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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

