4B — February 8, 2016
SportsMonday
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Wolverines salvage split

By KEVIN SANTO

Daily Sports Writer

EAST 
LANSING 
— 
The 

Michigan 
hockey 
team 
had 

everything to lose. And entering 
Saturday’s 
matchup, 
the 

Wolverines were already hurting.

After sweeping then-No. 15 

Penn State, Michigan faltered 
in a rivalry loss to Michigan 
State in Joe Louis Arena — its 
first loss since Dec. 12 — and the 
circumstances surrounding the 
defeat made it hurt even more.

The 
Wolverines 
gave 
the 

Spartans the first taste of lifting 
the ‘Iron D’ trophy. They fell at 
the hands of an opponent that 
boasted just two wins in the 
Big Ten, on a night when senior 
goaltender Steve Racine had 
arguably his best performance 
of the season.

And as if that weren’t enough, 

the Wolverines allowed Michigan 
State to send them plummeting in 
the PairWise Rankings.

But Saturday in East Lansing, 

No. 5 Michigan (8-2-2-1 Big Ten, 
17-4-4 overall) set the tone from 
the opening whistle, ensuring 
lightning wouldn’t strike twice 
and capturing a 4-1 victory.

“I 
think 
(Friday’s) 
loss 

really sunk in with us,” said 
senior forward Justin Selman. 
“We hadn’t really faced much 
adversity in a while. As much 
as it stinks to lose, it was a good 
little wake-up call for us late in 
the season. It kind of gave us a 
second gear today.”

With 14 minutes gone in 

the second period, though, the 
Spartans weren’t making it easy 
for Michigan. The Wolverines 
were 
holding 
onto 
their 

advantage, but after Michigan 
State (3-9-0-0, 7-19-2) rattled 
the post twice and started 
forcing Racine to work, their 
one-goal lead seemed destined 
to be erased. Then Michigan 
found an answer from the place 
people have grown to expect — 
its first line.

Junior forward JT Compher 

picked up the puck and fed it 
to junior forward Tyler Motte 
in the slot. The puck wasn’t on 
Motte’s stick for long, though, as 
he threaded the needle between 
two defenders back to Compher 
down low.

The 
Wolverine 
captain 

coasted across the crease and 
coolly finished the chance before 
pounding the glass in celebration.

The 
horn 

sounded. 
Michigan, 2-0. 

“We 
knew 

the things we 
did 
wrong 

last 
night,” 

said 
junior 

forward Tyler 
Motte. 
“We 

didn’t 
really 

capitalize 
on 
chances. 

It wasn’t a matter of effort or 
attitude. We knew coming into 
this building we had to have 
another good start, and that’s 
where our mindset was.”

The Wolverines were the first 

to find twine — the only time 

they have scored first in four 
games against the Spartans this 
year. Just over eight minutes into 
the first period, Selman picked 
up a loose puck and fired from 
the slot, beating Michigan State 
goaltender Jake Hildebrand and 
giving Michigan the lead.

Though 
the 
Wolverines 

outshot the Spartans, 20-3, 
in the first period, Michigan 
couldn’t generate many quality 

chances, 
and 

Selman’s 
finish was the 
only one of the 
frame. 
After 

Compher 
lit 

the 
lamp, 

though, 
the 

goals seemed 
to 
come 
in 

bunches 
for 
the 

Wolverines.

Just 
under 
two 
minutes 

into the third period, Selman 
notched his second of the night 
on a finish in front. The goal 
wouldn’t have been possible if 
not for the effort of freshman 
forward Brendan Warren, who 

battled for a puck behind the net 
before feeding Selman for the 
easy opportunity.

Michigan’s fourth tally came 

from Motte, good for his 25th 
goal of the season.

“It’s something we talked 

about 
in 
the 
intermission,” 

Motte said. “He saw that their 
two forwards were shadowing 
on both sides, so I tried to get 
some speed up the middle. I 
didn’t think I was going to be 
in on a clear breakaway… but it 
was something that (Werenski) 
called out in the locker room and 
we went with it.”

The 
Wolverines’ 
blueliners 

looked 
much-improved 

throughout the matchup, as the 
Spartans’ only goal came on the 
power play off the stick of Villiam 
Haag. Racine built on his strong 
Friday night outing, ending with 
32 saves on the night.

The weekend was in no way 

perfect for Michigan. But with 
their backs against the wall, 
the Wolverines had the option 
of crumbling under pressure or 
rising in the wake of adversity. 
And they chose the latter.

ICE HOCKEY
Racine stars vs. 
Michigan State

By MINH DOAN

Daily Sports Editor

EAST LANSING — As the 

Michigan hockey team stood 
in line to shake hands with 
Michigan State following its 4-1 
victory over its in-state rival, 
senior goaltender Steve Racine 
stood at the end of the line.

He shook every Spartan hand 

before he reached Michigan State 
goaltender Jake Hildebrand, his 
counterpart on the other side 
of the ice. Racine gave him a tap 
on the stomach, acknowledging 
the pair’s play over the weekend, 
which featured 149 saves between 
the two goaltenders.

After 
Hildebrand 
was 

victorious Friday night following 
the Spartans’ 3-2 overtime win 
at Joe Louis Arena, Racine got 
the better of the matchup in the 
second game.

But 
the 
two 
netminders 

weren’t particularly to blame for 
either outcome. Neither team 
scored what seemed like a “bad” 
goal for the goaltender.

This was especially true for 

Racine, who gave up three goals 
Friday and one Saturday.

Friday, Michigan State’s goals 

came from a penalty shot, a 
Spartan left all alone in front of 
the net and a power-play goal. 
While Saturday, Racine gave up 
only one goal on the power play.

Racine’s 
performance 
in 

East Lansing marked just the 
second time all season that 
the Wolverines have held an 
opponent to one goal or fewer, 
with the first back in November 
against Dartmouth.

“I think my game has been 

on track the last couple weeks,” 
Racine said. “The guys have been 
playing really well in front of me.”

More 
importantly, 
Racine 

bailed out Michigan when it 
needed him to.

As has been a trend all season, 

the Wolverines gave the puck 
away multiple times in the 
defensive zone, resulting in open 
shots from dangerous areas. But 
Racine was up to the task, stoning 
the Spartan skaters both nights.

“They actually have a couple 

good forwards, and they generate 
chances,” Racine said. “I think I 
got lucky a couple times, and the 
puck hit the post, but other than 
that, (the defense) did a good job 
of limiting their chances, and you 
saw that on the scoreboard.”

While Racine’s record since 

the Great Lakes Invitational, 
where he returned from an injury 
sustained in November, has been 
9-1-1, he believes his confidence 
has been level throughout.

“I think my confidence has 

been pretty good all year,” Racine 
said. “(Michigan assistant coach 
Steve Shields) helps a lot with 
that. It’s just about working hard 
in practice and getting better 
every day, and I think that’s 
where it comes from. When I’m 
practicing well, it seems to be 
that the weekends go pretty well 
as well.”

And with the offense playing 

the way it has been, averaging 
4.79 goals per game, Racine and 
the defensive play are key to 
Michigan’s play down the stretch.

“(Team defense) is still a work 

in progress,” Racine said. “But 
we’re getting better every week, 
and we know we can score goals. 
It’s about limiting the other team’s 
chances, and we’ll be unbeatable.”

Last season, Michigan was 

unable 
to 
find 
consistency 

between 
Racine 
and 
junior 

goaltender Zach Nagelvoort, with 
the duo switching off throughout 
the season.

But with Racine playing the 

way he has the last two months, 
those 
days 
of 
inconsistent 

goaltending may be over.

Michigan downs Illini

By CHRIS CROWDER

Daily Sports Writer

After taking a proverbial punch 

in the gut by losing to No. 17 
Michigan State Wednesday, the 
Michigan 
women’s 
basketball 
team had to 
pick itself up in time for a matchup 
against Illinois.

Sunday, the Wolverines dealt 

the punches, downing the Big 
Ten’s last-place team, 96-83.

“Going into MSU, we didn’t 

play how we wanted to,” said 
freshman center Hallie Thome. 
“So coming out today, we knew 
we had to pick it up. As you saw 
from the start, we had ourselves 
together, and knew we needed to 
get this W.”

Michigan (5-7 Big Ten, 13-10 

overall) began the game with a 
four-guard lineup to match up 
with the Fighting Illini’s similar 
starting 
five. 
This 
allowed 

freshman guard Boogie Brozoski 
to make the first start of her career.

With quicker feet on the floor, 

the Wolverines turned up the 
defensive intensity early, forcing 
Illinois (1-11, 8-15) to commit four 
turnovers in the first four minutes. 
With the swipes and corralled 
loose balls, Michigan turned the 
Illini’s errors into a nine-point 
lead. Illinois added insult to injury 
with sloppy ball handling, turning 
the ball over five more times in the 
first quarter to fall behind, 27-17.

“I think having a four-guard 

lineup makes it easy for us to 
press and pressure the ball,” 
said sophomore guard Katelynn 
Flaherty. “We have a motor 
and energy and emotion. In the 
beginning of games, we’ve gotten 
off to bad starts and we were 
all over the floor, and our guard 
lineup was quick today.”

Meanwhile, Flaherty — who 

has been getting off to slow starts 
in recent games — was almost 
perfect from the floor. She racked 
up 14 points in the first stanza 
alone on 6-for-7 shooting.

Flaherty 
scored 
her 
16th 

point with 3:56 left in the second 
quarter. With that basket, she 
became 
the 
26th 
player 
in 

program history to score 1,000 

points. She is just the second 
player to reach the mark by her 
sophomore season. She would go 
on to earn a career-high 36 points.

While Flaherty and the rest 

of the Wolverines were lighting 
up the scoreboard, the Illini 
struggled, 
knocking 
down 

just nine field goals in the first 
half. They frequently missed 
shots down low and killed any 
momentum with 11 first-half 
turnovers. Illinois shot 39 percent 
in the first half, but was down 
48-36 at halftime after shooting 
14-for-14 from the free throw line.

In comparison, Michigan shot 

59 percent, bolstered by 21 points 
off of turnovers — most of them 
layups in transition.

“We picked up, pressed and 

were super aggressive from the 
start,” said Michigan coach Kim 
Barnes Arico. “In the first half, 
that transition off of those forced 
turnovers and easy buckets really 
helped us to establish a presence 
and gain a lead pretty early.”

The 
12-point 
lead 
seemed 

much larger, as the Wolverines 

seemed to control nearly every 
facet of the game, outshooting and 
outhustling their opponent.

Illinois cut the deficit to single 

digits three minutes into the third 
quarter and added onto it with a 
3-pointer. But Flaherty halted the 
run on her own, nailing back-to-
back 3s to put Michigan back up 
by 12. Along with Flaherty, the 
Wolverines’ post players were 
integral in building on the lead. 
Senior forward Kelsey Mitchell 
started 4-for-6 in the paint, and 
Thome started a perfect 5-for-5, 
missing only one of her eight shots 
from the charity stripe.

“When I go to the free throw 

line, I can’t think much,” Thome 
said. “I just gotta do it, take my 
time, and make sure I’m all good.”

The Illini cut the lead inside 

10 again with a minute left in the 
third, trailing, 71-64, going into 
the fourth quarter. But thanks to 
a combined 61 points from Thome 
and Flaherty, the lead never 
dipped below seven, as Michigan 
maintained a comfortable lead 
until the final buzzer.

Flaherty reaches 1,000 points

By BRAD WHIPPLE

Daily Sports Writer

Just when Katelynn Flaherty 

started to heat up and come closer 
to a career milestone, she had to 
wait just a little longer.

For a seven-and-a-half-minute 

stretch that began in the first 
quarter, the sophomore guard 
went cold and couldn’t get a good 
look at the basket to make her 
mile shot.

Even though she knew she was 

close to breaking 1,000 career 
points — only one basket to be 
exact — Flaherty was just focused 
on ensuring a win for the Michigan 
women’s basketball team, which 
had just endured its worst loss of 
the season to Michigan State four 
days prior.

Between the two shots she let 

off during her scoreless span, one 
was an air ball and the other hit 
the front of the rim before falling 
into the hands of Illinois’ defense.

But 39 seconds later, they left 

Flaherty alone in the corner, and 
she returned to form.

Flaherty grabbed the bounce 

pass, bent her right knee in, flung 
the ball up and watched the net 
swoosh as she became the 26th 
player in program history to reach 
1,000 career points.

As 
the 
second 
sophomore 

ever and second-fastest player 
in program history to reach the 
landmark, Flaherty’s performance 
didn’t sway thereafter. In fact, she 
didn’t miss a shot for the next 20 
minutes, as she scored a career-
high 36-points to cap off the 
Wolverines’ 96-83 win Sunday.

“Katelynn Flaherty, holy cow,” 

said Michigan coach Kim Barnes 
Arico. “She’s something special. 
I’m just getting so accustomed to 
her doing this night in and night 
out, I didn’t even realize that she 
scored 36 points until the end of 
the game.”

Added Flaherty: “It feels great 

(to reach 1,000). Everyone kinda 
made a big deal out of it. I’m not 
trying to think about it when 
I go out there, but I’m happy I 
achieved the goal.”

Though Illinois was the first 

team on the board, it never held 
a lead once Flaherty’s first basket 

fell just two minutes into the 
game. On 5-of-6 shooting in the 
first quarter, she helped Michigan 
jump to a 10-point lead by the end 
of the first quarter.

The Fighting Illini were frazzled 

against a high-tempo, four-guard 
Wolverine starting lineup that 
included Flaherty, senior guard 
Madison Ristovski, junior guard 
Siera Thompson and freshman 
guard Boogie Brozoski. Illinois 
committed 18 turnovers total, 
one of which ended with Flaherty 
scoring on a fast-break layup. Soon 
after, Michigan created a 3-on-1 
opportunity that nearly fell apart 
when Brozoski missed the mid-
range jumper in transition.

Luckily for Michigan, Brozoski 

collected her rebound, kicked 
it out to the 3-point line, where 
Flaherty had no trouble finishing 
it off. It wasn’t until later that 
Brozoski 
had 
the 
assist 
on 

Flaherty’s 1,000th career point.

In the third quarter, the 

Wolverines’ 
hard-pressing 

defense continued to show huge 
strides with Illinois narrowing 
the scoring deficit to six points. 
Earlier in the season, Michigan 
may have let this one slip, but the 
Wolverines locked in instead.

If not for the motivating 

loss in East Lansing last week, 
Flaherty may not have had 
the same performance Sunday 
against Illinois.

According to Barnes Arico, 

though, 
much 
of 
Flaherty’s 

success has hinged upon the 
sacrifices that Michigan’s leading 
scorer has made throughout her 
lifetime. Last week, the coaching 
staff had the team read an article 
about how athletes struggling 
with 
adversity 
can 
lead 
to 

success. The main takeaway was 
that “you have to struggle to be 
rewarded,” something applicable 
to Flaherty’s path — including a 
499-point freshman season.

“People really work hard for 

things,” Barnes Arico said, “but 
people 
don’t 
understand 
the 

amount of time Katelynn Flaherty 
has shot the basketball and 
worked on her game to get to the 
level that she’s at.

“The sacrifices and the struggle 

that she has gone through to get 
to this point, it’s so nice to see her 
having the success that she is.”

SINDU KILARU/Daily

Sophomore guard Katelynn Flaherty became the second-fastest Michigan player to surpass the 1,000-point mark and finished with a career-high 36 on Sunday.

ILLINOIS
MICHIGAN 

83
96

JAMES COLLER/Daily

Senior forward Justin Selman scored twice in Saturday’s win after Michigan lost to Michigan State on Friday.

“I think 

(Friday’s) loss 
really sunk in 

with us.”

