8 - Friday, November 13, 2009

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Camp Randall might
pose challenge for Blue.

By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
DailySportsEditor
Under Michigan football coach
Rich Rodriguez, the Wolverines are1-7
on the road.
It won't be easyto get road win No.
2tomorrow.
Camp Randall Stadium in Wis-
consin is known as one of the nation's
tougheststadiumsto play in. Yes, Wis-
consin coach
Bret Bielema Michigan at
needed to send
an e-mail before Wisconsin
the Badgers' Matchup:
Big Ten opener Michigan 5-5
against Michi- Wisconsin 7-2
gan State to ask When:
studentstoarrive Saturday 12 P.M.
to the game on Where: Camp
time (five min- Randall
utes before kick-
off, to be exact). TV/Radio:
But that's only B
because the tail- Live Tweets:
gate culture is @michdailysports
alive and well
in Madison -
and by the second quarter, the rowdy
crowd is loud enough that opposing
coaches need to prepare especially for
them.
Rodriguez said Monday the coach-
es would pump in crowd noise as
usual at this week's practices, but get
a little more intense toward the end
of the week to prepare the team for
the "Jump Around" crowd tradition.
Between the third and fourth quarters,
the entire crowd at Camp Randall Sta-
dium jumps to the House of Pain song,
and the upper deck of the stadium
sways under its force.
"We'll play the song and all jump
around for a little bit," Rodriguez
quipped Monday, drawing laughs
before turning serious. "Naw, not in
the mood this week. I probably won't
jump as high."
He likely wasn't in the mood the last

MAX cOLLINS/daily
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has guided the Wolverines to a 1-7 road record in his first two years in Ann Arbor.

Point guard
battle ongoing
By GJON JUNCAJ on defense."
Daily Sports Writer Morris started in the Wolver-
ines' exhibition game against
Now in his third season coach- Wayne State last Friday, andlBeilein
ing the Michigan men's basketball said yesterday he is leaning toward
team, John Beilein started each the same plan fortomorrow. Beilein
year by addressing a problem. suggested Lucas-Perry's improve-
Two years ago, it was transi- ment this offseason in defending
tioning a woefully inexperienced other point guards off the ball has
team from a motion offense to a put him ahead of Douglass - but
perimeter-shooting attack. behind Morris - for now.
Last year, it "A lot of people think they can
was convincing N. Michigan play defense,- Beilein said. "And
players they at MiChigan then when you've got big guys set-
could compete ting screens on you, and people who
in the Big Ten chigan 0-0 don't miss much that you're guard-
under a sys- N. Michigan 0-0 ing, it's difficult.So that's a big thing.
tem that many ...(Laval's) made good strides."
thought didn't rdhyn: P.M. Though each has different
match the ros- aturday 7 P.M. strengths, Lucas-Perry and Doug-
ter's makeup. Where: Crisler lass are likely to be combo-guards
But this fall, Arena this season. Lucas-Perry's chal-
it's a favorable TV/Radio: BTN lenge will be finding a balance
dilemma. Live Blog: between slashing to the rim and
Beilein will michigandaily.com simply letting the set plays run
struggle to through the progressions. For
distribute minutes to three point Douglass, the hardest part about
guards he believes are capable of the transition is shaking the per-
running his offense - freshman ception thathe is a one-dimension-
Darius Morris, redshirt sophomore al, spot-up shooter.
Laval Lucas-Perry and sophomore "I worked a lot on trying to get
Stu Douglass. It's an issue of luxury into the lane and creating more in
instead of urgency, and one that the open gyms, and who knows how
coaching staff will let play out in much that'll do this year, since
Michigan's season opener tomor- we have playmakers already,"
row against Northern Michigan. Douglass said. "In open gyms, I
Morris was recruited to play tried not to really shoot threes
point guard but has just one pre- this summer, but it's what the
season game of experience. Mean- team needs me to do."
while, Lucas-Perry and Douglass Though Douglass said he's
are natural shooting guards who grown more comfortable with
have been immersed in Beilein's what's expected of him at the point
system for more than a year. now, Beilein indicated that Doug-
For the coaching staff, the idea lass must remember in games he is
of whateach player's role should be a shooting guard at heart.
will take a while to show itself on "We can'thave Stu out there run-
the court. ning the team sometimes when he
"It's a different mindset," Bei- has a dagger of a jumpshot," Beilein
lein said at Big Ten Media Day. "I said. "He's got to know his talent,
say, 'Stu, you're a shooter who can what it is and look for that. And he's
help us as a point guard. Laval, passed up several shots thinking
you're a scorer who can help us as like a pointnguard, and we can't have
a point guard.' Whereas Darius is him passing up shots in practice, in
a point guard that can help us as a scrimmages and in our game.
scorer and a shooter. All three of "Everybody would like to do
those guys can get it done if you more, but it's about what you do for
take care of the ball and you guard us right now."
Penn State edges
'M' in Big Tens

time he went to Camp Randall, either,
whenhis 2002WestVirginiateamlost
to the Badgers 34-17 in his second year
withthe Mountaineers. Butthatgame
was the first of just three regular-sea-
son losses, en route to West Virginia's
9-3 turnaround after finishing 3-8 the
previousyear. Saturday's game doesn't
give Rodriguez as much of a margin of
error.
Again, he's facing the Badgers as a
second-year coachbutunder much dif-
ferent circumstances. His road record
is dismal compared to past Wolverine
coaches in their first two years - Bo
Schembechler posted a6-2roadrecord
in his first two seasons, Gary Moeller
was 9-1and Lloyd Carr was 6-4.
Michigan's 4-0 start this year has
turned into a distant memory, and Sat-

urday's road game has become more
important than ever to seal bowl eli-
gibility and take some of the heatnoff of
Rodriguez.
"Losing wears on a lot of people,"
Rodriguezsaid."Itwearsonthecoach-
es morethan anybody. I know fans are
frustrated, coaches are frustrated,
players are frustrated. But what are
you going to do? You don'thave a reset
button. Just got to learn from it, move
on to the next one."
Last week's close loss to Purdue,
which may have been Michigan's best
shot to gainbowl eligibility, seemed to
hurt the team more than the others.
Senior defensive end Brandon Gra-
ham, who has alwaysbeen this team's
emotional leader, talked after last
Saturday's loss about how much the

disappointment from this season has
weighed on him and his coach.
"(Rodriguez) is holding itntogether,"
Grahamsaid."Hehasn'tbrokedownin
frontofusornothing.He's beenstrong,
and we've all been strong. I haven't
broke down yet - I always waituntil I
get home."
That doesn't sound like a player
or program that will be coming into
Wisconsin with the confident swag-
ger needed to tune outnthe Camp Ran-
dall crowd. But in typical fashion, the
Wolverines insist they'll keep plugging
away.
"We learn from our mistakes and
we're going to be fine," freshman quar-
terback Tate Forcier said. "Like I said,
we've just got to win these next few
games."


Icers shoot for seventh straight over MSU

By TIM ROHAN and I wasn't familiar with that."
Daily Sports Writer No. 6 Michigan takes on one of
its biggest rivals in No. 13 Michigan
Last year, the Michigan hockey State ina home-and-home weekend
team donned the uniforms that series, starting tonight at Yost Ice
coach Red Berenson used to wear Arena. The Wolverines are looking
when he to rebound from a disappointing
played for sweep at the hands of No. 1 Miami
the Wolver- Michigan St (Ohio) last weekend, and are riding
ines. When at Michigan a six-game win streak over the Spar-
Berenson was tans.
an upper- Matchup: Berenson liked the way his team
classman at MSU 7-2-1;4 played against the RedHawks for
Michigan fractions of periods, but he said
wearing the When: Friday Michigan (2-2-0 CCHA, 4-4-0 over-
same sweater, 7:30 P.M. all) looked like it was "skating in
nearly fifty Where: Yost Ice sand" at times.
years ago, it Arena The lethargic defense, coupled
was the last with a few soft goals given up by
time a Wol- michigandaily.com junior goalie Bryan Hogan, played
verine knew a role in last weekend's 3-1 and 5-1
the feeling losses.
of defeating Michigan State seven Several players talked about
times in a row. picking up the intensity and effort,
"I just remember we were the especially in the defensive zone.
stronger program at that time," Berenson emphasized defense this
Berenson said. "I didn't know much week in practice.
about Michigan State, but I found "It's easy to blame the goalie (for
out real quickhowhard they battled giving up goals)," Berenson said.
in these games. It was a real rivalry, "And in some cases it is his fault.

But when the rest of your players
are standing around not doing what
they're supposed to do, not doing
what they practice, not doing (what
is expected). That's their job.
"Don't worry about our goalie,
he'll make the saves he can make.
But we have to play better defen-
sively."
Berenson and junior forward
Matt Rust agreed that the effort and
strong play on defense has to start at
the top. If Rust and other members
of the top lines struggle defensively,
it could be another long weekend for
Michigan.
Michigan State (4-1-0, 7-2-1) is
first in the CCHA in scoringoffense
(3.5 goals per game) and the power
play (25.4 percent).
"Michigan State might show us
that they are the most talented team
we've played this year," Berenson
said. "I say that just watching the
tapes. And I think they might have
more skill, more talent, than Miami
has, and more than (Boston Univer-
sity). If that's true, we're going to
have to be atcour best defensively."
Michigan's penalty kill has been

its strength early in the season, even
though the Wolverines gave up two
power-play goals to the RedHawks
last weekend. Michigan is second
in the CCHA and sixth in Division I
on the penalty kill with a 90 percent
success rate.
Berenson said he has confidence
in his starting goalie, and Hogan
said he is no longer thinking about
last weekend's series against Miami.
This weekend's outcome depends
on how well the defense supports .
Hogan and if the Wolverines can
slow down the potent Spartan
attack.
If Michigan can stay out of the
penalty box, the Wolverines would
avoid adding insult to injury. Even
though they have had success on the
penalty kill, they have accrued far
too many penalties. The Wolverines
are second in the country in penalty
minutes, with more than 24 minutes
per game.
Something has to give - whether
it's Michigan State's power play or
Michigan's penalty kill. And the
Michigan defense could be key in
turningthe Wolverines' fortunes.

Six freshmen will see court for first time

By ALEX HERMANN
Daily Sports Writer
In his 27years of coaching, Kevin
Borseth has never seen this before.
For the Michigan women's bas-
ketball team, the 2009-10 cam-
paign may be the most important
one in program
history. Ball State at
At the very .
least, with six Michigan
freshman on Matchup:
the team, this BSU 0-0;
first-year class Michigan 0-0
is the building When:
block for the Friday 7 P.M.
future of the Where: C.n-
program. or Arena
"Other than
Live Blog:
junior college, LieBg:
junor colleg, michigandaily.com
when I had to
recruit my first
class, I've never had a year where
I've come in and we haven't had
a lot of experienced players com-
ing back," Michigan coach Kevin
Borseth said. "No, I've never been
in this spot. But I think it's fun.
There are a lot of unknowns. We're
trying things we've never tried
before."
While he recognizes the team's
potential pitfalls, Borseth remains

positive about the team's future.
"It's going to work," Borseth
said. "It's worked every other place,
and it's going to work here."
With the Wolverines picked to
finish last in the Big Ten in both the
media and coaches' poll, a success-
ful season would serve as the cata-
lyst for a rebuilt program.
"I think Coach did a really good
recruiting job, because these play-
ers that came in, they're smart,"
redshirt senior forward Ashley
Jones said. "They've picked up
everythingvery quickly and they're
being vocal as well."
The team's ranking is based on
the unknown of so many first- year
players. And this season's success
will depend largely on whether
Borseth can find a balance between
playing his more experienced vet-
erans and talented freshmen.
"Generally I favor upperclass-
men," Borseth said. "Kids that
have been through the rigors, that
understand the sense of urgency
that's involved at this level of play."
By looking purely at the num-
bers, Borseth won't be afforded
that luxury with a team that has
more freshman (six) than upper-
classmen of any kind (four).
"We don't necessarily want to

have to count on young kids too
often, but we're in that position
now in our program," Borseth said.
The team will rely heavily on the
leadership capabilities of those few
upperclassmen if it hopes to have
any amount of success.
"I think all the upperclassmen
are really picking up their vocals,"
Jones said. "I wasn't as vocal in
previous years, but now that I
understand the game more, I'm
more confident that I can just, you
know, direct people. And I noticed
that from all the upperclassmen."
Even sophomores Courtney
Boylan and Carmen Reynolds will
need to lead on the court and off
it, vocally and by example.
"It's weird because being a
sophomore, I feel like I'm an
upperclassman because we have
so many freshmen," Boylan said.
"So I think my role this year is just
going to be to be a leader and to
do whatever I can to help us not
only get better every day, but start
winning games."
The Wolverines will take their
first step today in the season
opener against Ball State. The
Cardinals won the Mid-American
Conference Tournament last sea-
son, made their first NCAA Tour-

nament appearance in history and
upset two-time defending cham-
pion Tennessee as the 12th seed.
"We're playing against a team
that thinks they can win the
NCAA Tournament, because they
beat Tennessee last year," Borseth
said. "So that really carries a lot of
weight. You look atla team coming
in that thinks they're ready to tear
the world apart and a team com-
ing in that's not really sure what
happens in a game scenario."
Ball State returns three of their
top four leading scorers from last
year's team and will be a legiti-
mate test for the young squad as
Borseth figures out which combi-
nations work best on the floor in
actual game situations.
"It still feels, kind of like,
extended reality almost," fresh-
man Kate Thompson said. "Just
like so far in the future but I'm
getting so amped because 'it's
here."
This season probably won't
be the best in the program's his-
tory, considering struggles com-
monplace for any young team-are
expected.
But that doesn't alter the
importance of this year, for the
present and future.

By CHANTEL JENNINGS
Daily Sports Writer
No one had ever heard of Patrick
Krispin.
He's a reserve defender on the
Penn State men's soccer team, and
he came in for an injured team-
mate in yesterday's game against
Michigan.
The soph- MICHIGAN 0
omore PENN STATE 1
took just
five shots all season, and only one
went in.
And it just so happens that the
one mark on his stat sheet was a
game-winnerthat gave Penn State a
1-0 victory over Michigan in the first
round of the Big Ten Tournament,
all but eliminating the Wolverines'
hopes of a postseason berth.
The Wolverines saw an early
exit at Armstrong Stadium in
Bloomington with Krispin's shot
from 24 yards out in double over-
time, a game Michigan coach Steve
Burns described as a must win for
a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan had 10 shots com-
pared to Penn State's 25, and the
Wolverines couldn't capitalize on
any of them, a problem that has
plagued them all season.
"Well, we didn't get it," Burns
said. "We didn't get it. We lad
chances to get it. So that was kind
of a recurring theme - that in the
big games we had the chances, but
didn't score the goals we needed
to. And eventually, we weren't able
to hold them off and the opponent
found a way to score."
Even though Krispin's lucky
break - an open shot that came off
a Wolverine clearance of a corner
kick - ended the game, the Wol-
verines suffered a damagingloss in
the second half when junior Justin
Meram was given a red card on a
very questionable call.
In the game's 52nd minute,
the Wolverines had an offensive
opportunity when Meram cor-
ralled a Penn State free kick.
Meram charged forward as the
Wolverines held a four-on-three
attacking advantage, but a Penn
State defender came from behind
and pulled on Meram's uniform.
Trying to keep his momentum,
Meramtried to wave off the defend-
er and break free fromthe opposing

player's grip. Meram made contact
with the defender's shoulders and
sent him to the ground.
Penn State sophomore Mark
Fetrow proceeded to intentionally
shove Meram. The referees issued
red cards to Meram and Fetrow
and held the yellow card out
towards the original offender, but
never actually gave him the card.
Thanks to the two red cards,
both teams were forced to play a
man down for the remaining 54
minutes. The change caused both
teams to switch to a more conser-
vative tempo, as both teams uti-
lized the extra space on the field.
Krispin netted his goal with just
four minutes to go in regulation
play. The game would have then
gone to a shootout and regardless
of the outcome from that, the con-
test would have counted as a tie in
the teams' records. That tie could
have been the difference between
an NCAA Tournament berth and
the end of nhe season.
"Are we good enough? Sure,"
Burns said. "And I think Penn
State would say that. I think Ohio
State would say that. I know Indi-
ana is certainly saying that. ... But
when it comes down to it, you got
to have enough wins on your sea-
son so you're not on the bubble."
The team's difficulties in finish-
ing shots dates back to part way
through the season. Once the Wol-
verines entered the second half of
the season and Big Ten play, they
struggled to grind out wins and
finished the latter part of the year
with a 4-5-1 record.
"We had a lot of ups and downs
this year," senior Mauro Fuzetti
said. "We got unlucky a few times.
We knew we should have won
games that we lost."
Now, the Wolverines have to
wait until Monday when ESP-
News will announce the field of 34
for the NQAA Tournament. Until
then, they will have to wonder if
the games they should have won
will end up being the games that
ruined their post season chances.
But Burns remains hopeful and
is planning a practice session for
this weekend.
"Tears are salty, and sweat is
salty," Burns said. "But one gives
you consolation and the other gives
you results."

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