0 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom 8A - Thursday, January 21, 2010 Michigan surrenders late lead to Badgers in must-win road game 'A'must learn to forget in , order to salvage season Loss means 11 straight years of defeat for 'M' at Kohl Center By NICOLE AUERBACH Daily Sports Editor MADISON - The Michigan men's basketball team entered yesterday's game against Wiscon- sin with its eye on a few streaks. The Wolverines looked to add a third- straight WISCONSIN 54 win and MICHIGAN 48 turn their recent stretch into an official win streak. They wanted to break the Badgers' decade-long win streak in the Kohl Center, which would mean Michigan's first victory in Madison since 1999. And perhaps most important, the Wolverines wanted to keep No. 18 Wisconsin on a cold streak, especially after the Badgers couldn't score in the first five minutes of the game. But Michigan's last five minutes mirrored Wisconsin's icy start, and the Badgers rode a 15-5 run in the game's final stretch to beatthe Wol- verines 54-48. Suddenly, Michi- gan's potential win streak morphed into a gut-wrenching loss. At the end of the night, it didn't matter that Michigan had an 11-point lead over Wisconsin twice during the game. It didn't mat- ter that senior forward DeShawn Sims had a monster 23-point, 13-rebound performance. And it didn't matter that the Wolver- ines outplayed a tough, talented, nationally-ranked Badger squad for 35 minutes. "We've been here before, on the road and hanging with a good team," freshman guard Darius Morris said after the game. "Really, we're over the moral victories. We need to get these wins. That's basi- cally it." In other words, victories - even those that coaches call "moral" vic- tories - don't end with players sit- ting still in a silent postgame locker room with their heads in their hands. "With four minutes to go, we're leading the game and we can win the game," Michigan coach John Beilein said. And that's perhaps the most painful part for the Wolverines (3-3 Big Ten, 10-8 overall). They led the Badgers (5-2, 15-4) from the first moments of the game until Wiscon- sin took its first lead with just 3:07 remaining in the contest. But that was all the Badgers needed. "They slowly chipped away at the lead," Morris said. "We had control, but slowly they took it their way. By the time they took it their way, it just was too late for us to do anything about it." The Wolverines certainly tried, though. Beilein called a couple of timeouts late in the game to calm down his squad. He attempted to relax a team that appeared to tense up as the Kohl Center crowd roared itself back to life. His message was simple. "One timeout was, 'This is where we really have to hunker down and play defense,' " Beilein said. "Then, I'm looking them in the eyes and saying, 'When are you going to step up and make an open shot now?' Because all of the sud- den, we went dry, and it just never happened." Basketball is a streaky sport, and Michigan's ice-cold stretch came at the worst time. During the game's final five minutes, the Wolverines made just one basket, and missed nine. "In every game, there are those spells," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said after the game. He was lucky his team's spell came early, and he was lucky his team knew how to get out of its funk. Ryan's teams are good at that - they're 131-10 at the Kohl Center during his tenure. "They don't beat themselves, and they didn't beat themselves today," Beilein said. Teams like that keep streaks alive. After the game last night in 40 Madison, I found myself double- checking that the maize jerseys were Michigan, and the white ones were Wis- consin. The Wol- verines were the ones tak- ing advan- tage of their opponent's missed shots. They were JOE the ones STAPLETON grabbing rebounds. They were the ones playing suf- focating defense and jumping out to an early lead. See, usually, it's the other way around. And if Wisconsin was Michigan, the Badgers would have gotten down on themselves after falling behind, let their offense affecttheir defense, and they would have lost. But Wisconsin wasn't Michigan. Wisconsin was Wisconsin, and the Badgers played the final eight min- utes of the game as if theytold them- selves- "Dammit,we'reWisconsin!" The Badgers woke up after a 3-pointer by Rob Wilson and from there, they imposed their will on the Wolverines. They decided that, since they were having a bad shoot- ing night, they would take it to the post, which they did with alarming success. By the 4:04 mark, after two Bad- ger layups and a tip-in, Wisconsin had tied the game, and Michigan had lost all momentum. The Wol- verines became timid and settled for outside jumpers instead of going senior DeSh to the post, which had been work- Madison yes ing all game. That's the difference between letting its teams like Wisconsin, which in the way doesn't lose many Big Ten games That probl at home, and teams like Michi- heads, and gan, which has already lost one to shot the bal Northwestern. last night, i Mental toughness. ness came1 While Wisconsin was never rat- or so mint tied by its bricks and failed oppor- the Wolver tunities last night, Michigan has I still thi been many times this season, often to take aw 01 ANDYMANIS/AP awn Sims dominated the post for the Wolverines, notching 23 points and 13 rebounds in Michigan's 54-48 loss in terday. In the waning minutes of the game, Sims fouled out as the Wolverines went 1-10 in the final five minutes. Kohl Centi est placest and Michig game. Seni: great game 13 boards.' day's loss a ing. But, as Darius Mor moral victo dow a longt offensive struggles get of how it plays defense. em is all in the players' even though Michigan ll better than Wisconsin ts lack of mental tough- through in the last five tes of the game, when ines went ice cold. nk there are good things ay from this loss. The er is one of the tough- to play in the country, gan led for most of the or DeShawn Sims had a going for 23 points and These aspects of yester- re both very encourag- freshman point guard rris said after the game, ories went out the win- time ago. How their hi here's I remain br te y John B all but with at Forg about t better,' has hai do the Wolverines get season. Hire a brainwashing team eads right? I don't know. But shrink if you have to. Just go out and how I would approach every play basketball. Basketball is sup- ing game if I were coach posed to be fun, but it has to become a chore when you're laboring under the weight of failed expectations Hire a and a disappointed fanbase. Sure, this is easier said than done, ainwashing and I don't know how these play- ers' minds work. But here's what-I am shrink if do know: even though this season probably won't lead to an NCAA rou have to. Tournament berth, good things can still come from it if the players can find a way to forget about every- ' thing that's happened so far. eilein, with the season's fate So to all of the Wolverines: Don't sealed. (Hint: it's not ending listen to the pundits, the writers or ' n NCAA Tournament berth.) anyone else who would talk about et about the Tourney, forget the disappointment this year, for he fans who thought you'd be the rest of the season, if you have forget about everything that at all. ppened up to this point in the Justgo out on the court and play. TApCO BEL "pt Want to write for Daily Sports? Come to our last mass meeting. Sunday Jan. 24, 6 P.M. @ 420 Maynard Boardfor 0,tWent Publications seeks New Members The University of Michigan Board for Student Publications is recruiting two members for three-year terms beginning in April. The Board is responsible for three publications: The Michigan Daily, the Michiganensian Yearbook, and the Gargoyle. Because the Board is committed to realizing diversity's benefits for itself and for the publications it oversees, the Board is particularly interested in recruiting members of the University Community (faculty, staff and students) or the general public who are members of underrepresented groups and who have experience and expertise in journalism, law, finance, or development. Interested persons are encouraged to apply. For more information and application forms, please visit our website: www.pub.umich.edu or contact Mark Bealafeld, Student Publications General Manager at (734) 936-7883 or mbealafe@umich.edu The deadline for receipt of applications is February 12, 2010.