BSportsMonday
WORSE TIMING
n Michigan suffered its first loss to
Michigan State this season Thursday in
the Big Ten Tournament. Page 2B
BAD TIMING
The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | March 9, 2015
n Penn State swept Michigan in State
College, dropping the Wolverines from
first place in the Big Ten. Page 4B
Bielfeldt basks in Senior Day spotlight,
posts first career double-double
By LEV FACHER
Managing Editor
Max Bielfeldt’s tenure in Ann Arbor has spanned one of the
Michigan men’s basketball team’s most successful four-year
stretches ever, however minimal or understated his role in that
success has been.
The Wolverines reached the National Championship Game in his
sophomore season and returned to the Elite Eight his junior year,
the year Michigan won its first outright regular-season Big Ten
championship since 1986. Five of Bielfeldt’s Michigan teammates
have been selected in the NBA Draft, with more on their way.
But while the senior forward certainly had his in-game moments,
many of his contributions to the Wolverines’ success took place
behind the scenes — on the practice court or in the locker room, as
a member of the scout team or as a leader. He was one of Michigan’s
only upperclassmen in his final two seasons.
“He’s been such a good scout team player, but he’s had guys
named McGary, Horford and Morgan playing in front of him all this
time,” said Michigan coach John
Series of career highs leads Michigan to
victory over Rutgers
By DANIEL FELDMAN
Daily Sports Editor
Perhaps it was the magic of Senior Day. Perhaps it was the release
of pent-up frustration after losing a double-overtime heartbreaker
to Northwestern earlier in the week. Or, perhaps it was because the
Michigan men’s basketball team was playing Rutgers, loser of 13
straight games.
Maybe it was combination of all three, as the Wolverines (8-10
Big Ten, 15-15 overall) dominated the Scarlet Knights on Saturday at
Crisler Center, winning 79-69.
“I saw our older guys, (senior forward Max Bielfeldt and sophomore
forward Zak Irvin), they were really disappointed and showed it,”
said Michigan coach John Beilein about the Northwestern loss during
the week. “And the coaches, we all felt it, but we didn’t show it. We
thought it was a really important time in our program that our young
guys not get down after what was as difficult a loss as any Michigan
team has had.”
And so, in Bielfeldt’s final home contest in a Michigan uniform, the
Wolverines went to the senior right away, giving the ball to him down
low before he scored on a right-handed hook shot to open up the day’s
scoring.
And while Rutgers (2-16, 10-21) answered, making five of its first
seven shots, Michigan’s offense was too much the rest of the first half
and the rest of the way.
First it was freshman forward Aubrey Dawkins, who scored eight of
Michigan’s first 11 points. Dawkins made four first-half triples to lead
the Wolverines with 14 points.
He had plenty more, though. He finished with a career-high 31
points along with eight triples, tying Glen Rice for second-most in a
Michigan game.
“My shot was feeling good at warm-up and every game I’m told to
shoot the ball if I’m open, so I let it go,” Dawkins said. “Once I made
the first one, I’ve got to shoot the second one. (And if I make the second
one,) I keep going with it.”
Dawkins wasn’t the only hot hand, though. Off the bench, freshman
forward Kameron Chatman contributed 11 points, including three
3-pointers in the first half — the final coming in the final seconds of
the stanza to give Michigan a 47-28 lead. He would ultimately finish
with a new career high of 13 points.
Caught in the middle of the two freshmen was Bielfeldt. After scoring
the first basket of the contest, he was a force near the basket, making
five first-half field goals to tally 10 points to go along with six rebounds
and three assists, which broke his previous career high of two. Bielfeldt
would end the day
KNIGHTED?
Michigan 79, Rutgers 69
See MICHIGAN, Page 3B
See BIELFELDT, Page 3B
ALL PHOTOS BY SAM MOUSIGIAN