The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

April 8, 2013 - 3B

Albrecht, LeVert fill big
roles in Final Four win

By COLLEEN THOMAS
Daily Sports Editor
ATLANTA - Saturday night,
the almost-redshirt and the late
signee stole the show.
The young guard still wearing
braces, and the overlooked, under-
sized point guard that filled in for
the three starting guards when
they were struggling - Caris
LeVert and Spike Albrecht.
The Michigan men's basket-
ball team knew that Syracuse was
going to give sophomore guard
Trey Burke difficulty penetrating
the zone, and that it was freshman
guard Nik Stauskas' job to knock
down 3-pointers in the corner. But
Burke couldn't hreak the defense
and Stauskas went cold, so the
Wolverines turned to the bench.
After Stauskas missed three
3-pointers, LeVert checked into
the game. The Orange were cry-
ing to gain momentum after going
up by five points, eight minutes
into the first half, but the fresh-
man who hadn't scored all tourna-
ment and hadn't made a 3-pointer
since Feb. 24 buried a long ball
and quelled abit of momentum for
Syracuse.
The Wolverines gained some
momentum of their own, while
LeVert hit another 3-pointer to
start a 9-0 Michigan run that gave
it a seven-point lead late in the first
half.
Albrecht did the same. His first
3-pointer extended the Wolver-
ines' lead to seven points, and his
second shot - the same deep dag-
ger that Michigan had been work-
ing on in practice to prepare for
Syracuse - began the team's run
to end the half.
"It wasn't the first time they've
done that," said assistant coach
Jeff Meyer. "We know they're
there. It's a gift to be able to sit
there, sit there, sit there and then
your team needs you, and you go
in there."
Though LeVert and Albrecht
contributed just eight and six
points, respectively, the duo's
all-around performance is what
impressed the coaches after Sat-
urday night's game.
"It's a proud papa moment,"
said assistant coach LaVall Jordan.
"They work so hard. Those two
guys in particular are the guys
that are in the gym when they
don't have to be in the gym, so it's
good to see it pay off. They come in
and do a film study with our video
coordinator.
"They're hungry, they're thirsty

ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
Freshman guard Spike Albrecht dumped in six points off the bench vs. Syracuse.

to learn, so to have them step up
and make the plays they made
tonight, it was a proud moment. I
was so happy for them."
And Albrect and LeVert knew
that when junior guard Tim Hard-
away Jr. and Burke started to
struggle, their numbers would be
called.
Michigan was dominating
the boards in the first half, and
Syracuse made a couple of key
adjustments on freshmen for-
wards Mitch McGary and Glenn
Robinson III. The Orange began
the second half outmuscling the
forwards on the glass and started
to make a run of their own, but
LeVert responded with defensive
rebounds that helped the Wolver-
ines hold on to their lead late in the
game.
Defensively, LeVert has been
one of Michigan's most solid play-
ers all season. After Michigan
coach John Beilein made it public
that he would not redshirt LeVert,
the freshman would only see play-
ing time when the Wolverines
were in need of a defensive stop.
"He gave us length, the abil-
ity to make plays, you saw that
tonight, he did that in practice
every day," Meyer said. "He gives
us a defender, he might be, if not
the best, he's arguably one of our
best on-ball defenders. So why
wouldn't you play him? ... We felt
like to get to Monday night, we
needed Caris LeVert. He did what
we thought he would do."

That's how the coaches used
LeVert against the taller, longer
Syracuse players.
Meyer said LeVert was a
huge asset in Michigan's defen-
sive matchups - he could guard
Michael Carter-Williams or Bran-
don Triche because LeVert match-
es the size and length of the two
Orange guards.
Though Albrecht has always
been the backup that came in to
give Burke some rest, on Saturday
night, Michigan needed the ball-
handling and poise that Albrecht
showed throughout the tourna-
ment to break Syracuse's press.
"(Spike's) playing with a lot of
moxie, a lot of purpose," Meyer
said. "Frankly, it's what we saw
when we recruited him. When I
watched him in prep school, I saw
a young man that didn't pas the
eye test, but played the game IQ-
wise, he saw plays ahead of plays,
he made plays, and he made shots.
"We really needed a backup
point guard to Trey, and that's
why we recruited him. He's made
good on everything we thought he
would be."
Last year at this point, LeVert
was committed to Ohio Univer-
sity and playing his way to an Ohio
state high school basketball cham-
pionship.
Albrecht was just days away
from signing with Michigan. Now,
they're playing big roles in Michi-
gan's run to a national champion-
ship.

ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily
Michigan coach John Beilein's players haven't sent out a tweet in the last six weeks.
Twitter ban keeps Blue
focused during tourney
By EVERETT COOK Across the bench in Monday's to today, it's something our play-
Daily SportsEditor national championship game will ers have committed to, and
be Louisville, who also has enact- they've even held me accountable
ATLANTA - After the Michi- ed a Twitterban. sometimes, saying, 'Stop tweet-
gan men's basketball suffered a In a social media culture so ingso much, Coach."'
devastating loss to Penn State engrained with instant, wide- The reasoning behind Person
in late February, the team had spread communication, the two and Bartelstein's ban was simple:
a players-only meeting. It was a remaining teams left in college their teammates, including many
gut-check of a loss, one that made basketball both try to limit that of the freshmen, were distracted
the public question the validity of sort of interaction. by Twitter, specifically by what
the Wolverines' perceived talent. "We stay away from social the public was saying. It's one
Many things were discussed media," said Louisville guard thing to tell an 18-year old not to
in that meeting, but after there Peyton Siva. "We don't Twitter, be affectedbynegativecomments
was one noticeable difference in we do Instagram, but that's only on the Internet, but it's another
Michigan's day-to-day activities because Coach (Pitino) doesn't thing completely to make sure
after that, at least online. know what that is yet. We stay that doesn't happen by enacting
Two senior guards, Josh away from a lot of outside things." a ban.
Bartelstein and Corey Person, "People don't think it affects
enacted a Twitter ban on the you, but when you read some-
team. Since that point six weeks « thing about how Josh Bartelstein
ago, no Wolverine has sent out a "Stop tweeting sucks, it does affect you, even
single tweet, although the team s " though it shouldn't," Bartelstein
continues to post pictures on Ins- *much,C ch. said. "Who cares what that guy
tagram. is saying? But it's natural human
As with any team that makes behavior to not want people to
the National Championship Even before the Twitter ban say bad things about you.
game, there are tons of factors for was enacted, the most well- "Ijustthought that making the
success, but for Michigan, stay- known Michigan tweeter might sacrifice for six weeks could make
ing off of social network sites has not have been a player, but an a big difference, and sure enough,
been crucial. assistant coach, Bacari Alex- we're playing in the champion-
"With that Twitter ban, you ander, who has tweeted almost ship."
aren't focused about what peo- 18,000 times to his nearly 10,000 There will be a lack of tweets
ple are saying and are more so followers. before the game, but not after.
focused on the role that you need But even Alexander, knownfor Siva, a senior, joked that after
to do for each game," Person said. his ridiculous catchphrases and Monday's game, nobody could
"You're able to focus on basket- fan interaction, thought the ban control his tweeting anymore.
ball more than everything else. was a good idea, though it's worth And with a laugh, Bartelstein
The ban might not have hap- noting Alexander still tweets. said that he was OK with tweets
pened without the loss to Penn "A lot of times you just have to after the game, so long as they
State. That's why that game - it cut down the noise and compart- were following a win and not a
hurt a lot at the time, but it could mentalize your focus towards loss.
have been one of the best things each task at hand," Alexander For at least another day, the
to happen to us this year." said. "From the Penn State game Twitter ban lives on.


ONE MORE
From Page 1B
that Mitch McGary would have
more assists in the game than
Trey Burke," said Michigan
assistant coach Bacari Alexan-
der.
Freshman guard Nik Stauskas,
meanwhile, didn't make a single
shot and was held scoreless after
a career outing last weekend in
Dallas.
Syracuse opened the game
with the first real punch, but
Michigan didn't let it hurt. After
the Orange jumped ahead to a
14-9 lead, the Wolverines fin-
ished the half by outscoring Syr-
acuse, 27-11, to take a 36-25 lead
into halftime.
Despite a quiet game from
many of its top scorers, Michigan
dominated the opening stanza
on the heels of its freshmen.
McGary led the first-half charge
with six points, seven rebounds,
four assists and two blocks, but
it was the unexpected contribu-
tions of freshmen guards Spike
Albrecht and Caris LeVert that
sparked the Wolverines. Both
LeVert and Albrecht knocked

down two 3-pointers, filling in
the scoring void left by Hard-
away, Burke and Stauskas, who
combined for eight first-half
points.
The Wolverines got 16 points
from their bench in the opening
period.
"This is the biggest stage in
college basketball and Caris
LeVert and Spike Albrecht did a
great job ofcstepping up we need-
ed it," Burke said. "That just goes
to show how big they are in big
moments."
Added Michigan assistant
LaVall Jordan: "We needed some
guys to step in and step up and
they did that."
Just thirty minutes after the
semifinal victory, when asked if
he's begun to envision what it'll
be like on Monday night should
the Wolverines win, Burke - the
consensus National Player of the
Year - was openly honest.
"You have to have a vision,"
Burke said. "I'm trying to envi-
sion it right now, just jumping up
and down, crying really. Tears
and joy. You have to have a vision
before you play the game. You
have to see it and that's what I'm
going to do."

BREAKDOWN
From Page 1B
Both players struggled in Sat-
urday-night victories. Siva shot
1-of-9 from the field and has hit
just one 3-pointer in the tourna-
ment, while Burke was limited to
seven points on 1-of-8 shooting.
Despite Siva's experience
though, Burke has proven all
year that his play shines the most
when the lights are brightest.
Edge: Michigan
Wings: Guard Russ Smith has
the capability of torching Michi-
gan single-handedly. On the flip
side, the junior has the ability of
shooting his team out of a ball
game, earning him the nick-
name, "Russ-diculous," from his
coach, Rick Pitino.
The high-volume shooter is
averaging 25 points in the tour-
nament but has been shaky from
long range.
Guard-forward Wayne Black-
shear and forward Chane Behan-
an each provide Louisville with
solid length on defensive, but on
offense, their contributions are
often overlooked. The Cardinals'
depth took a major blow when
guard Kevin Ware went down
with a gruesome injury last week
in Indianapolis. Though Ware
has provided Louisville with
plenty of motivation, the Cardi-
nals certainly have to be wary of
getting into foul trouble. Pitino
said on Saturday, his team was
"afraid to foul" and was playing
"very cautious."
On the other sideline, junior
guard Tim Hardaway Jr. has
done his best "Russ-diculous"
impression. Hardaway's 3-for-13
night against Florida helped the
Gators threaten to put a serious
dent into Michigan's lead, and
his team-high 13 points on Satur-

day were the product of 16 shots,
12 of which clanked out.
FreshmanforwardGlennRob-
inson I should provide some
offense, but he'll again face a
physical mismatch on the defen-
sive end. He'll likely be guarding
Behanan, and though the two
forwards are each 6-foot-6, Rob-
inson is 40 pounds lighter.
The game's x-factor may be
freshman guard Nik Stauskas.
What the freshman gives up on
defense, he can more than make
up on offense with his poten-
tially lethal 3-point shooting.
Stauskas was held scoreless on
Saturday - he said he was suf-
fering through a migraine - but
broke open Michigan's regional
final game open by knocking
down six 3-pointers. If he shoots
anywhere close to that mark, the
Wolverines may run away with
things.
While Michigan's wings
may have the higher upside - if
they're hot, watch out - Louis-
ville's wings possess more con-
sistency, while Smith has been
one of the tournament's top scor-
ers.
Edge: Louisville
Post: Pitino said on Sunday
that his center, Gorgui Dieng,
will likely declare for the NBA at
some point after the title game.
And while Dieng, one of the
nation's top defensive post play-
ers all season, has had his sights
on the draft for a while, fresh-
man forward Mitch McGary's
draft stock was a non-factor just
four weeks ago.
But after being inserted into
the starting lineup at the onset of
the NCAA Tournament, McGary
has registered 16 points and
nearly 12 rebounds per game,
suddenly displaying formidable
lottery-pick talent.
Dieng was held scoreless

after spending most of Saturday
night in foul trouble, but posted
14 points, 11 rebounds and four
blocks against Duke's vaunted
frontcourt in Louisville's region-
al final win.
Dieng has the experience, but
he hasn't faced a player who can
run, pass and shoot like McGary
- the tournament's hottest play-
er - all season.
Edge: Michigan
Bench: Neither team has a
consistent scorer off its bench,
which may mean that which-
ever teams' reserves can come
through may tilt the scales in its
favor.
This was never more preva-
lent than on Saturday. With Siva
and Dieng struggling mightily,
guard-forward Luke Hancock,
who averages seven points per
game, came off the pine to score
20 points thanks in large part
to three 3-pointers. Still, the
absence of Ware shortens the
Cardinals' bench immensely.
While Michigan's starting
scorers were cold, freshman
guards Caris LeVert and Spike
Albrecht each delivered two
critical 3-pointers as the Wol-
verine bench provided 22 points
in the win. Redshirt junior for-
ward Jordan Morgan's stat sheet
has been bare recently, but the
three-year starter has played in
more career games than almost
anyone in the contest.
< With a healthy Ware, Louis-
ville likely had the advantage,
but the Wolverines have more
options at the moment.
Edge: Michigan
Coaching: Pitino found out
earlier this week that, accord-
ing to reports, he's headed to the
Naismith Memorial Basketball
Hall of Fame. He's appearing in
his seventh career Final Four -

with his third different team,
nonetheless - and has a previ-
ous National Championship on
his resum. The Louisville coach
has eight-years of NBA head-
coaching experience, and this
season is his 27th as a collegiate
headman.
Still, Pitino said Michigan's
offense under coach John Beilein
is as difficult as any he's ever had
to prepare for in a one-day turn-
around scenario.
Beilein was brought to Ann
Arbor to take his X's-and-O's
wizardry and combine it with
elite talent. Thus far, it's worked,
as he's captured a Big Ten Cham-
pionship and in this year's post-
season, blown through defenses
like VCU and Florida that were
supposed to stifle Michigan.
Louisville will likely attempt
to pressure the Wolverines, but
Beilein should have an effec-
tive plan in place to counter it.
Besides, Michigan has excelled
in up-tempo games all year long.
Pitino has the wealth of big-
game experience, but Beilein is
as good, or better, than anyone at
in-game coaching.
Edge: Push
Louisville is one of the few
teams that can match-up with
Michigan talent-wise, but
National Championship games
rarely come down -to talent
alone. Each team is littered with
future-NBA players, but in the
biggest stages, it's often the best
player that leads his team to vic-
tory.
After a sluggish outing on Sat-
urday, Burke - the best player on
either team - is due for one final
signature performance before he
takes off his maize-and-blue jer-
sey for one final time.
Final score: Michigan 77, Lou-
isville 69

NEED A PLACE TO
WATCH THE GAME?
Watch at Crisler, where 'M' was 17-1.
CRISLER CENTER DOORS OPEN AT
7:30 TONIGHT. FREE ADMISSION
WITH M-CARD, $5 FOR GEN. PUBLIC