Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Tuesday, February 2, 2016 — 7

The hardest-working individuals in America

By BRAD WHIPPLE

Daily Sports Editor

Pink shoes. Pink headbands. 

Pink warmup shirts with the 
words 
“Hope, 
Fight, 
Cure” 

printed on the front. Sunday, it 
was clear that the players of the 
Michigan 
women’s 
basketball 

team weren’t competing for the 
hardest-working team in America.

Instead, the Wolverines were 

competing 
for 
the 
hardest-

working individuals in America.

Michigan didn’t skip a beat 

in pulling off a 92-76 win over 
Minnesota during its annual Pink 
Game, which serves to promote 
breast cancer awareness as well 
as celebrate the life of former 
North Carolina State coach Kay 
Yow, who passed away from stage 
4 breast cancer in 2009.

The pink game also celebrates 

survivorship 
for 
those 
in 

attendance at Crisler Center 
and 
across 
the 
nation. 
Six 

breast-cancer 
survivors 
were 

invited to dinner with the team 
Friday, introduced the starting 
lineup Sunday and received a 

pink basketball from the player 
they introduced — a tradition 
that began with the arrival of 
Michigan coach Kim Barnes 
Arico in 2012.

One of those survivors is 

Barnes 
Arico’s 
stepmother 

Donna, a 10-year cancer survivor 
who has made the trip from New 
York to the Pink Game every year.

“This is one of the greatest 

days of the year for our program,” 
Barnes Arico said. “It’s really a 
special (thing) for us to honor 
those women — those strong, 
powerful, 
determined 
women 

that are persevering through 
struggles that are much tougher 
than a basketball game.”

For Barnes Arico, she didn’t 

just want her team to throw 
on some pink-colored apparel 
without it carrying some weight. 
Instead, she wanted the outfits 
to speak on a personal level with 
her players and have a special 
meaning behind it.

So Friday night, the team had 

dinner with a group of survivors 
at the Ron and Eileen Weiser 
Family 
Club 
inside 
Crisler 

Center. The survivors — hand-
selected by Abby Samuels, the 
senior community manager for 
special events at the American 
Cancer 
Society’s 
Southeast 

Michigan office — told stories of 
their battles with breast cancer 
and answered questions from 
the team about how to be more 
proactive with their own health.

“It’s really special to have a 

dinner with the ladies that get 
to teach us so much about life 
that we don’t get to see all the 
time,” said senior guard Madison 
Ristovski. “Everybody here is 
always curious about it.

“At the end of the day, it’s in 

the back of people’s minds that, 
‘What if that happens to me?’ ”

Samuels’ 
network 
at 
the 

American Cancer Society and 
strong 
volunteer 
outreach 

enabled her to find individuals to 
invite to the dinner. The leading 
factor in the decision was an the 
individuals’ involvement with the 
organization in recent months 
— for example, attending the 
Making Strides Against Breast 
Cancer Walk held in October at 

Washtenaw Community College.

The Wolverines, of course, were 

waiting at the end of the walk, 
high-fiving survivors, giving them 
roses and cheering them on as 
they crossed the finish line.

“They’re amazing volunteers,” 

Samuels said. “Them coming 
out to Making 
Strides allows 
them 
to 
see 

the 
impact 

they’re making 
with 
things 

like the Pink 
Game. … One 
of 
the 
great 

things 
about 

Michigan and 
Michigan 
athletics is that 
they teach integrity, and those 
women really have integrity.”

At age 25, just months before 

her wedding, Christy Rodriguez 
was diagnosed with breast cancer. 
The longtime Michigan fan was 
invited to Barnes Arico’s dinner 
Friday night after completing the 
Making Strides walk.

Now in her late 20s, Rodriguez 

has been cancer-free for three 
years.

“I’m 
really 
happy 
that 
I 

got invited to be a part of it,” 
Rodriguez said. “I think it’s super 
awesome that they do something 
like this every year … Being up 
there at the beginning and getting 
the basketball from the player, 
that was really awesome. Probably 
one of the coolest things I’ve 
done. I’ve gotten a lot of different 
opportunities I didn’t expect from 
having breast cancer, and things 
like this are some of the positive 
things that come out of it.”

Rodriguez joined a group of 

survivors on the court during 
halftime 
and 
were 
given 
a 

“survivor sash” by Michigan 
softball coach Carol Hutchins, 
who donned a pink No. 15 jersey 
of her own.

According to Samuels, Barnes 

Arico and Hutchins’ vision to 

emphasize the “game of life” 
within their programs ensures 
their players walk away with 
valuable life lessons aside from 
just what they learn from playing 
on the court or the diamond. 

Now in her fourth year at the 

helm, Barnes Arico sees education 

as 
a 
major 

cornerstone of 
the 
program 

she’s 
leading. 

She wants to 
educate 
her 

players on what 
breast 
cancer 

because, as she 
mentioned, 
“You’re 
never 

too young to 
get it.”

More importantly, she wants 

her team to see the value in having 
a positive attitude, being focused 
and staying determined. Friday, 
it was these three lessons that 
the six survivors spoke of when 
describing their path toward a 
cancer-free life — in addition to 
faith and family.

Barnes Arico wants her team, 

by understanding the adversity 
these women have had to face, 
to understand that life isn’t 
always about basketball, and 
reality doesn’t exist within a 
perfect bubble. 

“We’re 
playing 
college 

basketball at the highest level 
and we’re at the University 
of 
Michigan 
on 
a 
college 

scholarship, that there are people 
out there that are going through 
struggles and different hard times 
in their lives,” Barnes Arico said. 
“Sometimes it’s a great reminder 
when we get to be surrounded 
by people that are overcoming 
such great obstacles and such big 
challenges.

“At the end of the day, a 

basketball game is a basketball 
game, and this is about the 
survival in their lives.”

As for Michigan’s role in the 

fight against breast cancer, it can 

continue to provide an outlet of 
empowerment for survivors in 
the meantime. The Pink Game 
gives 
survivors 
like 
Donna 

Barnes and Christy Rodriguez 
the opportunity to come together 
and share their stories of survival 
while promoting awareness for 
those still fighting the battle.

“I think that basketball is a 

vehicle to teach (our players) 
about perseverance and about 
hard work and being part of our 
team,” Barnes Arico said. “That’s 
part of our mantra, that we are the 
hardest-working team in America.

“But really, if you’re diagnosed 

with breast cancer, you have to be 
the hardest-working individual to 
overcome that.”

Friday’s 
stories 
of 

perseverance 
must 
have 
hit 

the right emotional note with 
the 
Wolverines 
on 
Sunday 

afternoon as they pulled ahead 
of Minnesota down the stretch — 
all in front of a sea of pink.

Little 
things 
made 
the 

difference for Michigan in its 
victory — defense, free throws, 
intangibles.

But then there were the little 

things, such as a pink basketball, 
that made the difference for 
survivors in their own victory.

When Ann Arbor native Mimi 

Schork returned to her seat before 
the game, she waved her newest 
momento around in the air while 
wearing a wide smile. She looked 
as if she had just won an award, 
and those sitting around her 
began to cheer.

In 
most 
ways, 
the 
pink 

basketball was an award. It was 
a reminder of what she had been 
through and how she overcame 
it. She deserved the cheering, as 
did the rest of the survivors who 
received a standing ovation at 
halftime.

They 
hoped, 
fought 
and 

continued to work toward a cure. 
For that, they were recognized as 
the hardest-working individuals 
in America.

Quick Hits with Tyler Motte

By JASON RUBINSTEIN

Daily Sports Writer

After the Michigan hockey 

team’s weekend sweep over 
Penn 
State, 
junior 
forward 

Tyler Motte has found himself 
in a spot he never dreamed of 
being: the leading goal scorer in 
the nation.

Through 23 games, Motte has 

netted 22 goals to go along with 
13 assists. His previous career 
high for goals in a season was 
nine, and his productivity has 
blossomed in the 12 games since 
Michigan coach Red Berenson 
put him with junior forward JT 
Compher and freshman forward 
Kyle Connor on one line.

For all those reasons, Motte 

became the focal point for this 
week’s edition of Quick Hits.

The Michigan Daily: You’re 

the leading goal scorer in the 
NCAA. How does that feel?

Tyler Motte: It feels good. 

I’ve never been one to go back 
and look at stats and compare 
myself to even my teammates, 
but having that confidence in 
your back pocket never hurts.

TMD: Did you expect this of 

yourself? You always joke that 
you’re not a skill player and those 
are the ones who usually are at 
the top of the leaderboards.

TM: I don’t think I would’ve 

ever been the top goal scorer 
in the country. Like you said, 
I’ve never really been that type 
of player. I’ve always tried to 
be a 200-foot type guy, and 
that is really my game. But the 
chemistry with my linemates 
has worked out.

TMD: Your line has been 

pretty good. Is there a thing 
between you and JT where 
you guys are making sure Kyle, 
the freshman, doesn’t lead the 
nation in goals?

TM: No. (Laughs.) Not at 

all. We’ve been joking around 
with the guys about this. But 
it’s great to see a guy dominate 
as a freshman similar to (how) 
Dylan Larkin did it last year. 
Each of them dominated in 
different ways, but it’s great to 
see freshmen come to Michigan 
and be able to do that. Just to see 
JT and how he works and puts 

up numbers, he’s proud of that.

TMD: Well, JT had a nice 

toe drag this weekend. Were 
you like, “Wow, JT, how did you 
do that?”

TM: Yeah, he might joke 

around and tell you he is a skill 
guy, too, but it was a phenomenal 
play, something he has in his 
back pocket.

TMD: It’s been coined the 

“CCM 
line.” 

Are you guys 
trying 
to 

earn a future 
sponsorship 
from 
them? 

What’s 
with 

that?

TM: I didn’t 

quite 
know 

what it meant 
at 
first. 
I 

thought it was 
because we all used their sticks, 
but then JT doesn’t, he uses 
Bauer, and then I realized it had 
to do with our names. It’s pretty 
creative, though. It’s pretty 
good. I’ve definitely heard worse 
names for lines.

TMD: The team has been 

giving you crap for the beanie you 
wear. I see it’s changed colors.

TM: Yeah. I got a new one. I 

found one in my closet. Some 
might call it bad press with that 
haircut article there, but it’s 

good, it’s fun.

TMD: You won’t take it off 

until you start slowing down 
with your points, right?

TM: It’s no superstition.
TMD: Nolan is the team 

barber. Should one of our writers 
get a haircut from him?

TM: I don’t know how open 

the barber shop is to walk-ins. 
But he does a good job. If he 

doesn’t 
make 

it in hockey, 
he 
could 

definitely open 
his own barber 
shop.

TMD: 

Describe Max 
Shuart.

TM: I don’t 

know if there 
is 
one 
way 

to 
describe 

Max Shuart other than he’s a 
character. He sits next to me in 
the locker room and sometimes 
is a peanut gallery. He really has 
a good balance of having fun and 
enjoying things while also doing 
it the right way.

TMD: Could he beat Michael 

Downing in a fight?

TM: I’d like to see a best-of-

three or best-of-five series there. 
I could see it going either way.

TMD: You, JT and Kyle are all 

up for the Hobey Baker Award, 

but it can only be one.

TM: Yeah. Unfortunately, that 

is how it goes. I think it could be 
unbelievable to see a freshman 
win back-to-back years.

TMD: When Kevin Porter 

won the Hobey in 2008, his 
linemate Chad Kolarik, who was 
up for the Hobey, wanted to vault 
Porter to win and pushed for it 
despite being a strong candidate 
as well. Have you guys discussed 
this?

TM: I don’t think any of us 

focus on it that much, but to have 
another Hobey Baker winner at 
Michigan would be huge.

TMD: You took a nasty hit 

at the Garden. There are some 
pictures that show you chewing 
your mouthguard rather than 
wearing it. Why do you do that?

TM: Well, I’ve had the same 

mouthguard 
here 
since 
my 

freshman year so it doesn’t 
exactly snuggly fit any more. 
Most guys don’t even wear them 
even more.

TMD: Will you wear one now?
TM: We’ll see if the old one 

still fits. I might.

TMD: You’re growing quite 

the beard here. What’s with 
that?

TM: There is no superstition 

behind the beard. I do tend to trim 
it up a bit. In the winter, I don’t 
like to go clean-shaven. It’s comfy.

Michigan preps 
for top-25 battle

By SIMON KAUFMAN

Daily Sports Editor

The Michigan men’s basketball 

team ended the first half of the 
Big Ten season with a four-game 
sweep against 
the 
bottom 

half 
of 
the 

conference, 
downing 
unheralded 
Minnesota, 
Nebraska, 
Rutgers 
and 

Penn 
State 

teams.

Now, sitting 

at exactly the 
midway 
point 

in 
conference 

play, 
the 

Wolverines (7-2 Big Ten, 17-5 
overall) face a two-game stretch 
of top-25 talent, hosting No. 22 
Indiana on Tuesday and No. 10 
Michigan State on Saturday.

The Hoosiers (8-1, 18-4), led by 

senior guard Yogi Ferrell, come to 
town atop the Big Ten standings 
following a six-point win over 
Minnesota on Saturday. Ferrell, 
who opted to return for his final 
year at Indiana instead of entering 
the NBA Draft, has been one of 
the conference’s top performers, 
pacing 17.5 points and nearly six 
assists per contest.

The Indiana native has a 

history of torching Michigan. 
In 
five 
games 
against 
the 

Wolverines in his career, Ferrell 
has shot better than 60 percent 
and averaged more than 16 points 
per game — and he’s done it in a 
number of ways. Last year, he 
used a variety of made jumpers to 
tally 14 points against Michigan; 
the season before, he knocked 
down seven 3-pointers to put up 
27 to help take down a then-10th-
ranked Wolverines team.

“His quickness is such that, 

yeah, there’s a lot of things you 
do (to try to stop him),” said 
Michigan coach John Beilein. 
“What’s really good is you have 
a really good player playing 

against him that can stay in 
front of him, and that’s our hope, 
that a combination of (junior 
guard Derrick Walton Jr. and 
sophomore guard Muhammad-
Ali Abdur-Rahkman) can do 
that and that we don’t have 
to give as much help. But he’s 
going get his points; he’s going 
to get to the foul line; he’s going 
to get his assists. Try to not let 
the other guys beat you, that’s 
another thought.”

The 
biggest 
problem 
for 

Michigan is that those other 
guys who surround Ferrell are 
just as dangerous. Indiana has 
two other starters averaging 12 
points or better in sophomore 
forward Troy Williams (13.1) 
and freshman center Thomas 
Bryant (12.4). It will take a team 
effort for Michigan to contend 
against the country’s second-
best shooting team.

“(We need to) try to stay out 

of foul trouble and not make it a 
1-on-1 matchup,” Walton said. 
“Remember that it’s all about 
winning. There’s going to be some 
times tomorrow (Ferrell) makes a 
really good play or I make a really 
good play or either of us go on a 
tear, making three or four plays 
in a row. It’s all about just staying 
with the team goals of the night 
and game plan. … When the game 
is over, the better point guard is 
the one that wins.”

What could be the biggest 

lift for Michigan, though, is the 
potential return of senior guard 
Caris LeVert. Beilein has been 
cryptic about LeVert’s return 
date since he injured his left 
foot against Illinois on Dec. 30, 
causing him to miss the last eight 
games. But Monday, Beilein said 
that his return could be soon.

“Caris did more (Sunday) than 

he’s done at all,” Beilein said. 
“This was the first time he really 
tested himself more than he has. 
So it’s day-to-day, and we’ll wait 
and see when he’s ready to go. 
It’s ultimately going to be his 
decision. It could be soon. It could 
be later.”

Indiana at 
Michigan

Matchup: 
Indiana 18-4; 
Michigan 17-5

When: 
Tuesday 9 P.M.

Where: Crisler 
Center

TV/Radio: 
ESPN

MEN’S BASKETBALL

ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily

The Michigan women’s basketball team held its annual Pink Game on Sunday in honor of breast cancer awareness.

“This is one of 

the greatest days 

of the year for 
our program.”

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

Junior forward Tyler Motte leads the nation in scoring with 22 goals in 23 games for the Wolverines this season.

“The chemistry 

with my 

linemates has 
worked out.”

