
of the year.
But Thursday JASON
KILER
and Friday's
games against N MI"
UCLA and
Duke show just how much Michi-
gan has improved since the start of
the Beilein era.
Last season, Michigan lost
to both teams by an average of
21.5 points. Already this season,
Michigan shocked No. 4 UCLA and
stayed closeto No. 5 Duke, eventu-
ally losing by 15 points.
The Wolverines will have anoth-
er chance to measure their growth
when the Blue Devils roll into Cris-
ler Arena on Dec. 6.
It's rare for ateam to play a non-
conference opponent twice in a
season, especially one as talented
as Duke.
"It's like we're in the same
league," Duke coach Mike Krzyze-
wski said. "But playing against
John's teamswill always make us
better. One of the reasons we sched-
uled Michigan was because playing
them will make us better, win or
lose."
Michigan coach John Beilein is
also focused on improving. Before
the season started, he said every
game would be aboutgetting bet-
ter, and if his players get better, the
wins eventuallycome. And Beilein's
players have bought into his phi-
losophy of constant improvement.
"I like the way thatinctimeouts
or whatever, even when we've been
instructional or harsh on them at
times, they're eagerto learnright
now," Beilein said.
For the Wolverines to measure
up and beat Duke in less than two
weeks, they will have to get better
in a few areas:
Shooting: It's hard to ask ateam
to shootthe ball better, but Michi-
gan shot just .352 from the field and
.273 from downtownFriday night.
The Wolverines had open oppor-
tunities from outside, but shot after
shot went off the back of the rim.
They never hit a big, team-igniting
shot, likethe one freshman Stu
Douglass provided to start the sec-
ond half against UCLA.
Once the early shots didn't fall,
the Wolverines began rusliing, and
when shooters hurry attempts, the
teaimis less likely to win.
More points in the paint: Except
for sophomore Manny Harris, the
Wolverineswere ineffective at driv-
ing to the post, so they forced up
shots from outside the paint.
One reason for Michigan's suc-
cess against UCLA was that the
team's big men, like junior forward
DeShawn Sims, successfully moved
from outside to inside and slashed
to the post for easy baskets. But
against Duke, Sims moved from
inside to outside, shooting long two-
pointers instead of cutting into the.
paint. Simswas 9-of-15 against the
Bruins, but just 5-of-13 against the
Blue Devils.
1-3-1 zone: Michigan's 1-3-1 zone
was effective against the Bruins,
but Krzyzewski showed why he's
one of the bestcoaches inthe coun-
try with his gameplancto attack the
zone. The Blue Devils constantly
pushed the ball into the paintto
split the zone, leading to easy bas-
kets downlow or wide-open shots
fromthe perimeter.
Some Michigan players didn't
adjust properly in the zone. Duke
often forced Wolverines out of
position and took advantage of
mismatches. Beilein said after the
loss that his team didn't make the
proper adjustments and that he
hasn't had time to coach the defen-
sive changes to combatthe Blue
Devil offense.
The Wolverines, who had less
than 24 hours to plan for Duke on
Friday night, will no doubt be bet-
ter prepared for December's game,
and will also have the advantage of
playing athome. Although Crisler
isn't the best arena in the nation, it
sure beats having to play at Duke's
raucous Cameron Indoor Stadium.
No matter what happens in two
weeks, it willbe just anothermea-
suring stick for the Wolverines.
I n
Junior forward Delhawn Sims stoned 10 points and had 3 :ebounds in Michigan's 71-56 aoss to Duke an Friday.
"We fouled him - it wasn't like
he was getting calls," Duke coach
Mike Krzyzewski said of Harris.
"He has the ability to get fouled.
A kid like that, that can shoot and
get fouled ... that's a guy to center
in a room." ,
Last December, the Wolverines
were blown out 95-67 in Dur-
ham, N.C. With almost the same
roster as last year, Michigan was
much more patient against a quick
defense, committing just 12 turn-
overs compared to 15 last year. It
held Duke (5-1) to 3 for 13 from
behind the arc when the Blue
Devils shot over 40 percent in the
game last season.
Where they would have forced
shots last year, the Wolverines
took good looks and made sharp
passes. Despite some missed
layups and a 35.2 field-goal per-
centage, Michigan coach John
Beilein said he was happy with his
team's shot selection.
"To be 3-1 at (this) point, we
have to be pleased," Beilein said.
"We've learned a lot about our
team - throwing our young guys
in there, just letting people play.
I'm pleased at this point, but we
have to get better, a lot better."
The Wolverines' 1-3-1 defense,
which halted UCLA on Thursday
couldn't attack as quickly Friday.
The Blue Devils' size and speed
broke the zone as they drove
through the lane and grabbed 11
offensive rebounds, resulting in
32 points in the paint. Freshman
guards Stu Douglass and Zack
Novak didn't have the experience
to stop Duke veterans like Gerald
Henderson and Nolan Smith, who
finished with 12 and 16 points.
Last Tuesday, when asked if he
had considered the prospect of
playing Duke twice in a season,
Beilein said with a laugh, "As little
as I can."
With the Blue Devils coming to
Crisler Arena on Dec. 6, the Wol-
verines have a rare chance to play
Duke twice in a single season. The
game will be Michigan's last big-
time matchup before the start of
conference play.
"They're a great teamto prepare
for," said Douglass who was held
to just three points after scoring
14 against UCLA. "They're going
to be a team in the (NCAA) Tour-.
nament definitely, or so it looks
like. Just to have those games is an
opportunity for us."
Sims sees opportunity in bench role
after starting every game last season
THINK YOU KNOW
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By ANDY REID Ines'most consistentcontributorson
Daily Sports Editor offense and defense.
Even if he's not starting, the
NEW YORK -- To be a starter Detroit native is almost always the
every game one season and come off first player to sub in each game, As
the bench the next a key piece of Michigan coach John
would be a tough NOTEBOOK Beilein's rotation, Sims is second
transition for most. behind Harris for minutes (27.8)
For junior forward DeShawn and points (14.3) per game. He's also
Sims, it has been a welcome change. averaging seven rebounds per game,
He views it as an opportunity more the most on the team.
than a hindrance. But after this weekend, Beilein
"Sometimes when you start, you may have to rethink his starting
get lax," Sims said last Tuesday. "It's lineup. The Wolverines were held
the same process, You know you're without a field goal in the first four-
going to start every game. So it's plus minutes against both Duke and
kind of like getting into the game. UCLA.
The game's already going when "We got off to another bad start in
you're on the bench. So you have to (against Duke)," Beilein said. "And
come in ready." we just felt we couldn't come out and
His numbers this year may be down again."
r be overshadowed by sophomore Because he's been so good off the
Manny Harris's 24 points per game, bench, Beilein decided that Sims
but Sims has been one of the Wolver- would start the second half against
the Blue Devils. His presence pre- nament team along with UCLA's
vented a blowout loss. Darren Collison, Duke's Kyle Singler
If the energy and skill Sims ,and Gerald Henderson and South-
brought to the court in New York is ern Illinois's Kevin Dillard.
any indication, cquld start tomor- DUKE 2.0: The Wolverines
row against Norfolk State. haven't seen the last of the Blue Dev-
MANNY FRESH: Ina tournament ils. On Dec. 6, Duke will travel to
full of college basketball all-stars, Ann Arbor.
including UCLA's Darren Collison "We got them at home, and I
and Duke's Greg Paulus, Harris think we know (Crisler Arena)
made the biggest splash. and little bit better than (Madison
He scored 96 total points in the Square Garden)," fifth-year senior
four games the 2K Sports Classic, David Merrit said. "So, hopefully
setting a tournament record. The that will help, and we'll have more
record was previously held by Chris preparation time than one day."
Douglas-Roberts, who scored 92 for The game is already sold out,
Memphis last year. which is quite a surprise, considering
"They have one of the best play- the trouble Michigan had of selling
ers," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski studentticketsbefore the season.
said of Michigan. "Harris is a really "Playing up there in their
food player forthem." environment will be a heck of an
After Saturday's loss to the Blue environment," Krzyzewski said.
Devils, in which he tallied 25 points, "Michigan's got a chance to have a
Harris was selected for the All-Tour- . very good year."
E-MAIL ANDYREID@UMICH.EDU.
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Corner of S. University and S. Forest
--'HOd
Seniors salvage split in Keystone State matches
By MICHAEL FLOREK
Daily Sports Writer
After a. tough, eight-point loss
to No. 22 Lehigh on Friday, the
Michigan wrestling team stayed
in the Keystone State. for a shot at
redemption.
They got it the next night with
a commanding 22-15 win over No.
21 Penn, spurred b7y two impres-
sive victories by Wolverine seniors,
Michael Watts (125 pounds) and
Tyrel Todd (197 pounds).
Even though both won their
matches against Lehigh, neither
was happy with their matches.
Todd said he diverged from his
techniques and instead, was out
on the mat "brawling." Michigan
coach Joe McFarland said Watts
didn't wrestle a complete match
against Lehigh.
"(Watts) wrestled hard for two
periods and then shut it down,"
McFarland said Saturday. "Today,
he stayed on that kid the whole
time and he came up with another
big win."
Against Penn, Watts improved
his record to 6-0 and set the tone
early.
In the first match, he scored
three points for his team in a 10-4
upset 'of junior Rollie Peterkin,
who was ranked seventh in the
country at 125 pounds. Watts was
up by eightcpoints late in the match,
which would have been a major
decision and earned an extra point
for his team, but at the end of the
match Peterkin scored a reversal to
keep it at aregular decision.
"He was ranked high, but I
had beaten him a couple of times
before," Watts said. "The rankings
did not have to do anything with
the way I wrestled."
Todd followed Watts' lead,
throwing his Penn opponent
around before scoring a pin just
two minutes and 44 seconds into,
the first period. The wins put
Michigan up four points with just
one match remaining, and put
Todd just two victories shy of 100
for his career.
"Being part of the 101-win club
is a prestigious thing," Todd said.
"It was one of my goals coming in
here."
The night before, against the
Mountain Hawks, the Wolverines
won two of the first three matches,
but then dropped five of the last
seven, losing their first dual meet
of the season, 20-12. Michigan
started off against Penn in similar
fashion, winning the first two out
of three, but also won the last four
matches to keep their strong lead.
"Guys were wrestling through
positions we weren't wrestling
through before," Watts said. "A
lot of the guys were coming off
strong early and then kind of fad-
ing towards the end of the match
against Lehigh."
The second part of the Wol-
verines early-season road stretch
startd next weekend when they
head to Las Vegas for the Cliff
Keen Invitational on December
5-6. There, they will be focusing
on wrestling the whole match and
scoring the first takedowns.
"I didn't sleep well last night,"
McFarland said after Saturday's
win. "We didn't really show every-
body who we are (Friday) night,
and I thought we did a better job
of that today. We came back today
with a lot of fire. Our guys were not
happy. They came back and wres-
tled really hard and showed what
they are capable of doing."