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BRICK BY BRICK
n John Paul is slowly building
a winner in the Michigan men’s
lacrosse program.
SportsMonday Column, Page 4B
REBOUND WIN
The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | February 23, 2015
n The Michigan hockey
team salvaged a split with
Ohio State on Sunday.
Page 2B
Beilein’s offense stifles
Ohio State’s defense in
rematch of lopsided loss
By JAKE LOURIM
Managing Sports Editor
It didn’t take even 90 seconds for the
Michigan men’s basketball team to make
a statement about how Sunday’s game
against Ohio State was going to go.
Sophomore forward Zak Irvin stood at
the top of the key on the Wolverines’ sec-
ond possession, guarded by Ohio State
freshman D’Angelo Russell.
Freshman forward Ricky Doyle came
to the top of the key to set a screen and
stopped Russell cold. Irvin coasted to the
basket for a layup.
Only a month ago, the Buckeyes and
their high-pressure defense flummoxed
a young Michigan team into coughing
up 13 turnovers and shooting 34 percent.
Sunday at Crisler Center, an even young-
er Michigan team never gave them the
chance to do the same thing.
The Wolverines gained a step using
their pick-and-roll, opened things up on
the perimeter with screens and whipped
the ball around to their playmakers when
they found the space.
“We practiced handling the pressure,”
said senior forward Max Bielfeldt. “Ohio
State’s a great pressure team. We prac-
ticed that all week. It was not that pretty
in practice. We were struggling a little
bit with it, and today we really kind of
clicked on all cylinders.”
Michigan coach John Beilein has talk-
ed throughout the Big Ten season about
needing better passing on his team —
so much so that he had 5-foot-11 junior
point guard Spike Albrecht passing the
ball inbounds against Illinois center
Nnanna Egwu in the final seconds of his
team’s game Feb. 12.
Michigan storms out of
gates, upsets Ohio State to
snap five-game losing skid
By LEV FACHER
Managing Editor
It wasn’t the start anybody expected for
the Michigan men’s basketball team Sun-
day against No. 24 Ohio State, and not just
because of Big Sean.
The popular Detroit-based rapper capti-
vated the crowd at Crisler Center before the
game, guest-starring on the public-address
system as he introduced the Wolverines’
starting lineup.
But the Big Sean buzz was short-lived, as
Michigan quickly recaptured the attention
of its home crowd with a 7-0 run to start the
game. The Wolverines — viewed as heavy
underdogs — quickly expanded that lead to
17-7.
Michigan (7-8 Big Ten, 14-13 overall)
played arguably its best 20-minute stretch
of the Big Ten season in the first half, rid-
ing a 39-23 halftime lead all the way to a
64-57 victory. All cylinders were firing for
the Wolverines — seven players contributed
scoring in the period, including sophomore
guard Andrew Dakich’s first points of the
season. He hit a 3-pointer from the corner
that brought the Crisler crowd to its feet, one
of several standing ovations the Wolverines
received throughout the dominant opening
sequence.
“Honestly, I was just relieved,” Dakich
said. “I haven’t been playing the way I think
I can sometimes, and to finally hit that first
shot … I couldn’t stop smiling, because I’ve
waited for this moment my whole life. And to
do it against a really good Ohio State is pretty
cool.”
Freshman forward Kameron Chatman,
too, displayed moves Michigan fans have
been waiting to see all season, scoring off a
sharp spin move early in the half and earn-
ing a layup after taking the ball from coast to
coast for a few minutes later.
“Kam continues to make progress,” Beilein
said. “Where some people may be dialing
back in their practice right now, we’re actu-
ally practicing more with those guys, because
they need this fundamental work … with
Kam, it certainly showed off today.”
THE
BUCKS
STOP
Michigan 64, Ohio State 57
HERE
See MICHIGAN, Page 2B
See BEILEIN, Page 2B
RUBY WALLAU/Daily
RUBY WALLAU/Daily
JAMES COLLER/Daily