The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Tuesday, December 4, 2012 - 7 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Tuesday, December 4, 2D12 - 7 Scratches serve as motivation By MATT SLOVIN Daily Sports Editor Ten days before he delivered the shootout winner against Fer- ris State on Saturday, Luke Mof- fatt was benched for the first time since Feb. 25, 2011. But since his return to the line- up, the forward has played better hockey, gener- ating scoring NOTEBOOK chances on an offense that looked lethargic at best for much of November. "He's playing with more confi- dence now," said Michigan coach Red Berenson. "But I can't tell you we've got guys who can score every night." In the Wolverines' 5-0 loss to the Bulldogs on Friday in Big Rapids, Moffatt ripped off five shots, tied for the most he's had in a game this season. He also assisted on freshman forward Boo Nieves's first-period goal on Saturday before eventually win- ning the game using excellent stick work to maneuver around Ferris State goaltender C.J. Motte, who senior captain A.J. Treais called one of the best in the CCHA. Moffatt's lack of early season production comes as a surprise after his successful sophomore campaign. Last year, the Para- dise Valley, Ariz. native recorded a career-high 16 points and a plus/minus rating of plus-four. But he still hasn't scored a non- shootout goal this season and is not playing positive hockey. Then Friday night, it came as a bit of a surprise that last year's co-points leader and CCHA Rookie of the Year Alex Guptill didn't make the trip to Big Rap- ids. Guptill had certainly been slumping this season and hasn't scored since Oct. 27 against Miami (Ohio). Berenson sent a message that should be- plenty loud by leaving him home and Michigan swimmers flex muscles in Iowa By ZACH SHAW Bottom said. "(The swimmers) For the Daily take it asa compliment, and we're proud to have it. But these guys In Iowa City for the three-day are smart enough to know that Hawkeye Invitational this past here at Michigan, it really doesn't weekend, the No. 1 Michigan mean anything until the end of men's swimming and diving team the year." proved its ranking once again, fin- While the goal for the season is ishing first out of five teams. a national championship, the goal In an effort that highlighted for the next couple weeks is sim- the Wolverines' speed and depth, ply getting through finals. While Michigan (4-0 overall, 3-0 Big most students study dayand night Ten) took first in 19 of the 21 in the libraries on campus, the events and multiple Wolverine swimmers have the added task of swimmers placed in the top five training and competing. Bottom to keep piling up points. The Wol- said this weekend was a good test verines never trailed en route to for his swimmers, as balancing accumulating 1,150 points, com- school and swimming proved to pared to Notre Dame's 794, Iowa's be a difficult task. 606.5, Denver's 478 and Wiscon- "It's only here when the stress sin-Milwaukee's 260.5. is on," Bottom said. "And the bod- "We're doing a lot of things ies are really beat up like they are right in the water," said Michigan today, not getting good sleep, hav- coach Mike Bottom. "We're doing ing to study between races. These a lot of training that's working. sort of stressors really add to an Our sprinters are swimming fast, opportunity to develop some self- our distance guys are swimming discipline. It's only when you're fast, and our strokers are swim- stressed that you can show what ming fast. We're really hitting you're really made of." on a lot of different cylinders, Due to finals and winter break, and that's important moving for- the Wolverines get more than a ward." month off from competition - The Wolverines were led by their longest such stretch of the senior Miguel Ortiz, who took season - before theytravelto Flor- first in three individual events idato participate inthe MikePepe and played a role in four relay Invitational and the Orange Bowl victories. Juniors Connor Jaeger Classic on Jan. 3. Bottom stressed and Kyle Whitaker each pitched the importance of these weeks as in a pair of individual first-place time to train and prepare for the finishes. Bottom said he was also remainder of the season. impressed by junior diver James "We have some real condition- Ross, who took first in two of the ing to do in the next month," Bot- three diving events. tom said. "But (the swimmers) are Bottom said he was pleased going to have finals and go home. with how his team performed So there's a lot of self-discipline this weekend, and feels Michi- that's required to keep moving gan deserves the early acclaim it forward and keep getting bet- has received - including the top ter. If they don't choose to do the ranking. He refuses, however, extra things like eat right or get to to let December success define a practice between study sessions, program that has won 18 national we're not going to move forward. titles in its 91-year history. But I feel like this group already "It's a great ranking to have," knows that." Sophomore forward Alex Guptill was left home from Big Rapids asa healthy scratch for the road series. airingalaundrylistofgrievances arrived at Michigan. against him. Though Moffatt is yet to com- "We're just not happy with his pletely turn it around, he's been day-to-day approach to the game, a part of some opportunistic and the team, and his work ethic scoring chances lately. Berenson and his performance," Beren- needs Guptill's benching to have son said. "Is a similar impact he a better on both his per- player than formance and some players "Playing w ith attitude. that played 0, CANADA: (Friday)? He More confidence." Hockey Canada could be. But released its I'm not doing selection camp him justice by roster for the letting him play at a lower level IIHF World U20 Championship than he's capable of." on Monday. Guptill had previously played Absent from the list is Michi- in every single game since he gan sophomore forward Phil Di Giuseppe, who most believed to be the only Canadian Wol- verine with a shot at inclusion. Last year, Di Giuseppe made the camp, but didn't make the final cut to represent his country. Since he won't be at the tourna- ment, Di Giuseppe will be able to play in the Great Lakes Invita- tional at Joe Louis Arena on Dec. 28-29. MONDAY FUN DAY: After the weekend set with Ferris State, the Wolverines were given the day off from skating on Monday. Michigan will resume practice Tuesday and won't be in action again until Dec. 14 when it hosts Western Michigan. Bigger lineup gives Barnes Arico, ''more options for adjustment By GREG GARNO Daily Sports Writer Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico has figured out her lineup quickly. After six games with the same starting lineup, the Michigan women's basketball team made changes prior to Wednesday's contest against No. 4 Duke. The original starting lineup of senior guards Jenny Ryan and Kate Thompson, sophomore guards Nicole Elmblad and Bre- nae Harris and senior center Rachel Sheffer accounted for a 5-1 record to begin the season, while struggling in various facets of the game, primarily rebounding. Barnes Arico harped on her team's struggle to rebound con- sistently, as Michigan has sur- vived with an undersized lineup. As a result, Barnes Arico looked to add height by replacing Harris with six-foot senior forward Nya Jordan. Barnes Arico, who called Jordan one of the most athletic players on the team during the preseason, first started the for- ward against Duke. Jordan ended the game with just eight points and four rebounds, but against Florida on Saturday, Jordan led the team with 11 rebounds. "I definitely think rebounding is an issue for us," Barnes Arico said. "We need to have bigger, stronger kids out there and Nya gives us that presence. "If you saw our last two games, (Nya) has been a completely dif- ferent person. I think she really bought into what we were trying to do and what lacked and got her confidence back. I just think she gives us something we don't really have. A toughness and ath- leticism, an extra rebounder on the court." But the Wolverines' woes aren't as bad they think. Despite having been outrebounded in half of its games, Michigan has out- rebounded opponents, 237-230, so far this season. So what has Michigan (6-2) struggled with this season? Handling pressure. Tinking abNout a PhD The first Engineering PhD in America was awarded to Josiah Gibbs by Yale University in 1852. Yale has a long & continuous history of engineering success. PATRICK BARRON/Daily Senior forward Nya Jordan has brought a new presence to the Michigan lineup. Both of its losses, against Duke and Utah, were the result of defensive pressure that threw the Wolverines out of rhythm. Michi- gan, which relies on its hot shoot- ing on the outside from Sheffer and Thompson to compensate for its lack of height, shot below its 46 percent season average in its two. losses. But the losses highlighted what happens when Michigan is unable to set up its offense and wait for its shot. Instead, the Wolverines forced quick shots, ultimately affecting the defense. "We're getting shots and opportunities to score instead of giving them opportunities to score," Barnes Arico said. "I think when we go on stretches where we're scoring, we're not turning the ball over. When they go on stretches when they're scoring, it's usually off of our turnovers or quick shots." Barnes Arico's new lineup does not have the quickness, though, to handle teams who force Michigan to play a more up-tempo offense. Jordan forces the Wolverines into a different offense that works the ball down low more frequently. But in its game against Florida, Michigan showed what happens when it doesn't face full-court pressure, mounting a 12-5 run in the second half that helped seal victory. "They didn't pressure as much as Duke," Sheffer said. "I think just being able to execute our half-court offense and just find the open person (helps)." Opposing defenses have not only applied total team pres- sure, but have also focused in on the Wolverines' leading scorers - Sheffer with 14.9 points per game and Thompson with 14.6 points per game. Against Duke, Michigan was forced to find an alternate source to carry the team offensively, leaning on Ryan, who scored 18 points. But this pressure doesn't sur- prise Thompson, who managed to lead Michigan in scoring on Fri- day with 21 points. "Every team we play is going to be very good," Thompson said. "Defense is goingto get better and better as the year progress, but if we just run our offense and really focus on setting the screens then people will get open." But Barnes Arico may have to ask herself what lineup can rebound and handle defensive pressure better. Are You Next? 1 I 1 r .