6 - Friday, January 27, 2012

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

6 - Friday, January 27, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily. corn

'M', OSU clash in first-place tiltI

NEAL ROTHSCHILD
Daily Sports Editor
Another rivalry game, and
once again, first place is at stake.
On Sunday, the No. 20 Mich-
igan men's basketball team
will head to
Columbus to
take on No. 4 Michigan at
Ohio State (6-2 Ohio State
Big Ten, 18-3
overall), the Matchup:
highest-ranked Michigan 16-5;
opponent the Ohio State 18-3
Wolverines When: Sat-
have played all urday 1 P.M.
season. Where: Value
The game Center Arena
will be one TV/Radio:
of the most CBS
hyped match-
ups between
the two teams in years, as the
rivals haven't played against
each other as ranked teams
since 1992.
"We're fortunate this week,"
said freshman point guard Trey
Burke. "We have about three or
four days to prepare for them
and watch film on them, some-
thing we really haven't had since
the beginning of the year."
It's been nine years since
Michigan (6-2, 16-5) took down
the Buckeyes on the road, but
this year's Wolverines may be
the best candidates in a decade
to knock off their rival.
At 6-2, the Wolverines are off.
to their best conference start in
six years. Burke, who is averag-
ing 14 points and five assists per
game, has added & new dynamic
to Michigan coach John Beilein's
offense, making it quicker, crisp-
er and more explosive.
The game will mark Burke's
return to his native Columbus,
where he became close friends
with Buckeye star forward,
Jared Sullinger.

Ohio State centerJared Sullinger is averaging 17 points and nine rebounds per game this season for the Buckeyes.

Ohio State, widely considered
the runaway favorite to win the
Big Ten at the start of the sea-
son, lived up to its billing dur-
ing its non-conference slate. The
Buckeyes' only blemish during
pre-Big Ten play came on the
road against No. 5 Kansas, a
game which Sullinger sat out
with a back injury..
But as soon as the Buckeyes
entered conference play, it was
unable to shed the plague that
has infected the rest of the
conference - road losses. Ohio
State fell to Indiana on New
Year's Eve and was upset 10 days
later at Illinois behind a stel-
lar 43-point performance from
Fighting Illini guard Brandon
Paul. The two losses leave the
Buckeyes in a three-way tie for
first place with the Wolverines
and No. 10 Michigan State.
Ohio State is led by Sull-
inger, who averages 17 points
and nine rebounds a game,

numbers almost identical to his
stellar freshman year. Forward
Deshaun Thomas has broken
out this season, nearly doubling
his scoring average from last
season.
But the key matchup on Sun-
day could be at point guard
between Burke and Ohio State's
Aaron Craft. Satisfied with
recruiting Craft two years ago,
Ohio State coach Thad Matta
showed little interest in Burke
coming out of high school,
despite the Buckeyes being his
top choice.
"He never really forced the
issue to recruit me or offer me
a scholarship," Burke said. "I
think it was more of, he knew
who he wanted at the point
guard position. He was just
recruiting other players. I kind
of knew that he really wasn't
interested in me, or the coach-
ing staff really wasn't interested
in me as much as I wanted as I

wanted them to be.
"Once I got here to Michigan,
I saw that this was the best deci-
sion for me and the best place for
me to be."
For that, Michigan can credit
Craft and Matta for its fast start.
However, the last time Michi-
gan started this well, it didn't
turn out so hot. The 2005-06
team that started out 6-2 was
ranked 21st going into its ninth
conference game. But that next
contest was a blowout loss on the
road at Iowa and the Wolverines
went on to lose seven of their last
nine regular-season games.
Michigan hopes to avoid a
similar fate this year as it nears
the back half of its conference
schedule.
"It's real important," Burke
said. "We're tied at first with
Ohio State. Pulling out a win in
Columbus will probably give us
a chance of being one of the top
teams in the Big Ten."

Russell's journey
from New Jersey to
national champion
LIZ NAGLE watch his son inaction.
Daily Sports Writer When Russell first arrived, he
felt intimidated by the talent of
Kellen Russell is a national his teammates - one of of Rus-
champion. sell's first Wolverine teammates
But more than that, the red- was All-American Josh Churella.
shirt senior wrestler is a team- In his freshman year, Russell
mate and a son. As Russell sat just tried his best just to keep up.
in the Bahna Wrestling Center But he disguised his nerves, and
on Wednesday after practice, eventually they subsided on their
he reminisced about his journey own.
since the time he first took the He quicklylearned thathe had
mat. to go into practice with a chip on
When Russell was 6 years old, his shoulder.
he joined a peewee league. He But once Russell gained focus
hoped to follow in the footsteps and found his way to the top
of his father, Ed Russell. of the Big Ten podium, he was
The elder Russell was a high struck with a setback: staph
school wrestling coach while infection.
Kellen was growing up in High Then, after two surgeries on
Bridge, N.J., so it was only natu- his knee during his sophomore
ral that Kellen play the sport. It and junior year, Russell felt reju-
was a destined fit. venated and was ready to take
"Ever since I was real little, the mat and take on opponents.
I was going to his practices and "It recharged my batteries and
rollin' around with other little got me refocused and made me a
kids," Russell said. little more hungry," Russell said.
It was only a matter of time He was craving another win,
before Russell stopped simply another title. He went after
rolling around and started domi- it and was rewarded with the
nating opponents. And it was Ed NCAA 141-pound national title
who, figuratively, held his hand following a perfect season.
every step of the way. But his victories didn't stop
When Russell showed his there. Russell continues to add to
promise in wrestling, his father the record book as one of Michi-
started putting in the same gan's winningest wrestlers. And
amount of hours and dedication. as he completes his last chap-
He put his own coaching job on ter, he will soon move forward,
hiatus to spend time with his having left behind the tradition
son, molding him into a cham- greater than when he arrived.
pion. The respect and support for
Russell describes his dad as a him among his teammates is
great learner, but it's evident that undoubtedly mutual. Redshirt
Ed is also a great teacher. freshman Max Huntley feels
"He taught me how to love the that when Russell is in the room,
sport,"tRussell said. "I'm always it's like having another set of
trying to pick everyhody's rain coaches' eyes.
out there because I saw him do When asked to give his opin-
it." ion on Russell, Huntley asked,
When Russell moved to Blair "As ateammate or as a wrestler?"
Academy for high school, Ed Though one might assume they
drove out to practice with him mean the same thing. To Hunt-
every day. And it was then that ley and many of the other Wol-
Russell first started to under- verines, there are qualities that
stand tradition. distinguish the two, exemplified
Blair Academy was steeped in by Russell.
wrestling history, and Russell "As a wrestler, he's very help-
soaked it all in. He contributed to ful because I do a lot of the same
that legacy in becoming a three- basic things he does ...but he does
time national prep champion and them perfectly," Huntley said.
helping his team hold the No. 1 "It's great being able to see how
rank for three consecutive years. he does it."
Russell tasted the sweetness In regards to Russell as a
of winning and from that point teammate, Huntley describes
on, his appetite for success was him as a great leader.
insatiable. "He leads by example. He
But when it came time to leave doesn't talk unless he has to; he
the nest, Michigan seemed a mil- doesn't just say empty words ...
lion miles away from everything and his actions follow when he
he knew. Russell was just about does speak. ... Everyone respects
to continue on the beaten path Russell."
of familiarity and was ready to It's that kind of emotion-
enroll at Lehigh University - a al admiration that Russell
smaller school, closer to home. has earned. But even as he is
Russell visited Michigan on a esteemed over and over again,
whim with no intentions of liv- Russell remains modest when
ing, growing and wrestling in talking about his accomplish-
the heart of Ann Arbor. But all ments. While many outsiders
he needed was one look at the view wrestling as an individual
school. sport, Russell recognizes it as
"I instantly fell in love with just the opposite. He often cred-
Michigan," Russell said. "It's its his teammates, his coaches
amazing to think if I wouldn't and his father for their contri-

have come on that trip, and I butions to the success of a single
almost didn't, I wouldn't be here unit.
right now and I don't think I When talking about his rela-
would be a national champ." tionship with Michigan coach
But it wasn't Michigan that Joe McFarland, Russell said,
handed him his crown. Rus- "The biggest thing I've learned
sell earned his numerous titles from him is attitude."
through a combination of physi- So as the season nears its end,
cal strength, concentration and what's goingto happen to Russell
adjustment. Russell, the All-American, the
Russell experienced the inevi- national champion, the team-
table period of transition when mate and son?
he decided to boast the block Russell plans on continuing to
'M.' His father stayed behind to do what he does best: wrestle.
hold down the fort, which meant Russell knows that coaching
Russell was.without his primary is where his future lies, after he
coach and support system. finishes training with the Cliff
But the Russells make every Keen Wrestling Club and reach-
attempt to remain close even es his maximum potential. Like
today. Ed frequently comes to father, like son.
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