I* The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, March 18, 2011- 7 * The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Friday, March 18, 2011 - 7 With Caporusso back, Blue looks for back-to-back titles By CASANDRA PAGNI Daily Sports Writer The Michigan hockey team may have swept Western Michi- gan in its only series meeting this season, but that doesn't mean it was easy. When the 12th-ranked Broncos invaded Yost Ice Arena a month ago, the Wolver- ines had to claw their way back Michigan in Saturday's vs Western game. It was senior forward Michigan Carl Hagelin Matchup: who won the Michigan series finale for 25-9-4; West- No. 5 Michigan ern Michigan on senior night1 - scoring the When: Fri- game-tyinggoal day 8 P.M. with 40 seconds Where: Joe left in regula- Louis Arena tion before win- TV/Radio: ning the game FSN Detroit with just 2.9 seconds left in overtime. "I don't think there's a big dif- ference between the teams," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "When we played them here on Friday night (Feb. 18), we got the jump start. The puck went in for us. But really, the game of the weekend was the Saturday game, when they came out and really pushed back. They had that game in the bag until the last minute ... They'll be good. We just played them. We know them and they know us." And after sweeping the Broncos in mid-February, it was Western Michigan who helped the Wol- verines (20-7-1-0 CCHA, 25-9-4 overall) secure their 11th regular season CCHA title by defeating then-leader Notre Dame in the final game of the season. When these two squads meet at Joe Louis Arena in the later game of the CCHA Tournament semi- finals Friday night, there will be more than a trip to the conference championship game on the line. While the Wolverines are play- ing in their 22nd consecutive CCHA semifinal game, the Bron- cos haven't won a semifinal game since 1986. Michigan is fighting for the last No.lseed in the NCAA Tournament. Western Michigan is hoping to secure its own NCAA Tournament bid with a win. And the Broncos are one of the last three teams in the NCAA Tourna- ment, according to USCHO.com's latest bracketology predictions. "They're a quick, sneaky team - I don't know how to describe them any other way," senior forward Louie Caporusso said. "They're a much different team than the ones we've played in the last three years. We're definitely not taking them lightly." The good news for the Wolver- ines is that Caporusso, who has 18 points in 18 games in his career at Joe Louis Arena, is back from a lower-body injury that kept him outofthe final game of the regular season and in last weekend's series against Bowling Green. Capo- russo is playing with Hagelin and sophomore forward Chris Brown - a line that was red-hot, prior to Caporusso's injury. Though Caporusso will return this week- end, Michigan will be without its second-leading scorer. Junior for- ward David Wohlberg sustained a season-ending collarbone injury against Bowling Green last Friday. And while the Wolyerines have had to deal with injuries of late, the Broncos (10-9-9-5, 18-11-10) will see the return of freshman forward Shane Berschbach, who was third on the team in points before suffering a knee injury. "I don't know if there is any advantage to anyone," Berenson said. "They've got one of their best forwards (Berschbach), he's one of their top scorers. But he didn't play that weekend. And he's back now. Now we're without Wally, so they're a in a little better health than we are. It's a big game at the Joe, and we've got tobe ready for it, no matter who we play." The Wolverines completed their sweep of Bowling Green relatively easily - defeating the Falcons 5-1 on Friday and 4-1 on Saturday - while Western Michi- gan battled to win two-of-three from Ferris State. But the mentality for both teams switches this weekend, as the best-of-three quarterfinal series' are behind them and they turn up the intensity in a winner- moves-on semifinal matchup. Notre Dame and Miami will play in the earlier semifinal tonight, with the winner advanc- ing to the championship and the other to meet the loser of Michi- gan/Western Michigan on Satur- day afternoon. This will be the Wolverines' fourth game at the Joe this sea- son, but it willbe the Broncos first. Skating under two banners adorn- ing its name - the CCHA champi- onship banner from last year and the Great Lakes invitational ban- ner from this season - Michigan hopes its familiarity and success in downtown Detroit will be an advantage. "We like playing there, we can play there," Berenson said. "We've had success there. But in the meantime, it still comes down to onegameand havingagoodgame. You know you're going to play two games down there and you know you're going to play Notre Dame or Miami no matter what. We've got to elevate our game." Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl is under criticism after misleading investigators about a recruiting barbeque he hosted. M es on Tennessee, Pearl fces uncertainty By ZAK PYZIK Daily Sports Editor Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl isn't just play- ing what may be his last game this season against Mich- Michigan VS igan. Recently, Tennessee Tennes- Matchup: see athletic Michigan director Mike 20-13; Ten- Hamilton has nessee 19-14 commented When: Friday that he still 12:40 P.M. doesn't know TV/Radio: if Pearl will TruTV be returning this season. This may be his last game as the Volunteers' head coach. Pearl's position is currently under review after having recruits over to his house for a barbecue and then misleading investiga- tors on who was involved. The Wolverines (20-13 over- all, 9-9 Big Ten) won the most recent matchup the two teams had, 87-52 on Dec. 2 1985. But nobody who will take the court this Friday when these two teams rematch would have been born yet and Pearl's distractions didn't exist then. With Michigan trailingbehind the Volunteers with an all-time 4-5 record, the Wolverines will get a chance on Friday to advance out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the sec- ond time since Michigan coach John Beilein took the helm. Michigan has been playing arguably as hot as any other team in the country. After start- ing the Big Ten season 1-6, the Wolverines won nine of their last 13 games to propel them into the Tournament as an eighth seed. On the other hand, Tennes- see (19-14, 8-8 SEC) has slowed down. The Volunteers have lost seven o are con out los The, actuall is thei with Summi an auti ment. Michig Knoxv Oaklan was di loss by1 Mic lotte, I for Te were u, on De time th kn I (re In t five 3-p 13 from ner the outreb was sti the fin gamev be simi Ten: had hi lot of s this w unteers should verines hot han The' team T this ye ers and of their last 11 games and Jordan Morgan is six-foot-eight. ming off of an 85-74 blow- But this does give Tennessee the s to Florida. rebounding advantage, which it only thing the two teams is known to take advantage of. y do share in common "Rebounding is a big part of r early-season matchups their game," Beilein said. "Much Oakland, who won the like Michigan State and Ohio it league and was awarded State, (Jared) Sullinger is a won- omatic bid to the tourna- derful rebounder. It's difficult Tennessee was upset by to strategize against that other ;an's neighbors, 89-82 in than we'll put that bubble up on ille, Tenn. Four days later, the rim today so no shot can go id visited Ann Arbor and in and we'll box out and box out elivered a ruthless 69-51 and box out." the Wolverines. Michigan can certainly take higan will travel to Char- advantage of Tennessee's unfa- NC, essentially a bus trip miliarity with a four-guard nnessee. The Volunteers offense - the type of offense ipset 49-48 by Charlotte Beilein runs if he doesn't have c. 17 this season, the last five guards playing. iey played there. Recently, the Wolverines have been winning games solely because of their 3-point suc- cess. With 43 percent of its "They're shots being 3-pointers, Michi- f gan has shot 39 percent from own for their 3-point land in conference play - a lethal threat to a team like length and the Volunteers, who shoot just 29 percent from long range. abounding). "Our 3-pointer is on," Mor- gan said. "When our guards are hitting their shots that's when our team's at its best. They are hat game, Charlotte hit known for their length and out- pointers and went 12-for- rebounded their opponents. We the charity stripe to gar- are just ready to hit our shots and upset win. Despite being do what we can on the glass." ounded 41-36, Charlotte Another advantage the Wol- l1 able to take the game to verines have is at point guard. al possession. Michigan's Sophomore Darius Morris will with the Volunteers may have a noticeable size advan- lar. tage against counterpart Mel- nessee coach Bruce Pearl vin Goins. Goins - five inches s scouting team taking a shorter - will have his hands hots from the perimeter full if Tennessee does shut eek in practice. The Vol- down Michigan's shot like Pearl s - just like anybody else intends, and if they do, Morris is - is expecting the Wol- the next likely option. to take advantage of its "I'm getting better in the nd from 3-point range. post," Morris said. "I always Wolverines are the only practice my big man moves. I ennessee willhave played can sometimes use that to my ar which starts four play- advantage. In some games this der six-foot-five - center year I have." Bring in this ad and receive $2 off the sitting fee. Michiganensian YEARBOOK O Sophomore guard Darius Morris will look to e xploit his size advantage over Tennessee's guards on Friday.