4B — December 14, 2015
SportsMonday
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

MEN’S BASKETBALL
Lineup shake-up 
sparks Michigan

By KELLY HALL

Daily Sports Writer

Michigan coach John Beilein 

started off his Friday press 
conference with bad news, just 
not the kind Michigan fans had 
anticipated. 
After 
mentioning 

that junior guard Derrick Walton 
Jr. still hadn’t practiced more 
than a week after suffering 
an ankle sprain against North 
Carolina State, Beilein made note 
of more injuries that had been 
sustained just that day in practice. 

Then came the news the 

Wolverine faithful already knew: 
Senior guard and captain Spike 
Albrecht would be retiring from 
the Michigan basketball team 
due to his slow recovery from 
offseason hip surgeries. 

Despite injuries and rotation 

changes that included redshirt 
sophomore 
guard 
Duncan 

Robinson replacing sophomore 
Aubrey Dawkins in the starting 
lineup, the Wolverines (7-3) 
exceeded expectations against 
winless 
Delaware 
State 
on 

Saturday, 
clobbering 
the 

Hornets, 80-33.

There weren’t any transitional 

issues for Robinson, who got on 
the board first with a 3-pointer 
after being left open on the wing. 
He went on to score 11 points on 
4-for-6 shooting, validating his 
new status as a starter.

“We feel right now, that our 

flow, defensively and offensively, 
is better as a starter for Duncan,” 
Beilein said. “Get him in there 
and let him go and get more 
scorers out there. … I think he 
makes other guys better.”

Robinson dished out four of 

the Wolverines’ season-high 23 
assists. After the Wolverines 
tallied just 12 in their loss to 
Southern 
Methodist, 
Beilein 

made sharing the ball a point of 
emphasis in practice. 

Starting Robinson takes more 

pressure off of senior guard 
Caris LeVert, who leads both the 
scoring and assists categories. 

“He opens up the floor because 

he’s such a great shooter, so that 
really gets us going offensively,” 
said sophomore forward Kam 
Chatman. “Him starting really 
opens up the floor for Caris or 
(sophomore guard Muhammad-
Ali Abdur-Rahkman) or Derrick 
to get into the paint.”

Chatman made some noise 

himself. As soon as he came in 
off the bench, he dished the ball 
to Robinson, who took it home 
for a dunk. Within the next two 
minutes, he added five points, an 
assist, two rebounds and a block.

“Just coming in, I knew the 

play when I was going through 
it the past day, it was going to be 
open, so I told Duncan, ‘Just be 
ready,’ ” Chatman said. “And so 
just throwing that pass, it kind of 
got me going. It was pretty good.”

Junior guard Andrew Dakich 

also had a more impactful day 
than usual, burning his redshirt by 
checking into the game less than 
10 minutes into the first half. With 
Walton still recovering, Dakich 
supplements sophomore guard 
Abdur-Rahkman and LeVert.

“I mean, it was a no-brainer 

after he went down,” Dakich said. 
“Coach Beilein pulled me in and 
told me what was going on with 
Spike. I said, same thing as last 
year, (I’ll help) any way I can and 
contribute the best I can.”

The crowd favorite got Crisler 

Center to the loudest it was all 
game when he made his first field 
goal attempt by faking a 3 and 
completing a running layup. The 
walk-on had a career day in all 
categories with four points, three 
assists and two rebounds. 

“I didn’t want to shoot it today,” 

Dakich said. “I just wanted to get 
other people open. 

“It was nice. It was fun to see 

that first one go down.”

‘M’ routs Delaware State

By JACOB GASE

Daily Sports Editor

The halftime entertainment 

at Crisler Center on Saturday 
afternoon 
featured 
“Tommy 

LaSwordfish” 
twerking 
in 

front 
of 

University 
booster 
Al 
Glick, 

“Kevin 
Duranteater” 
rolling 

around on the court to the 
sounds of Limp Bizkit and, 
of course, “Mackerel Jordan” 
swallowing a man whole and 
spitting him out wearing only 
his boxers. 

And 
though 
the 
antics 

of 
the 
giant 
sports-themed 

inflatable animals known as the 
“ZOOperstars” may have stolen 
the show during Michigan’s 
game against Delaware State, 
the 
Wolverines’ 
thorough 

demolition 
of 
the 
Hornets 

proved to be just as flashy — and 
at times, just as bizarre. 

It was a contest that featured 

Delaware 
State 
clanking 
17 

3-point attempts off the rim, 
Michigan chasing a slow-rolling 
loose ball three-quarters of 
the length of the court and 
sophomore guard Muhammad-
Ali Abdur-Rahkman appearing 
to square-dance in a 10-foot 
circle with a defender who 
hooked his arm while dribbling. 

But with the lowly Hornets 

(0-9) unable to 
get 
anything 

going 
offensively or 
defensively, 
the 
Wolverines 
had no issues 
finding shots 
all afternoon. 
Just five days 
after 
being 

manhandled 
in the low post by Southern 
Methodist, Michigan outscored 
Delaware State 36-10 in the paint 
(20-0 in the first half), made 11 
3-pointers, converted seven dunks 

and had six players reach double-
digit scoring in the 80-33 rout. 

“(I liked) the growth we made 

in those couple of days (after) a 
performance that we did not like 
at all,” said Michigan coach John 
Beilein. “We were really solid with 

our 
defense. 

Our offense, the 
ball didn’t stick 
nearly as much 
— we had 23 
assists. We hate 
to lose, but the 
only good is that 
it really makes 
us better in some 
other areas.” 

The 

Wolverines (7-3) 

led from wire to wire, starting 
the game off with a 3-pointer 
from redshirt sophomore Duncan 
Robinson 
— 
who 
made 
his 

first start of the season — and 

beginning a 24-8 opening run. 

As usual, senior guard Caris 

LeVert 
led 
the 
charge 
for 

Michigan, scoring a team-high 
15 points while working as the 
lead guard for the third straight 
game in the absence of injured 
junior guard Derrick Walton Jr.

Junior forward Zak Irvin, 

whose 
game 
has 
steadily 

improved over the last few 
games as he continues to recover 
from back surgery, had one of his 
best showings of the year. After 
tallying nine points and nine 
assists at SMU, Irvin posted 12 
points to go along with eight 
rebounds. He also showed off 
his dribble-drive talents, finding 
open lanes on two straight first-
half possessions and finishing 
with one-handed jams. 

Thanks to a putrid 24-percent 

shooting performance for the 
game, the Hornets were never 

able 
to 
recover. 
Completely 

locked out of the paint, they 
resorted 
to 
launching 
21 

3-pointers, just four of which 
dropped through the net. The 
Wolverines also controlled the 
rebounding battle, 41-29.

Even against vastly inferior 

competition, Michigan came in 
knowing it would have to work 
on its defense and rebounding, 
especially with the Big Ten 
season looming. 

“Those are the two main 

things,” LeVert said. “I think 
today we did a great job of that 
— we limited their offensive 
rebounds, and we played great 
defense at times. We have to keep 
our focus up, because we know 
the level of competitiveness 
will rise as soon as the Big Ten 
season starts.” 

The usual suspects did most of 

the damage for the Wolverines, 
but several role players turned in 
solid performances as well. 

Sophomore 
forward 
Kam 

Chatman was feeling it from 
the moment he checked into 
the game midway through the 
first half, picking up five points, 
two assists, two rebounds and a 
block in his first three minutes 
on the floor. 

And junior guard Andrew 

Dakich, 
who 
burned 
his 

redshirt for the second straight 
season 
after 
senior 
guard 

Spike Albrecht announced his 
retirement yesterday, set new 
career highs with four points, 
three assists and two rebounds 
in his first game of the season.

Though 
Beilein 
admits 

“outsiders” might look poorly 
upon Michigan’s weak non-
conference stretch, he explained 
that 
playing 
opponents 
like 

Delaware State is important to 
get those role players a chance to 
see where they stand, even if the 
game isn’t pretty.

“There are some games where 

we can just get guys out there and 
get them minutes when the lights 
are really on,” Beilein said. “That 
was huge today.”

DEL. ST.
MICHIGAN 

33
80

UCLA too much for Michigan

By CHRIS CROWDER

Daily Sports Writer

The 
Michigan 
women’s 

basketball team faced a tall 
order, 
both 
literally 
and 

figuratively, when it faced No. 
20 
UCLA 

on Sunday. 
The Bruins 
(5-2) 
lost 

both of their contests to top-
five teams by single digits, and 
are physically a noticeably tall 
team. That size was an issue for 
the Wolverines.

The Bruins started the game 

with a big lineup, throwing out 
6-foot-3 forward Kacy Swain 
to match up with 6-foot-5 
Michigan center Hallie Thome. 
UCLA subbed in Swain with 
6-foot-4 Monique Billings to 
play alongside 6-foot-3 Paulina 
Hersler. Nine of the 12 active 
players on the Bruins’ roster are 
at least six feet tall, compared to 
the Wolverines’ four.

“They’re long, and they can 

run the floor,” Thome said. 
“They basically can pass to 
anyone on the court, and they 
can score. You could tell that 
they weren’t nervous when they 
stepped on the floor.”

Michigan (7-2) fought back 

with its own height in Thome, 
who scored a team-high 24 points, 
but the Wolverines fell, 86-77.

Michigan struggled to adjust 

to UCLA’s length, as sophomore 
guard Katelynn Flaherty missed 
her first three shots, including a 
wide-open layup. The Wolverines 
also adjusted to the Bruins’ 
three-quarter-court press, an 
element of Michigan’s game that 
it continues to implement in its 
own defensive agenda.

On both sides of the ball, 

Thome led the way.

“When (Thome) was out of the 

game, they really took advantage 
of the rebounding and the size 
difference,” 
said 
Michigan 

coach Kim Barnes Arico. “That 
definitely hurt us. She needs to 
be in the game for us, because we 
don’t have anyone else with that 
physical presence.”

After the Wolverines held a 

two-point lead at the end of the 
first quarter, the second quarter 

was no different, as the matchup 
remained a back-and-forth affair. 
About six minutes into the frame, 
Thome converted an and-1 to 
give Michigan a three-point 
lead. In the following possession, 
Bruins guard Kari Korver hit a 
deep 3-pointer to tie the score 
once again. The next time Korver 
got the ball, she converted from 
behind the arc again for her third 
3-pointer of the day.

The Bruins’ other star guard, 

Jordin 
Canada, 
came 
into 

Sunday’s matchup averaging 19 
points per game, but was held 
to only one by the end of the 
first half. While Canada was 
crucial for the Bruins in other 
ways, racking up seven rebounds 
and five assists, she still looked 
frustrated at times. With the 
band cooing, “O Canada!” in the 
middle of her free throw routine, 
she missed the next free throw, 
unable to get her shooting on 
track before the halftime break. 
Despite Canada’s slow start, 
UCLA led, 34-30, heading into 
the third quarter.

The Wolverines came out of 

the gate firing, making their first 
three shots. But a block ended 
the 
streak, 
directly 
leading 

to another three from Korver 
in transition. Three minutes 
later, freshman guard Boogie 

Brozoski tossed a rainbow pass 
from half court to Thome, who 
was cutting toward the basket 
for the fundamental layup. The 
players on the Michigan bench 
collectively jumped from their 
seats, down by just three. After 
a UCLA basket and two straight 
turnovers, the Bruins had their 
largest lead of the contest with 
2:30 left in the third quarter at 10.

UCLA’s length continued to 

be an obstacle, as guards such 
as senior Madison Ristovski 
couldn’t dish the ball into 
the 
paint 
without 
getting 

the delivery tipped or stolen. 
As 
Ristovski 
and 
Brozoski 

struggled, the Bruins thrived off 
their mistakes, leading by nine 
going into the fourth quarter.

“Any mistake that we made, 

they made us pay for it,” Barnes 
Arico said. “I think that is 
experience. On our side, that’s 
a sign of our youth. … We looked 
young at times.”

With about seven minutes 

left in the final frame, Flaherty 
drove into the lane, but was 
blocked. The ball was deflected 
right into the hands of Ristovski, 
who 
immediately 
knocked 

down a 3. On the ensuing 
Wolverine possession, Thome 
knocked down another basket. 
Junior guard Siera Thompson 

had an opportunity to cut the 
lead to two, but missed the 
layup. Canada, who eventually 
found her rhythm, scored four 
straight, bringing the lead back 
up to eight.

“The 
little 
things, 
the 

turnovers at the end, were what 
separated us,” Thome said.

UCLA didn’t look back from 

there, as Billings dominated the 
paint on both sides of the ball, 
finishing with 20 points and 11 
rebounds. The Wolverines were 
outrebounded, 45-27.

“We didn’t rebound great like 

we usually do,” Flaherty said. 
“That hurt us, and we tried to 
box out, and that’s something 
going forward we need to work 
on … Going in (to the paint), we 
got a lot of our shots blocked.”

It was fitting that the contest 

ended on a UCLA block. The 
Wolverines 
lost 
to 
a 
more 

talented and, ultimately, a much 
larger team.

“We always talk about being 

better tomorrow than we were 
today,” Barnes Arico said. “I 
think we’re always trying to get 
better. … If each one of us can get 
a little bit better, we can be a lot 
more successful against quality 
opponents. That’s what we try 
to do every day and will do from 
here on out.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Youth shows in 
first home loss

By BRANDON CARNEY

Daily Sports Writer

Hallie Thome was on track to 

earn her first collegiate double-
double. Then she picked up her 
fourth foul.

It 
was 
a 
situation 
the 

freshman center had never been 
in. Play too aggressively, and 
she’d be on the bench the very 
next possession based on the 
way UCLA forward Monique 
Billings drew fouls seemingly 
every time she touched the ball. 
Play too conservatively, and 
the defensive pressure Thome 
had been putting on the Bruin 
frontcourt would disappear.

Thome ended up choosing the 

latter.

At that point, when UCLA’s 

guards drove the lane, Thome 
was the only thing standing in 
between them and the basket. 

Her 
inexperience 
showed, 

as 
Michigan 
couldn’t 
put 

together a comeback against the 
20th-ranked Bruins on Sunday, 
falling 86-77.

The Wolverines had been able 

to keep up with UCLA for the 
first half and the beginning of the 
second half. But Michigan began 
to show its immaturity around 
the time Thome picked up her 
fourth foul with three minutes 
remaining in the third quarter.

After 
struggling 
with 
the 

Bruins’ height early in the game, 
the 
Wolverines’ 
offense 
ran 

through Thome. She had 20 points 
and seven rebounds when she 
was removed, leaving Michigan 
searching for a new strategy.

Freshman 
guard 
Boogie 

Brozoski 
committed 
two 

turnovers on the night, both in 
the time between Thome was 
subbed out and when she came 
back in with 8:44 left in the 
fourth quarter. With Thome 
off the court, the Wolverines 
committed five turnovers and 
were outscored 13-7 without an 
offensive option to replace her.

As 
UCLA 
continued 
to 

go to the basket, Michigan 

struggled to come up with an 
answer to stop them. Brozoski 
and freshman guard Nicole 
Munger couldn’t lock down 
their 
defensive 
assignments, 

and sophomore forward Jillian 
Dunston had to foul the Bruins’ 
forwards to prevent them from 
scoring easy baskets.

“We talk about it as a team,” 

Munger said. “We try and go 
out every game with the same 
mentality, 
and 
every 
single 

moment of every game. Nothing 
really changed because we have 
the same focus.”

But in this situation, not 

changing the game plan may have 
hurt the Wolverines. Michigan’s 
lead scorer was on the bench, 
and the younger players seemed 
to lose confidence as the deficit 
grew larger.

Michigan coach Kim Barnes 

Arico knew the only way the 
Wolverines were going to get 
their 
confidence 
back 
was 

sending Thome back in. But 
the freshman was overcautious 
defensively, and didn’t know how 
to handle the situation knowing 
she couldn’t pick up the foul.

“She’s been in that situation 

before where she’s picked up 
fouls early and she’s had to sit 
out,” Barnes Arico said. “But it’s 
been a while. She’s going to need 
to learn how to play successfully 
with fouls, because we really 
need her on the floor.”

Inexperience caught up to the 

young Wolverine squad Sunday, 
and while it may have ruined 
their chance at an upset, making 
mistakes and competing for a 
majority of the game with a top-20 
team will benefit Michigan with 
Big Ten play quickly approaching.

“We cut it to four and had 

some opportunities, and we 
didn’t make the best decisions,” 
Barnes Arico said. “Any mistake 
we made, they made us pay for. I 
think that is experience. On our 
side that’s a sign of our youth, 
and I think we’re going to grow 
and we’re going to learn from 
that.“

UCLA
MICHIGAN 

86
77

ALLISON FARRAND/Daily

Duncan Robinson made his first start of the season against Delaware State.

“We hate to lose, 
but the only good 

is that it really 

makes us better.”

AMANDA ALLEN/Daily

Freshman guard Nicole Munger came off the bench and scored 15 points in Michigan’s loss to UCLA on Sunday.

