8A - Thursday March 14, 2013

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Michigan faces Penn State in first round of Big Ten Tournament

By COLLEEN THOMAS
Daily Sports Editor
As multiple chances to control
its destiny were wasted and an
opportunity to win a share of the
Big Ten title slowly fell off the rim
at Crisler Center on Sunday, the
Michigan men's basketball team
is headed to Chicago a day earlier
than expected.
The sixth-ranked Wolverines
(12-6 Big Ten, 25-6 overall) fin-
ished fifth in the conference with
their loss to Indiana, meaning
they'll have to win four games
in four days to claim the Big Ten
Tournament title.
And that road runs straight
through teams that Michigan has
struggled with all season: Penn
State, Wisconsin and Indiana.
Fifth-seeded Michigan faces
12th-seeded Penn State (2-16,
10-20) in Thursday's second game
- the third time the Wolverines
have faced the Nittany Lions
since Feb. 17 and the first time
since Penn State upset Michigan
in State College two weeks ago.
"(Penn State) is a whole dif-
ferent team than it was early in

the tournament. rim and dropped to the floor.
"You can see (the improve- Morgan especially had a dif-
ment) in the backcourt," Beilein ficult time letting go of that loss.
said. "Newbill was not a point But after watching "Space Jam"
guard. It took him a while - he to get his mind off the game, he's
was turning the ball over - now refocused his mind and has a
he's finding the guys. His assist- positive mindset heading into the
to-turnover (ratio) is great. He tournament - something he says
and Marshall - they were shoot- the entire team has embraced
ing 28 percent the first time we've after Sunday's heartbreaking
played them - they've shot 50 game.
percent from 3-point (range) the "We still feel like we've got
last five games." some fight back," Morgan said.
While Penn State is gaining "We've lost a couple games
momentum - its two conference recently, but we've started to get
wins have come in the past two a little more passionate about
weeks - Michigan has faltered things, see the value in some of
down the stretch. After start- the smaller things."
ing the Big Ten slate with an 8-2 And now, with the Wolverines
record, the Wolverines have gone as a five seed after being one of
4-4 while losing heartbreaking the favorites to win the confer-
games against Wisconsin in over- ence, Beilein hopes his team has
time and at the end of regulation refocused and found a new drive
against Indiana, either of which to win.
would've given them a share of "I hope we go out with a chip
the Big Ten title. on our shoulder every game, try-
The game against the Hoosiers ing to show that we're as good a
was probably the toughest pill to team as anyone in the country,"
swallow. Michigan watched its he said. "I think once we get in it,
championship hopes fall away as into the atmosphere, we're focus-
redshirt junior forward Jordan ing on one game at a time - Penn
Morgan's shot bounced off the State."

01

TERRA MOLENGRAFF /Daily
Redshirt junior forward Jordan Morgan watched "Space Jam" to get his mind off the loss to Indiana last Sunday.
the season," said Michigan coach In the teams' first matchup, State guards Jermaine Marshall
John Beilein. "Six of the last Michigan had a difficult time and D.J. Newbill led its second-
seven games, they've shown they pulling away from the Nittany half comeback, scoring 42 of the
can beat anyone. They've played Lions, hanging on for a 79-71 84 points in the win.
us twice very tough, they all but victory. Sophomore guard Trey According to Beilein, Marshall
beat Wisconsin the other night, Burke had a career-high 29 points epitomizes Penn State's late-sea-
they went to Northwestern and - 15 coming in the second half - son surge. The Nittany Lions have
won and they had Illinois on the in the game to help the Wolver- had to deal with the loss of their
ropes as well. ines hold onto their lead. star player, Tim Frazier, to inju-
"This is a team with seven guys Just 10 days later, Michigan ry, and though it's taken them a
that have been playing together, was stunned as the Nittany Lions while to finally congeal as a team,
they have a great chemistry right came back from a 15-point deficit Beilein sees Penn State as ateam
now." for their first Big Ten win. Penn ready to upset any opponent in


~t* )Pcrot

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