The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com
Friday, January 11, 2013 - 9
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Friday, January 11, 2013 - 9
Burke returns home
against OSU on Sunday
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Sophomore point guard Trey Burke will be playing in his hometown of Columbus in Sunday's game against OSU.
Behind Enem Li es
with OSU's Tho-mas
By STEVEN BRAID
Daily Sports Editor
When Tim Hardaway Jr. was
asked Thursday night where
Ohio State ranked among all of
Michigan's
rivalry games, Michigan at
the swing-
man refused Ohio State
to answer, say- Matchup:
ing only that Michigan
the Wolverines 16-0; Ohio
were going to State 12-3
be taking the When: Sunday
contest very 1:30 P.M.
seriously. Where: Value
But for City Arena
sophomore TV/Radio:
guard Trey BS
Burke, Sun-
day's matchup
against the
15th-ranked Buckeyes (2-1 Big
Ten, 12-3 overall) in Columbus
is much more than just a rivalry
game. It's a return to the place
where he grew up.
"It means a lot for all of us, but
I'm definitely excited to be back
playing in front of my home-
town," Burke said. "It's a real big
game."
Burke, the reigning National
Player of the Week, will have the
opportunity to show family and
friends how much No. 2 Michi-
gan (3-0, 16-0) has improved'
since last year's Big Ten Tourna-
ment championship, when the
Buckeyes thumped the Wolver-
ines, 77-55.
Michigan has matched its best
start in program history, and a
big reason for that is its dynamic
offense. Led by Burke's team-
high 18.3 points and 7.3 assists,
the Wolverines rank 10th in the
countryin points per game (80.8),
fourth in field-goal percentage
(51.4) and have four starters scor-
ing in double figures.
The Wolverines cooled off a
bit.in their gritty 62-47 win over
Nebraska, posting their lowest
offensive output of the season
and shooting 3-of-17 from behind
the arc, but will try to return to
their efficient ways on offense
against a Buckeye team that
allows less than 60 points per
game.
"We didn't take Nebraska
lightly," said freshman forward
Glenn Robinson III. "They had
a great game plan coming in, so
we just got to continue to execute
going into
Sunday."
The
Wolver- "
ines will
most
likely
receive a
big boost
in the frontcourt,
sophomore forward
is expected to mak
after being sideline
five games with a le
"If (Horford) pla
in the next two d
tice, and shows he's
of condition, we'll
in there," said Mi
John Beilein.
on the surface
State team seemsa
lar to last year's s
and allowing rougi
amount of points p
a deeper look rev
Buckeyes are a me
team than the one A
in 2012.
Their top scorer:
er from the 201
center Jared Sullir
the NBA. Their n
year.
"Ohio State has a
fe'll be ready great team, they're
well coached, and
Sunday" they're capable of
beating anyone in
the country," Burke
said.
as redshirt But besides Thomas, the
Jon Horford Buckeyes have struggled to
ke his return receive consistent production
d for the past from anyone else during the first
g injury. half of the season.
ys really well Guard Lenzelle Smith Jr. is,
lays in prac- the only other player averaging
s in that type double-digit points (10.7) and
throw him preseason All-Big Ten selec-
chigan coach tion Aaron Craft has not per-
formed up to expectations. The
this Ohio point guard is averaging just
awfully simi- 8.9 points and 4.7 assists, while
quad, scoring shooting career lows of 39.8 per-
hly the same cent from the field and 33.3 per-
er game. But cent from beyond the arc.
eals that the Though he'll be playing in
uch different front of a home crowd, the mag-
Wichigan saw nitude of the game for Michigan
has not been lost on Burke.
and rebound- "This game could decide
1-12 season, who wins the Big Ten champi-
nger, left for onship," Burke said. "We'll be
ost danger- ready Sunday."
ous threat from behind the arc,
swingman William Buford, is
gone as well. In has stepped
junior Deshaun Thomas, who
has smoothly transitioned into
the Ohio State offense, aver-
aging 20.3 and 6.8 rebounds.
The 6-foot-7 forward has also
become the resident 3-point
marksman for the Buckeyes,
making a team-high 38 shots
from downtown while shooting
just over 40 percent.
The Wolverines will have
their hands full with Thomas,
who averaged 20 points and
eight rebounds in the teams'
three meetings last
By NEAL ROTHSCHILD
Daily Sports Writer
Last year when the Michigan
basketball team went down to
Columbus in a mid-season Big
Ten showdown, it didn't come
back to Ann Arbor happy.
The Buckeyes bullied the
Wolverines around all game,
beating them on the boards and
getting second-chance points
throughout. The 64-49 Ohio
State win gave Michigan its fifth
consecutive loss in true away
games. The storyline for that
game was then-freshman point
guard Trey Burke returning to
his hometown to take on child-
hood best friend Jared Sullinger.
Since then, things have
changed. Michigan went 4-1 on
the road after thatgame and has
continued its run this season,
remaining undefeated in its first
16 contests.
And with Sullinger now play-
ing with the Boston Celtics in
the NBA, Burke has taken his
place in the National Player of
the Year conversation.
But the Wolverines (3-0 Big
Ten, 16-0 overall) will have to
worry about a different domi-
nant force in the middle. Versa-
tile 6-foot-7 forward Deshaun
Thomas, who busted out-for the
Buckeyes down the stretch last
season and earned himself a pre-
season'player of the year nomi-
nation. The junior is averaging
over 20 points and nearly seven
rebounds per game this season
for No.15 Ohio State (2-1,12-3).
The Daily got a chance to talk
with him at Big Ten Media Day
in October.
The Michigan Daily: Do you
ever think about how you com-
pare to the other top players in
the country, like last year did
you compare yourself to Thomas
Robinson or Anthony Davis?
Deshaun Thomas: Not really.
I was just trying to go out there
and be the best player I could be.
They were great players and if.
you noticed - I don't know why
people always get on me about
my defense - but I held Dray-
mond Green, Robbie Hummel,
I held them pretty well. But I
never try to be like them or tryto
fit my role like them.
TMD: Last year, Sullinger
took on the role of guarding the
opposing team's best big man.
Do you think you'll have that
role this year?
DT: To me, I don't think I
will. It just depends on the sys-
tem, how coach (Thad Matta)
wants us to run it. We have a
shot blocker now, Amir Wil-
liams. So he can be our starter,
and if he gets in foul trouble or
(Evan Ravenel) gets in foul trou-
ble, I'll probably have to hold
(the opposing player) for a little
bit, frustrate him a little bit. But
I don't think I'll be that player
like Jared that was holding the
best player on the team.
TMD: Do you feel more com-
fortable guarding someone on
the perimeter where you can use
both your size and quickness?
DT: By me getting my body
right and being in shape, I can
be that player who can hold
some of the perimeters. If you
think about it, Cincinnati had all
guards out there (in the NCAA
Tournament last year) and one
big and I did that pretty well.
Note: The Buckeyes beat the
Bearcats 81-66 in the Sweet 16.
Thomas was effective offensive-
ly too, leading all scorerswith 24
points.
TMD: What's the change in
your leadership role with Sull-
inger and William Buford leav-
ing? Is it harder?
DT: I don't think it's really
that hard. By me coming back
last year and freshman year,
I learned a lot - you've got to
learn to be more vocal from
the older guys. You've got to be
more of a leader. I don't think
it's hard because in practice,
coach has pointed me out and I
talked to the guys and I have no
problem talking to them. And
they listen, and we had a great
practice.
TMD: How long did it take to
get used to that?
DT: Freshman year, I don't
remember saying nothing. I
wasn't even talking. I came a
long way. Sophomore year it was
getting there, getting better.
Then junior year it just got way
better. By having experience in
being here and learning from
David Lighty and Jon (Diebler)
and Jared and learning from
(Aaron) Craft - but it was natu-
ral for him. But being that lead-
er is not so bad and being that
more vocal.
TMD: Do you feel more com-
fortable on the court when you
have that type of role?
DT: I feel more comfortable
on the court and off the court.
Just talking to my teammates,
texting them, asking them how
they're doing off the court.
1i.'edod le
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