8 - Wednesday, November 25, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 'M' faces first major test in weekend's Old Spice Classic By GJON JUNCAJ Daily Sports Writer The past three weeks have almost felt like an extended preseason for the Michigan men's basketball team. That means the 15th-ranked Wolver- ines are more than eager to enter Michigan vs. tomorrow's game against Creighton Gvighon in the opening Matchup: round of the Old Michigan 2-0; Spice Classic. Creighton 2-1 "Jost being When: Thurs- able to play that day. toss many games, it's Where: like making op for Orlando, Fla. lost time," senior TV/Radio: forward DeShawn ESPN2 Sims said last week. "We've Live Blog: been having (six www.michi- or eight) days in gandaily.com between games, so I'm excited to go on Thanksgiving. I've spent too many Thanksgivings here." The four-day invitational held in Orlando, Fla. features eight teams, half of which made the NCAA Tour- nament last March. Creighton fin- ished 27-8 last season and advanced to the second round of the National Invitational Tournament. And despite graduating last season's Mis- souri Valley Conference Player of the Year in Booker Woodfox, the Blue Jays (2-1) are averaging 79 points per game and have five players scoringin double figures. This year, Creighton coach Dana Altman has trained his guards to run elements of Vance Walberg's famous Dribble-DriveMotionoffense. Mich- igan coach John Beilein praised the way Altman has juggled a deep rota- tion. "They're so diverse right now with what they do," said Beilein, ref- erencing Creighton's high-post and dribble-drivemotionoffense."We've got to prepare for both (offenses). They're also running10 to 12 players at you, and scouting the opponent is really hard." To compound that problem, three of Creighton's top six scorers - Dar- ryl Ashford, Wayne Runnels and Ethan Wragge - were in either junior college or high school last year, so the Michigan coaching staff just has three games'worth of filmto analyze them. The Wolverines may not know ARIEL BOND/Daily Coach Red Berenson experienced the Michigan vs. Minnesota rivalry-as a player. Coach reflects on old rivalry SAID ALSALAH/Daily Senior DeShawn Sims scored five 3-pointers in the win over Houston Baptist, and is expected to step up in the Old Spice Classic. much about Creighton's top scorers, but they do know the Blue Jays have one glaring weakness - the front- court. Creighton finished dead last in the MVC last season in rebounding margin, and is just minus-five this year with a lineup that has nobody taller than 6-foot-9. The Wolverines (2-0) also have something to prove after getting wiped out on the glass against lowly Houston Baptist last weekend, fin- ishing with a minus-13 margin. But against Creighton's small lineup, Beilein should be able to divide min- utes at power forward among Zack Novak, Zack Gibson and Anthony Wright. The coaching sthff has also dedi- cated practice time this week to transition defense. It looked weak at times last week- end, as Houston Baptist guards drove the length of the floor for easy layups throughout the first half. "We've worked on it every day for 15 to 25 minutes," Beilein said. "It's a yearly event. No matter what hap- pens, no matter what team you have, your transition defense stinks when you first get it." Michigan will face either Xavier or Marquette on Friday, both of which are 3-0 this year and earned top-six seeds in last season's NCAA Tournament. The overall quality of the Old Spice Classic is a welcome step up from the doormats Michigan has played this month, so there's a palpable sense of curiosity among the team regarding how well they will play in back-to-back games. Perhaps the strangest possibility of this weekend's tournament is the slight chance the Wolverines will face Baylor, where former Michigan starting center Ekpe Udoh trans- ferred to after the 2007-08 season. Now a redshirt junior, Udoh is aver- aging 16 points and nine rebounds through four games. "It's definitely going to measure up - at the end of the tournament - where we are and how far we've come (since last year)," Sims said. "We've lived up to the hype so far.... This is goingto be one of our biggest tests of the season." Although the Wolverines are the only ranked squad in the tourna- mernt, Beilein believes four to five of the seven other teams can earn an NCAA Tournament invitation next March. He views this weekend as an early season teaching opportunity. "It's preparing us for Big Ten play," Beilein said. "We talk about transi- tion defense, and we're talking about (how) you have to be ready to shoot quickly and come off a screen hard, or somebody's going to be there. It hits you after you play these teams. There'll be positives out of it - either way - after this weekend." By MICHAEL FLOREK players in the NHL - this game Daily Sports Writer will have a slightly different feel from their previous meetings. In the opening game of this For the first time in College weekend's College Hockey Show- Hockey Showcase history, both case, the Michigan hockey team teams will be under .500 when will take the ice against Minne- the puck drops. sota - a team Michigan coach . "We've played them when Red Berenson knows well. we're both up in the top 10 in After all,theteams have played the country," Berenson said. 258 times and used to square off "Looking at Minnesota's sched- as conference rivals in the West- ule, they've played in North ern Collegiate Hockey Associa- Dakota, they've played in Wis- tion, until the Wolverines moved consin, they've played some to the CCHA in 1981. tough games. I think they're like When Berenson played at us, they're probably better than Michigan under coach Al Ren- their record." frew in the early '60s, the rivalry Michigan snapped a five- was one of the most intense in game losing streak last weekend college hockey. against Bowling Green, its lon- "(Then-Minnesota coach gest skid since 1988. John) Mariucci would complain The Wolverines' usual about all the Canadians playing strength - their offense - has for Michigan, and he was priding largely failed to deliver this sea- himself (on) playing all Minne- son. Minnesota has had-a simi- sota and all U.S. kids," Berenson lar problem. Like Michigan, the said. "I heard that when I was team is in the bottom half of the playing,'Berenson, you goddamn country in scoring and power Canadian.' play percentage. "So there's been a pretty good In the Showcase, wins over rivalry going on for a long time." Minnesota on Friday and Wis- As Michigan changed confer- consin on Saturday would give ences, the College Hockey Show- Michigan -its first consecutive case was created to keep those wins since Halloween weekend. rivalries alive. The Wolverines have lost to And the intensity isn't lost every ranked team they have among the current Michigan played, and have been outscored players. 16-6. A strong showing this "I think it just goes along weekend could help salvage what with the history of the two pro- has been a disappointing season grams, the games we've had and so far. the tradition with both teams," "If there is a big picture at the junior forward Matt Rust said. end of the season, these games "I know back from my fresh- will really be important games," man year until now, we've had Berenson said. "Just in terms of some tough games against them. our momentum, when we play It's an important series for both Ohio State and Notre Dame in teams." the upcoming games in our con- Even with the progams' sto- ference, we have got to be more ried histories - Michigan is first ready than, let's say, we were and Minnesota is fifth in nation- against Bowling Green. So these al championships and both are games hopefully will get us among the top in terms of putting there." Club soccer loses in tourney quarterfinal "t Michigan's four-person senior class could be best in program's history Cla on it t Wh Arbor, grams The te season record namen But her th Veroni Julian, Cassie - ha placet on th stage. Mic Mark they c best s in Mic ss of 2010 is only that and it gets a little over the top, but that's her. e that has made "I've always told our past cap- tains that you have to lead within o Tournament in your own personality, and Bower all four years embodies that." all our ears The rest of the seniors, regard- less of playing timie, hate shown By MARK BURNS that same spirit over the past few Daily Sports Writer years. From role player last year to cur- en Megan Bower came to Ann rent starting middle blocker, Rood the Michigan volleyball pro- has maintained a positive attitude seemed to be at a standstill. that has helped create great team am had finished the 2005 chemistry within the locker room. with a sub -.500 conference And Paz, a junior college trans- and missed the NCAA Tour- fer from Iowa Western Community t. College, has brought new enthusi- four years later, Bower and asm to the Wolverines - one that ree senior counterparts - fanshavegrown accustomedtoover ca Rood, the past two a Paz, and years. Whether Petoskey e don't have she's jumping ive helped a up and down he program to evaluate them after snag- e national ging a service ... they've just ace or dancing higancoach '''around in the Rosen said proven that." huddle during ould be the pregame intro- enior class ductions, Paz is chigan his- never at a loss By JAKE FELDMAN Daily Sports Writer Junior forward Mia Miller runs to her friends' house. She walks in, heart still pounding from the quarter-mile sprint, and begins to pace the living room. When her friends ask her to grab a seat and relax, she refuses. Miller hangs out for about a half hour, stand- ing all the while, before departing for the gym where she'll begin her daily workout routine. Her behavior typifies the life- style of the women's club soc- cer team - they do not like to sit around. So when the Wolverines (4-3-1) finished the regular season in fifth place nationally and their national tournament hopes appeared to be in jeopardy, players and team sup- porters refused to wait helplessly to hear which teams receivedbids. Instead, they took action. "We had our board members and coach and even parents con- tacting our regional director fighting to get an at-large bid to Nationals," senior co-president Bethany Carlson said. "The issue with the regular season is that not all of the teams play each other. For some reason, every year, we play all of the strongest teams in our region." With a winning record and a very tough schedule, Michigan was ultimately awarded a tourna- ment berth. Once the Wolverines arrived in Arizona for Nationals, they were anxious to prove they belonged. Miahigan emerged as the Vin- ner of its pool, shutting out Texas State and Colorado State 2-0 last Thursday. Senior forward Kaitlyn Sargent scored Michigan's most impressivegoalofthe tournament - a beautiful header off a cross in the first half of the game against Colorado State. The two victories propelled the Wolverines into the Sweet 16, where they beat Virginia Tech, 5-1, in their most dominant per- formance of the year. "During the season, I wouldnot have been confident in our abil- ity to score, but during Nationals, scoring came with ease," Miller said. "Everyone's goals seemed to effortlessly slide past the oppos- ing goalkeeper." After three convincing wins over formidable opponents, Mich- igan proved its at-large bid was well deserved. The Wovlerines headed into their Elite Eight con- test against UC-Santa Barbara brimming with confidence. Although both teams had numerous scoring opportunities, the Wolverines failed to convert when it mattered. Their postsea- son run ended at three games, as Michigan fell, 4-0, to the eventual National Champion Gauchos. "The loss is a little less painful knowing that they won the tour- nament, but at the same time it's tough to deal with knowing that they are beatable," Carlson said. But it's not as if the Wolverines needed such a tough loss to keep them motivated during the off- season. Judging from their past behavior, they won't be sitting around very long anyway. S 0 0 0 tory. for energy. "They've gone the farthest in the "I remember the first week of (NCAA) Tournament, they've won practice we were like, 'Wow, she's the most, they'll be the first time to really, really good,' " Rosen said. "I go to the tournament four times," think what we were most impressed he said. "So that in respect, we don't with was not just her offense. ... But have to evaluate them subjectively, the rest of her game - her serving, they've just proven that." her passing, her defense - just the That's a testament to the class's full game she brings. We got every- leadership, beginning with team thing and more out of her." captain Bower. After this upcom- Petoskey, who grew up in Ann ing weekend's match against Ohio Arbor, hasn't played much during State, she will become the Wol- her Michigan career. But she has verines' all-time leader in career maintained the same commitment matches played. Her passion on and dedication ever since she first the court and ability to mentor the arrived on campus. team's underclassmen have influ- "I think the biggest thing I've enced the entire program. learned is that consistent behavior "She leads from her heart," builds trust," Petoskey said. "If you Rosen said. "She leads with every- come in everyday, you work hard. If thing, every ounce of her personal- you build trust with yourself, your ity. Sometimes she has to temperk coaches, your teammatep - you're Senior Megan Bower will become the all-time leader in matches played. - going to find success." be the first time a class has made it And success is exactly what the to the tournament in all four years. 2010 senior class has experienced And the senior class hopes it can over the last four seasons. The Wol- help the team to another first - a verines are a shoo-in to make the FinalpFour visit to Tampa in Decem- NCAATournament this yeam It will ber.