$ - Friday, January 31, 2014
The Michigan Daily -- michigandaily.com
Boiler Broken: Wolverines avoid home upset
Michigan 8-0 in Big
Ten play for first
time since '76-77
By SIMON KAUFMAN
Daily Sports Writer
Last Saturday in East Lansing,
freshman guard Derrick Walton
Jr. dropped 19 points and shed
the title of an uneasy freshman.
Thursday night, he continued
to mature
as the PURDUE 66
Michigan MICHIGAN 75
men's
basketball team downed Purdue,
75-66, for its 10th straight win.
Walton shot 4-for-5 in the
first half for nine of his 14 points.
More importantly, though, he
helped quarterback an offense
that came out of the gate slowly.
The 10th-ranked Wolverines
missed their first three field
goals and turned the ball over
eight times in the first period,
and 16 times on the night.
"Sixteen turnovers in a
game?" said Michigan coach
John Beilein. "I don't recall the
last time one of our teams won
with 16 turnovers."
Fifth-year senior Jordan
Morgan came down with his
own rebound from a miss and
put it through the cylinder to
give Michigan (8-0 Big Ten, 16-4
overall) its first points two-and-
a-half minutes into the game.
Two possessions later, Walton
buried a 3-pointer from the
corner, setting off a 14-4 run for
the Wolverines.
The Boilermakers (3-4, 13-8)
didn't let Michigan run away
with the game in the first half,
though. After sophomore guard
Nik Stauskas threw down a dunk
to give the Wolverines a 10-point
lead, they fell flat on offense.
Michigan missed three straight
shots and turned the ball over
four times in the following three
and a half minutes. On the other
end, they switched into a three-
quarter-court zone defense which
Purdue easily gashed, allowing
the Boilermakers to climb back
and take a brief one-point lead.
Beilein said his assistant
coaches convinced him to
experiment with the zone
defense, but he still isn't sure of
its upside.
A Walton layup with eight
minutes left in the half finally
snapped the dry spell, and an
assist to Morgan a minute later
for a dunkswungthe momentum
back toward Michigan. As time
expired at the end of the first
20 minutes, Walton split the
Boilermakers' defense and finger
rolled in two points to send the
Wolverines into the locker room
with a 37-29 lead.
"I think his passing has
gotten so much better," Morgan
said of Walton. "Coach Beilein
talks about the difference
between running the play and
being a player, and he's been
kinda finding that little soft spot
in between."
Added Beilein: "Those were
shots that a No. 3 (Trey Burke)
used to hit last year for us over
and over again."
Michigan shot 9-of-10 from
the field to begin the second half.
It stretched an eight-point lead to
17 points and never lookedback.
Stauskas was limited to just
three shots beyond the arc but
still had a game-high 16 points
on 5-of-10 shooting. Purdue
coach Matt Painter said he
focused on limiting Stauskas
and sophomore forward Glenn
Robinson III, forcing him to
have a weaker defender cover
sophomore guard Caris LeVert.
Purdue ended the game on a
10-2 run, but the Wolverines had
built up too large of a lead and
held on to remain unbeaten in
Big Ten play.
LeVert delivers with
first double-double
By DANIEL FELDMAN
Daily Sports Writer
Last year in Big Ten play,
Caris LeVert collected 19
rebounds. Total.
Divide that by 18 games and
you getan average of1.1per game.
But on Thursday night against
Purdue, the sophomore guard
gathered nine rebounds in the
first half alone.
Finishing with a career-high
11 boards to go with 14 points
- good for his first career
double-double - LeVert finally
interrupted an odd streak of his
own that has existed throughout
the Michigan men's basketball
team's 10-game winning streak
and the past 11 games.
While the 10th-ranked
Wolverines have played well over
the stretch, the inconsistency of
LeVert's play has stood out.
Following a 17-point, eight-
rebound performance against
Michigan State last Saturday,
LeVert figured to be vital in
Michigan's four-shooters-and-
a-center lineup against Purdue
(3-5 Big Ten, 13-8 overall), the
17th-leading rebounding squad in
the nation.
And he was. Collecting boards
off misses - nine of the defensive
variety - LeVert proved pivotal
in a game defined as much by
Michigan's offensive firepower
as it was by its sloppiness. The
Wolverines committed a season-
high 16 turnovers.
"It was going to be one of those
nights where the guards would
have to come in and clean up for
us,"said fifth-year senior forward
Jordan Morgan.
LeVert has proven his ability to
be the Wolverines' No. 1 scoring
option as well as their second
and third option on nights when
sophomore guard Nik Stauskas
has taken over games.
Michigan coach John
Beilein hasn't spent much time
complaining about Levert's
inconsistency since Michigan
(8-0 Big Ten, 16-4 overall)
started winning big games, but
in the games LeVert did score, his
rebounding followed.
Before Thursday, LeVert had
averaged 15.6 points and 5.5
rebounds in games he scored
10 points or more. While that
irregularity can be cited easily
when discussing LeVert's play,
Beilein knows that a night like
LeVert had Thursday ranges back
to last year, when Beilein realized
he had to burn LeVert's redshirt.
"It's the same thing we've seen
with Caris in practice this last
year," Beilein said. "We needed to
burn this redshirt. He does these
thingsandhe'splayingoffresidual
action like (sophomore forward
Glenn Robinson III) did last year.
He just finds spots. There's very
few things called for him, other
than he's in space where he can
attack or get open for 3's. Getting
him to become a knockdown
shooter has been important."
LeVert's game relies on him
finding open looks, and Beilein's
strategy tries to deliver them.
With Stauskas playing so well
and freshman guard Derrick
Walton Jr. coming on as a second
option, LeVert hasn't needed to
have a scoring 'outburst every
game for Michigan to succeed.
With LeVert focusing on
defense Thursday - he tallied
two blocks and three steals -
Michigan thrived on offense,
shooting61percent fromthe field
on the game.
Acting as that third scorer,
LeVert snapped his streak
of inconsistency and helped
Michigan further separate
itself from the crowded armada
of teams in the middle of the
Big Ten.
PATRICK BARRON/Daily
Sophomore guard Caris LeVert committed four of Michigan's 16 turnovers, but he finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the first double-double of his career.
ADVERTISEMENT
U-1MWs ConfuciusInstitute Wins Award
4
China's Vice Premier Madam Liu Yandong and Senior Vice Provost Lester Monts at the award
ceremony in Beijing, China.
The Confucius Institute at the University of Michigan (CIUM) was honored as a Con-
fucius Institute of the Year (2013), along with other 27 similar institutions. Senior Vice
Provost Lester Monts accepted the award at the 8th Global Confucius Institute Confer-
ence, which was held in Beijing, China on December 7th and 8th, 2013. Awarded by the
Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban), the honor distinguishes
CIUM among 440 Confucius Institutes in 120 countries, acknowledging its excellent
performance in promoting Chinese arts and culture and U-M China exchanges.
"There are more than four hundred Confucius Institutes located around the world. It is
a grand distinction for CIUM to receive the Confucius Institute of the Year award. The
University established the Confucius Institute a mere four years ago. With an emphasis
on Chinese arts and culture, its recent rise to international prominence within that short
time span is breathtaking. The award recognizes the University of Michigan for the
central role it places on the arts," Monts said.
Partnering with Renmin University of China, CIUM promotes Chinese culture and arts
by presenting a variety of academic and cultural activities throughout the academic year,
which include concerts, distinguished lectures, exhibitions, round table discussions, and
theatrical performances. CIUM brings many top Chinese artists to campus and their
presentations always show China's best. One exemplary event in 2013 was the "To See
the Invisible" a series of events which included an exhibition of avante garde costumes,
a fashion show, a lecture and a roundtable-discussion. Professor Xu Rui, the featured
artist of the event, is the chair of the fashion design department in the Central Academy
of Fine Arts, China, and an internationally renowned fashion designer and scholar. The
series of events was highly praised by U-M art faculty, students, and local community
members.
In addition to its presentations, CIUM sponsors free classes/workshops on Chinese
musical instruments, Chinese folk songs, Chinese cuisine, and Chinese martial arts,
providing hand-on opportunities for U-M students to experience Chinese culture and
arts. Developing U-M's exchanges with China, CIUM periodically organizes China
performances/tours by U-M faculty and students. To further achieve its goals, CIUM
made, in 2013, new partnerships with two prestigious schools in Beijisg, namely the Clii-
na Conservatory of Music and Central Academy of Fine Arts. These new partnerships
will create tremendous opportunities for research and learning/teaching for faculty and
students. Looking forward, CIUM will continue to provide high cuality program to the
U-M and Michigan communities in southeast Michigan and beyond.
ByJiyoung Lee, Assistant Director
Confucius Institute at the University of Michigan
confuciusumnich.edu
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Michigan looks to rebound
vs.struggling Minnesota
Wolverines haven't
lost two in a row
since last season
By SHANNON LYNCH
DailySports Writer
For the Michigan women's
basketball team, bouncing back
has never been more important.
After suffering a demoralizing
85-54 loss
to No. 24 Minnesota
Nebraska on
Wednesday at Michigan
night, the Matchup:
Wolverines' Minnesota
ability to 13-9; Michigan
overcome 14-7
adversity will When:
be tested this Saturday
weekend. 12 P.M.
Michigan Where:
has yet to lose Crisler Arena
back-to-back TV/Radio:
games this BTN
season, but
that record will
be on the line come Saturday as it
plays host to Minnesota (2-6 Big
Ten, 13-9 overall), which has lost
five of its last six away games.
The Golden Gophers have
fallen to last place in the
Big Ten conference, while
Michigan (5-3, 14-7) sits more
comfortably in a tie with Iowa
and Purdue for third place.
Though Minnesota doesn't
seem like a major threat on
paper, the Wolverines are
heading into their third
conference game in just a week,
and the schedule and travel
have been taxing.
"I think this is really going
to test our toughness," said
Michigan coach Kim Barnes
Arico. "That's going to be a sign
for our team as to where we are
and how resilient we are."
The Golden Gophers lead
the all-time series, 31-25, but
Michigan has won three of the
last six. Last season's matchup
holds many similarities to
Saturday's game - the teams
met at the end of January, and
Michigan had yet to lose back-
to-back games in that season.
Minnesota snapped that record
in 2013 with a home victory over
the Wolverines, 82-67.
The Golden Gophers are led
on offense by guard Rachel
Banham, who averages 21
points. She was named to the
Big Ten Player of the Week
Honor Roll earlier this month
after scoring 32 points at Iowa
and then 28 points days later in
a victory over Northwestern.
"She runs the point, so
she can do multiple things -
shoot the three, take you off
the bounce, post you up, and
they have two inside kids that
are really dominant," Barnes
Arico said. "I think one of
them is leading the league in
rebounding, so it will be an
interesting matchup for (junior
forward) Cyesha Goree inside
to see, and (senior forward) Val
Driscoll, how we handle their
inside presence."
Another player who will
pose a threat to the Wolverines
on both ends of the court is
Amanda Zahui. The 6-foot-5
Swedish center is averaging
14.2 points and 10.5 rebounds,
and her height will give the
Golden Gophers a major
advantage in the paint. The
Wolverines will need to be
aggressive and disciplined to
keep the ball out of her hands
in critical situations.
Since Minnesota holds the
overall height advantage - not
a single player stands shorter
than 5-foot-9 - Barnes Arico
will likely start her larger
lineup of Driscoll, Goree and
junior forward Nicole Elmblad.
All three have been valuable
in terms of setting up blocks
and knocking down shots
consistently for the Wolverines
this season.
But for Michigan to have
success againstMinnesota, Goree
willhave to cut down on her fouls
in order for her team to maintain
abiglineup on the court.
Freshman Siera Thompson
recently set the record for most
3-pointers from a freshman
in Michigan history with 50,
but junior guard Shannon
Smith still leads the team in
scoring, averaging 14.4 points.
Smith has struggled as of late
to break through heightened
defensive pressure, but she and
Thompson will need to rely on
their longer shots to help open
up the field on offense.
The Wolverines have
consistently shown resilience
after losses this season, and
every defeat has resulted
in quick improvements and
increased motivation inside the
Michigan locker room.
If the Wolverines can sink
jumpers, grab rebounds and
manage the pressure inside the
paint - all things they failed
to do against Nebraska - the
team will likely be able to stifle
Minnesota's defense and be in
good position to pull outa win.
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