Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Friday, November 20, 2015 — 7

What to Watch For:
Michigan at PSU

By MAX BULTMAN

Daily Sports Editor

With its conference title hopes 

on the line, the No. 12 Michigan 
football team can’t afford to look 
ahead when it visits Penn State on 
Saturday.

A win in Happy Valley could 

set up a potential Big Ten 
Championship 
Game 
play-in 

between the Wolverines and 
Buckeyes in a week. But a winner-
take-all matchup is impossible 
if Michigan doesn’t take care of 
business this weekend.

Here’s what to watch for when 

Michigan visits Penn State.

1. Can the defense regain its 

form?

After losing redshirt junior 

defensive tackle Ryan Glasgow 
to an injured pectoral muscle, the 
Wolverines suffered the ill effects 
of exhaustion against Indiana. 
The Hoosiers’ quick tempo wore 
down the Michigan defense, 
allowing Indiana running back 
Jordan Howard to run wild.

The Hoosiers poured on 41 

points, the most of any Wolverine 
opponent this season, drawing up 
a blueprint for Michigan’s future 
opponents to follow. The question 
is whether the Nittany Lions can 
learn from Indiana’s success and 
execute effectively.

Penn State has a talented 

running back in Saquon Barkley, 
and a quarterback capable of 
making just about any throw in 
Christian Hackenberg. But the 
Nittany Lions’ offensive line is 
nowhere near the level of the 
Hoosiers’, and most of Indiana’s 
success was conditional on solid 
blocking.

But if Penn State can get good 

protection, the Wolverines could 
be in trouble once more.

2. Two top-notch D-lines

Even 
without 
Glasgow, 

Michigan is talented up front. 
Redshirt junior defensive tackle 
Willie Henry and redshirt junior 
defensive end Chris Wormley 
have been consistent forces in the 
backfield, and redshirt sophomore 
defensive tackle Maurice Hurst 
has had a breakout season.

But the Nittany Lions might 

be every bit as good, highlighted 
by the nation’s sack leader, 
Carl Nassib, who has 15.5. The 
Wolverines have faced a trio 
of tough fronts this season 
in Utah, Michigan State and 
Northwestern, but they have yet 
to take on a player who can change 
the game as much as Nassib.

3. Will Jake Rudock continue 

his hot streak?

Michigan’s fifth-year senior 

quarterback is, as the kids say, en 
fuego. Rudock has earned back-
to-back career highs in passing 
yards in his last two games, 
culminating with a 440-yard, 
six-touchdown 
effort 
against 

Indiana.

But Penn State is among the 

nation’s 
best 
pass 
defenses, 

allowing just 159 yards per game 
through the air. The Wolverines’ 
receiving corps of junior tight 
end Jake Butt and redshirt junior 
receivers Amara Darboh and 
Jehu Chesson is in a rhythm of 
late — especially Chesson, who 
caught four touchdowns last 
week — and they’ll need to keep 
it up if Michigan is going to have 

success Saturday.

4. The out-of-town scoreboard

If Michigan does come away 

with a win Saturday, all eyes will 
be on the scores elsewhere in the 
country.

If 
Ohio 
State 
can 
beat 

Michigan State in Columbus, 
the Wolverines and Buckeyes 
will play for a spot in the Big Ten 
title game next Saturday. That’s 
the most important result the 
Wolverines will be watching for. 
But if that happens, many other 
games gain importance too.

Sitting at No. 12 in the 

College 
Football 
Playoff 

rankings, 
Michigan 
is 
not 

completely out of the playoff 
picture — it just needs a lot to 
go right to get there. This week, 
the Wolverines would hope for 
wins from the Buckeyes over 
the Spartans, Iowa over Purdue 
and USC over Oregon. That 
would keep Michigan’s next 
opponent undefeated, and keep 
alive the possibility it could face 
an undefeated Iowa team in the 
Big Ten title game.

The 
Trojans, 
meanwhile, 

could play a crucial role in the 
Wolverines’ 
championship 

hopes. If USC wins out, it will go 
to the Pac-12 title game, where 
it could emerge as a three-loss 
conference champion, unlikely 
to pass Michigan in the rankings 
if the Wolverines win the Big 
Ten.

If that happens, any Notre 

Dame loss — either to Boston 
College or Stanford — would 
swing the door wide open.

Of course, Michigan needs to 

worry about its own scoreboard 
first.

FOOTBALL

Dream season to be 
tested at Penn State

By ZACH SHAW

Daily Sports Editor

In many ways, the No. 12 

Michigan football team’s season 
has already been something of a 
dream to Michigan fans.

The 
Wolverines 
have 
a 

surprising 
eight 
wins, 

their 
only 

two 
losses 

have come in 
nightmarish 
fashion, 
and 

every up and 
down has been 
sandwiched 
by 
Michigan 

coach 
Jim 

Harbaugh’s 
odd 
quotes 

about machine 
gun-laden 
worms, 
steak vitamins and Pattengill 
pickup basketball games. The 
first 11 weeks were as wild as 
they were unexpected, and the 
unseasonably warm fall is icing 
on the cake.

Of course, the biggest dreams 

of all are still in play. As Michigan 
(5-1 Big Ten, 8-2 overall) travels 
to State College to take on Penn 
State on Saturday, it has a chance 
to get one step closer to a Big Ten 
Championship.

With a goal to play for, the 

Wolverines aren’t trudging to the 
season’s end — they’re bouncing.

“When you’re winning, you’re 

able to keep a bounce in your step,” 
said fifth-year senior offensive 
lineman Graham Glasgow. “You 
want to keep it rolling, so I think it 
just comes down to, do we want to 
win? Yes, we want to win, so keep 
the bounce and the little nicks and 

bruises you have, get ’em right and 
let’s play.”

Though 
Michigan 
is 
the 

favorite to win and keep its 
dreams alive, the Nittany Lions 
(4-2, 7-3) are a stout opponent, and 
the two teams have a precedent 
for making things interesting.

Last season, Michigan eked by 

Penn State, 18-13, in a come-from-
behind win. In 2013, it was Penn 
State that battled back at home, 
scoring 10 points in the final six 
minutes to tie before outlasting 
the Wolverines in triple overtime, 
43-40.

This season, both teams are 

improved, but many of the players 
from past years remain on the 
roster, understanding the battle 
that Saturday can become.

“Penn 
State 
presents 
a 

big challenge, and our team 
will be prepared for it this 
week,” 
said 
Michigan 
coach 

Jim 
Harbaugh. 
“Outstanding 

defense. Offensively, outstanding 
quarterback, 
outstanding 

running back, receivers that are 
outstanding, so … formidable task, 
and it is a road game.”

Harbaugh has said throughout 

the season that the key to winning 
road games is to “pack your 
defense,” and that might be what 
both teams do best.

Michigan 
and 
Penn 
State 

have used defense to stay in 
every game. The Wolverines are 
currently second in the nation in 
total defense, while the Nittany 
Lions are 13th.

Both 
teams 
boast 
similar 

styles, using a bruising front and 
attentive secondary to make even 
the best quarterbacks miserable 
and force the run. Michigan and 
Penn State boast the nation’s 
second- 
and 
11th-best 
pass 

efficiency defenses, respectively.

On the other side of the ball, 

quarterback 
play 
could 
very 

well become a deciding factor in 
Happy Valley. Fifth-year senior 
Jake Rudock has played as well as 
any quarterback in the country in 
the last two weeks — throwing for 
777 yards and eight touchdowns 
against Rutgers and Indiana — but 
has shriveled against strong pass 
defenses like Utah and Michigan 
State.

Nittany 
Lion 
quarterback 

Christian 
Hackenberg, 
once 

touted by many as a potential first-
round draft pick, has shriveled 
against just about everyone this 
season. His interceptions are 
down, but he has topped 300 
yards only once all season and is 
11th in the Big Ten in QBR.

The fact remains, however, 

that Michigan has given up big 
plays in recent weeks, and the 
big-armed 
Hackenberg 
can 

give any daydreaming defender 
nightmares.

“We are looking forward to 

rushing the passer,” said senior 
defensive end Royce Jenkins-
Stone. “We are looking forward to 
rushing Hackenberg, disrupting 
his timing and getting inside his 
head.

“When you have someone 

that’s an NFL prospect, it’s kind 
of like ‘Oh, okay, I gotta get after 
him.’ (NFL scouts) are watching 
him, so they’re watching me now, 
so I’ve got to find a way to get in 
the spotlight just like him.”

Before you pinch yourself to 

see if you’re dreaming, realize 
that you are not. Michigan has 
the ability to win the Big Ten 
Championship and beyond, but 
the road to the championship 
runs through State College.

FOOTBALL

Michigan at 
Penn State

Matchup: 
Michigan 8-2; 
Penn State 7-3

When: 
Saturday 
12 P.M.

Where: Beaver 
Stadium

TV/Radio: 
ABC

Wolverines dominate Xavier

By CHRIS CROWDER 

Daily Sports Writer

Madison Ristovski jumped in 

front of a driving Xavier guard, 
put her hands up, set her feet and 
took the charge. The Michigan 
bench was ignited, rising to its 
feet before the referee could even 
corral the basketball.

It 
was 

clear 
even 

in the first 
quarter that the Wolverines were 
hungry to make a statement 
with their hustle on Thursday 
night at Crisler Center. The 
Michigan 
women’s 
basketball 

team outplayed the Musketeers in 
nearly every facet of the game to 
the tune of a 92-54 win.

“They were just scrapping 

and clawing all over the place,” 
said Michigan coach Kim Barnes 
Arico. “They were looking to take 
charges, dive on the floor for loose 
balls — they just set the tone the 
first half of the game. Everybody 
that rotated into the game gave us 
great minutes.”

The Wolverines (3-0) began the 

contest by utilizing their guards’ 
ability to penetrate the perimeter 
defense. Just when a Xavier 
player bit on the pump fake for 
the shot, the guards fed the ball 
to freshman center Hallie Thome, 
who scored Michigan’s first six 
points.

Midway 
through 
the 
first 

quarter, the Wolverines began 
implementing a zone defense, 
trapping the Musketeer point 
guard just before she reached 
half court. The defensive pressure 
forced turnovers, while the hustle 
to dive for loose balls and to 
disrupt passing lanes was evident 
from tip-off. By the end of the first 
quarter, Michigan boasted a 10-5 
rebound advantage, with three 
of those boards coming on the 
offensive glass.

“More rebounds for us mean 

less offensive chances for the 
other team,” said sophomore 
forward Jillian Dunston. “It gives 
us more possessions, and we kind 
of value our possessions through 
rebounds. … (Rebounds) are our 
bread and butter.”

Ristovski capped off the first 

quarter with a buzzer-beater 
3-pointer to give the Wolverines 
a 25-14 lead. The next 3-pointer 
the senior guard knocked down 
ignited an 8-0 run in the second 
quarter, causing Xavier to take a 
timeout after a reverse finger-roll 
by sophomore guard Katelynn 
Flaherty. The Michigan bench 
jumped up as those on the floor 
neared the sideline, showing 
as much energy as it did when 
Ristovski took a charge in the 
game’s opening minutes.

By the time Ristovski drained 

her third triple of the contest, the 

Musketeers were in a nearly five-
minute scoring drought. Xavier 
quickly found itself down by 23, 
and continued to be outworked 
on the glass and for every ball that 
was up for grabs.

Michigan led 49-20 at the half, 

holding the Musketeers to just 
six points in the second quarter. 
The 
Wolverines 
shot 
7-for-9 

from behind the arc — their best 
shooting half of the young season. 
They shot 57 percent from the 
floor, nearly double Xavier’s 29 
percent. Flaherty led all scorers 
with 14 points at the halftime 
break.

“Coming out of that half, 

(Barnes Arico) said (the first half) 
was one of the best halves she’s 
been a part of here at Michigan,” 
Flaherty said. “That gave us a 
lot of confidence. And I think it 
showed us that we can play that 
well and that hard.”

Michigan also had the upper 

hand on the boards, racking up 
15 more rebounds than Xavier. 
Dunston had eight rebounds 
in the first half — the same 
number as all of the Musketeers 
combined. With 5:25 left to go 
in the third quarter, Dunston 
picked up her first career double-
double as she reached 10 points 
and 11 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Xavier’s leading 

scorer, guard Raeshaun Gaffney 
was 
held 
quiet 
throughout. 

Gaffney, who scored 18 points in 
her last game, mustered just four 
points in the first half. She didn’t 
record her first field goal until just 
4:12 remained in the third quarter.

Dunston finished with 10 points 

and 14 rebounds, while Flaherty 
finished with 19. The Wolverines 
didn’t let their opponent get 
anywhere close in the victory.

“(Gaffney) took 21 shots for 

them the other night,” Barnes 
Arico said. “She didn’t have an 
opportunity for 21 shots tonight. 
We did a really great job. Siera 
Thompson 
did 
a 
great 
job 

defending her, and everybody else 
did a good job of helping out on 
her.”

Michigan faced its toughest 

competition to date Thursday 
night, but controlled the game 
as easily as it did in its first two 
contests. The Wolverines will 
continue to be tested as the 
competition stiffens, and for now, 
they have continued to outwork 
their competition.

“We always say, and we write 

in the locker room before the 
game, you can’t be the hardest-
working team in America unless 
you’re willing to do this, this and 
this,” Barnes Arico said. “Tonight, 
they came out and showed that 
they were willing to do all of those 
things to be considered as one 
of the hardest-working teams in 
America.”

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

Senior guard Madison Ristovski helped lead Michigan’s attack from beyond the arc. The team shot 7-for-9 from 3-point range.

XAVIER 
MICHIGAN 

54
92

Dunston shines 
in first-ever start

By BRAD WHIPPLE

Daily Sports Writer

Toward the beginning of the 

week, Jillian Dunston had a 
feeling that she would be in the 
Michigan 
women’s 
basketball 

team’s starting lineup Thursday 
night.

But even though the sophomore 

forward was being put in the top-
five rotation during practice, she 
knew nothing was for certain when 
playing for coach Kim Barnes 
Arico. She was going to have to 
fight for the spot, especially when 
it was between her, senior forward 
Kelsey Mitchell and senior guard 
Madison Ristovski. 

So 
before 
the 
Wolverines 

took on Xavier Thursday night, 
Dunston saw her name on the 
board before the game started and 
knew her time had come.

She wasn’t even nervous.
“If I’m nervous, I get out of 

my game,” Dunston said. “I told 
myself not to think about it, just 
like any other game. I’m just 
starting this time.”

But it wasn’t like any other 

game. Dunston grabbed a career-
high 14 rebounds and tied her 
career high in scoring (10) for her 
first double-double in the maize 
and blue — Michigan’s first this 
season. In arguably the best game 
of her career, Dunston helped the 
Wolverines (3-0) to a 92-54 win 
over the Musketeers.

Dunston helped to anchor the 

defense by grabbing 11 rebounds 
and tallying three steals, including 
one when she broke up a pass at half 
court and took the ball straight to 
the basket for a layup. Leading by 
example, the rest of the Wolverines 
followed suit and forced seven 
turnovers in the second quarter, 
using the momentum to go on a 
13-0 run. Dunston also set the 
pace of Michigan’s fast break and 
helped create a few second-chance 
opportunities under the basket.

In some respect, she had started 

to look like former Michigan 
forward Cyesha Goree in disguise. 

“With the loss of Cyesha, we 

lost that motor,” Barnes Arico said. 
“Jillian is definitely one of a couple 
that have given us that spark.”

That spark started to ignite 

when Dunston stayed for the 
team’s optional spring season 
early in the summer, allowing her 
to step her game up to an entirely 
new level.

Recently, Barnes Arico asked 

Dunston how much she works 
out. Every day, Dunston replied. 
Barnes Arico mistook that for an 
exaggeration, but Dunston meant 
every word. After Thursday’s 
win, Barnes Arico said Dunston 
might have been in the gym that 
afternoon getting extra repetitions 
in, even before a game.

Though 
Dunston 
beat 
out 

Mitchell and Ristovski for the 
fifth starting spot, Barnes Arico 
emphasized 
that 
the 
senior 

pair has played exceptionally at 
practice. According to her, the 
problem is that, “It’s hard to keep 
(Dunston) out of the lineup.”

“I think that’s really Jill’s game, 

and that’s only a little of what she 
can do,” said sophomore guard 
Katelynn Flaherty. 

Dunston knows how to score 

and rebound the basketball well, 
and she has also learned how to 
beat the fatigue that comes with 
a performance like Thursday’s, 
when she played a career-high 27 
minutes. After a quick succession 
of possession changes, Barnes 
Arico 
noticed 
Dunston 
had 

stopped crashing the net as often. 
When she came off the court to 
rest, she said she wasn’t tired.

“She is probably one of our 

fastest, if not the fastest (player on 
the team),” Barnes Arico said. 

Added Dunston: “I kind of got 

tired, but tired is a state of mind.”

It’s that attitude that pushed 

Dunston to make every minute of 
her first start matter — an attitude 
that may keep her in the starting 
rotation for Sunday’s game against 
Hartford.

For a short time, though, 

Dunston can celebrate her hard 
work paying off. Thursday night 
was all hers.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

