8A — Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Season-opening snoozer
Michigan beats Norfolk State, 63-44

Norfolk State didn’t score its 
first points until seven minutes 
and 16 seconds into the game.
By that point, it was far too 
late.
Sophomore 
guard 
Jordan 
Poole found Charles Matthews 
with a nifty wrap-around pass 
in the post, and the redshirt 
junior 
forward 
finished 
off 
the Michigan men’s basketball 
team’s second possession with 
its first two points. That was as 
close as the Wolverines’ season-
opener would get, as they handily 
beat the overmatched Spartans 
(0-1), 63-44, on Tuesday night.
The night’s most eventful 
moments, in reality, took place 
before the game started and 
after it ended. Fifteen minutes 
before tip-off, the banners for 
Michigan’s Big Ten Tournament 
Championship and Final Four 
appearance last year were raised 
to the Crisler Center rafters.
And when the final buzzer 
sounded, it officially marked 
John 
Beilein’s 
800th 
win 
across all levels 
of 
college 
basketball, 
and 
the Maize Rage 
unveiled another 
banner — this one 
congratulating 
the 
Wolverines’ 
coach 
on 
his 
accomplishment.
“It’s 
800 
wins, it will go 
with those other 
basketballs that are back there,” 
Beilein said. “But it was nice to 
have a poster and so many people 
congratulate you.”
Added sophomore forward 
Isaiah Livers: “He tried to 
overlook it and just celebrate our 
opening ‘W,’ but we didn’t let 
him go for that. He was trying 
to talk over us, we were like, 

‘Congrats Coach!’ … But you 
know how Coach (Beilein) is. He 
likes to move forward and just do 
everything in a routine.”
Between those two events, 
Michigan (1-0) did what it was 
expected to do against Norfolk 
State, which went just 14-19 last 
season.
The 
Wolverines 
led 
11-0 
before the Spartans found the 
scoreboard, and just in case there 
was any momentum to be had 
from that, Livers and freshman 
forward Ignas Brazdeikis both 
canned corner 3-pointers to go 
up 15 midway through the half.
The Wolverines took a 27-5 
lead after a Matthews steal and 
layup, but went cold for the rest 
of the first half, as the Spartans 
outscored them, 8-5, over the last 
six and a half minutes.
But despite the inability to buy 
a basket for stretches, Michigan 
was never in any danger, as 
its 
physical 
superiority 
was 
ultimately too much for Norfolk 
State to overcome.
Seven minutes into the second 
half, the Spartans’ C.J. Kelly 
scored to cut their deficit to 18. 
The Wolverines 
promptly went 
on a 15-4 run, 
punctuated 
by 
six points from 
Brazdeikis and 
a 
corner 
trey 
by 
sophomore 
guard 
Eli 
Brooks to cap off 
the run and put 
the game to bed 
with Michigan 
leading, 58-29.
Junior 
center 
Jon 
Teske 
was Michigan’s top performer, 
finishing with 13 points, eight 
rebounds — four of them offensive 
— and four blocks. The Spartans 
don’t have a player within five 
inches of the 7-foot-1 Teske, and 
this disadvantage manifested 
itself down low. Norfolk State 

had no success under the basket 
with Teske patrolling and didn’t 
experience much more away 
from it, shooting just 31 percent 
from the field.
The 
Wolverines, 
however, 
were barely better, hitting just 22 
of their 60 shot attempts, six of 
26 3-pointers and a particularly 
hideous 13-for-29 figure from the 
free-throw line.
“If you look at our numbers in 
practice and everything, just not 
happening,” Beilein said. “We 
got to just continue to work at it, 
you can’t dwell on it too much.”
In the end, though, none 
of it would matter — at least 
on Tuesday night. As soon as 
Saturday, when Michigan will 
take on Holy Cross, that might 
change.
“I’m just proud that we were 
able to gut through,” Beilein said. 
“It was a bit of a mess at times, 
but we just kept gutting through 
and gutting through, and our 
kids will see on the film how 
much better we can be when we 
play a little bit more efficiently.”

Jon Teske shows defensive prowess

Early-season non-conference 
games are often blowouts, and 
often purely due to physical 
ability. That came in the form 
of Jon Teske for the Michigan 
men’s basketball team against 
Norfolk State on Tuesday. 
All night, the Spartans (0-1) 
tried to drive into the paint, and 
all night they were met by Teske, 
who affected shot after shot as 
the Wolverines (1-0) cruised to 
a 63-44 win. Teske, whose eight 
rebounds, four blocks and steal 
buoyed a defensive effort that 
saw Norfolk State score all of 13 
first-half points, has always been 
a defensive force. This looked a 
tad different than what we’ve 
seen from him in the past.
Teske moved his feet. He 
wasn’t just tall — the 7-footer 
whose 
presence 
alone 
does 
something on defense — but agile, 
managing to affect shots, yes, but 
also hold his own on switches. He 
stayed out of foul trouble, using 

verticality in the way Michigan 
coach John Beilein has preached.
“He’s not a shot-blocker, but 
he’s a big dude to score over,” 
Beilein said. “So, if he just goes up 
there, man, that used to be a foul 
when you jumped up like that. 
And now, he’s really starting to 
understand the verticality. And I 
noticed it a couple years ago when 
I was demonstrating something 
with him and he was in front of 
me and I couldn’t see anybody. 
He’s just a big wall for us, and 
he’s using that effectively.”
When Teske got on the floor 
last year, it was often for shorter 
bursts. That was in part because 
of Moritz Wagner, part because 
of Teske getting into foul trouble 
and part because Teske simply 
got tired. 
Wagner is gone, off to the 
NBA. Teske, if Tuesday is any 
indication, is making big steps 
in terms of verticality. And 
when asked, Beilein was quick 
to note that he no longer gets 
tired, instead being able to 
play through media timeouts. 

This bodes well for a Michigan 
defense that ranked third in 
KenPom’s 
adjusted 
efficiency 
last year.
“We like his feet,” Beilein said. 
“He’s very unique for a 7-(foot)-
1 guy who has a size-13 shoe. He 
really can move his feet, so we’re 
not hesitant about switching a 
ball-screen late.”
The junior center is soft-
spoken and quick to credit 
teammates, 
the 
way 
you’re 
supposed to do. When asked 
about his assertiveness, Teske 
said that yes, he feels better in 
that area than last year, then 
added, “Austin (Davis) did that 
as well.”
But having a 7-foot-1 center 
patrolling the paint has its perks, 
especially one whose defensive 
prowess 
goes 
beyond 
being 
7-foot-1. 
“Ah man, it’s gonna change up 
their gameplan,” Isaiah Livers 
said. “They’re not gonna go after 
a 7-footer that can move his feet 
and doesn’t foul. You wouldn’t be 
a smart coach to go at Jon Teske, 
I would say.”
Indeed, the Spartans kept 
going at Teske, and it kept going 
badly. He didn’t try too hard to 
affect shots, instead walling up 
and reaping the rewards. 
The Wolverines saw on film 
that the Spartans would attack 
the paint, but it quickly became 
clear that battle was futile.
“We don’t have a 7-footer, 
so he (was) a big challenge for 
us,” Norfolk State coach Robert 
Johnson said. “So you know, we 
won’t see that much size like that 
down the road especially, even 
on non-conference opponents, 
there’s not a lot of (7-foot-1) guys 
right around that we’re gonna 
play, so it’s okay for that. It was 
good to see so hopefully things 
like that, when we play shorter 
guys we’ll be able to finish.”
On Tuesday, Norfolk State got 
no such reprieve.

ALEC COHEN/Daily
Michigan coach John Beilein earned his 800th career win in his team’s season-opening domination over Norfolk State.

ETHAN SEARS
Daily Sports Writer

JACOB SHAMES
Daily Sports Writer

“I’m just proud 
that we were 
able to gut 
through.”

‘M’ exact revenge for 
first loss to Wisconsin

It felt like one of the key 
moments of the season.
Just over a week after the No. 
14 Michigan volleyball team 
dropped a five-set heartbreaker at 
home to Wisconsin — beginning a 
three-match losing streak — the 
Wolverines came through with 
their biggest win of the season. 
Sunday, Michigan avenged its loss 
to the No. 5 Badgers in Madison, 
defeating them 25-19, 20-25, 
25-22, 25-22.
The Wolverines (19-6 overall, 
8-6 Big Ten) were led once again 
by the duo of senior outside 
hitter Carly Skjodt and freshman 
outside hitter Paige Jones. Skojdt 
had 23 kills on 56 swings resulting 
in 25.5 scoring points, and Jones 
tallied 10 kills on 46 swings for 
10.5 scoring points.
Sophomore 
middle 
blocker 
Dana Rettke paced Wisconsin (16-
6, 9-5) with 17 kills on 35 swings 
for 22.5 scoring points. Redshirt 
junior outside hitter Madison 
Duello added 16 kills on 38 swings 
for 19 scoring points.
Michigan got off to a slow 
start, dropping a first set that 
felt much worse than the score 
of 25-19 indicated. After back-to-
back disappointing performances 
versus No. 3 Minnesota and at 
Indiana, this match seemed all set 
to compound on the Wolverines’ 
recent woes.
But Michigan won the second 
set, making the third feel crucial. 
In a precarious spot down 18-22, 
the 
Wolverines 
once 
again 
mounted a startling comeback 
against the Badgers, ripping off 
seven straight points to take the 
set and momentum, 25-22.
“(Assistant Coach Leisa Rosen) 
made the adjustment, and we 
subbed in (sophomore libero 
Jaqueline) 
DiSanto 
to 
serve, 
which we hadn’t done all match,” 
said Michigan coach Mark Rosen. 
“Next thing you know we had a 
five-point run (out of her). Jaq did 
a great job of putting aggressive 
serves on them, and our defense 

did a great job of stepping up and 
closing that one out.”
In contrast to their fourth-
set comeback to force a decider 
last week in Ann Arbor, the 
Wolverines made sure this one 
match wouldn’t slip away.
The fourth set was competitive 
throughout, with neither side 
leading by more than one point 
for most of the set after the 
Wolverines came back from a 
13-9 deficit to tie the score at 
13. Eventually, Michigan pulled 
ahead to finally finish Wisconsin 
off, 25-22.
Redshirt junior middle blocker 
Cori Crocker made her long-
awaited 
return 
from 
injury, 
providing a spark with four kills 
on seven swings for five scoring 
points. She also aided the defense 
with two blocks and two block 
assists — the second-most on the 
day for the Wolverines in both 
categories.
“We actually used her in the 
opposite position today, because 
we still didn’t feel that she was 
ready to move 100 percent and 
cover the range that she’d have 
to as a middle.” Rosen said. “I 
think with Cori coming back, the 
biggest thing is that it gives us 
some options, to really make some 
adjustments 
(with 
blocking). 
Allowing her to impact the other 
team with her blocking presence 
is huge.
“Hopefully within the next 
week, we’ll have her all back to 
100 percent.”
Michigan looks to continue on 
the winning track with six more 
regular season matches before the 
start of the NCAA Tournament.
“I think when you’re struggling 
a little bit, you haven’t had the 
wins, it’s definitely frustrating,” 
Rosen said. “It was a really much-
needed win today, and with sports 
and athletics, the mood (around 
the team) is constantly changing.
“I’m proud of this team for 
fighting really hard when things 
weren’t going great, and still 
finding a way to fight through that 
and keep their wits in a match like 
this.”

VOLLEYBALL

JAKE KARALEXIS
Daily Sports Writer

Michigan beats PSU in Big Ten Tournament

The Michigan men’s soccer 
team (11-4-2 overall, 4-2-2 Big 
Ten) secured a signature 3-1 
win over Penn State (6-9-2, 
3-3-2) Sunday afternoon in the 
quarterfinals of the Big Ten 
Tournament. The Wolverines 
dealt with several injuries to 
key players, including senior 
center back Daniel Mukuna, 
senior midfielder Ivo Cerda 
and 
sophomore 
forward 
Mohammed 
Zakyi. 
Zakyi 
played through a 
hamstring injury 
while the other 
two didn’t dress.
Early 
on, 
Michigan 
controlled 
the 
game, forcing all 
11 Nittany Lions 
players to defend behind the ball 
in their own half. Sophomore 
forward Umar Farouk Osman 
missed one shot and had another 
go wide before breaking through 
in the 29th minute. A long 
throw-in from the far sideline 
by senior defender Marcello 
Borges dropped to Osman, who 
buried the half-volley into the 
upper right corner.
It was a deserved goal up to 
that point for the Wolverines, 
who 
had 
a 
multitude 
of 
opportunities. Michigan looked 
poised to break the game open 
with a second goal, but junior 
forward Jack Hallahan’s close-
range shot in the 30th minute 
was blocked, followed by Borges 
missing a shot wide in the 38th 
minute.
Penn State capitalized on the 
Wolverines’ poor finishing with 
a goal that was against the run of 
play just two minutes before the 
half. Defender Ryan Gallagher 
headed the ball into the left side 
of the goal off a corner kick by 
midfielder 
Callum 
Pritchatt. 
The corner kick went over the 
attempted punch of sophomore 
goalkeeper Henry Mashburn, 
leaving a wide open net for the 
Nittany Lions to tie up the game.
“Physically, they’re strong, 

they’re 
fit. 
Two, 
they’re 
organized, very well coached,” 
said Michigan coach Chaka 
Daley. “And three, they’re super 
dangerous in every dead ball 
situation. As a result of that it 
makes it a difficult game.”
It was a frustrating end to the 
half for Michigan, who outshot 
Penn State seven to four before 
the break.
“Yeah, I mean, I think we told 
the guys we missed some passes 
we 
could 
have 
connected,” 
Daley said.“We 
missed chances 
we should have 
taken 
— 
you 
know 
what 
I 
mean — a couple 
half-chances 
we could have 
worked 
the 
keeper a little 
bit more.
“And 
we 
mismanaged 
the game. With three minutes to 
go in the half, the ball is down 
there, we just gotta clear our 
lines a little bit and not overplay 
or have us be too overconfident 
in those situations. You try to 
play out or rally and shield it in 
the corner, and unfortunately it 
didn’t go our way, and they took 
full advantage.”
The 
second 
half 
was 

strikingly more physical. Both 
teams had a player who had 
to leave the game due to blood 
being drawn. The physicality 
came to a head with a yellow 
card issued to the Nittany Lions’ 
Pritchatt for a blatant foul in the 
50th minute.
The Wolverines took back 
control of the match, earning 
three corner kicks, one of which 
was converted by Osman for his 
second of the game. The corner 
was taken by Hallahan and 
flicked by senior 
midfielder Robbie 
Mertz to Osman, 
who left no doubt 
by firing another 
half-volley 
into 
the 
upper 
left 
corner.
“We gotta take 
our 
chances. 
That’s 
what 
(Daley) 
told 
us 
because we got a 
lot of chances in the first half,” 
Osman said. “We just couldn’t 
execute, so we needed to focus 
and we did that.”
The first three goals of the 
game all came off dead-ball 
situations.
“I mean, if you look at the 
statistics of soccer just in 
general most goals happen in 
the first ten minutes or last ten 

of halves typically, and a large 
percentage of them come off of 
set pieces or dead ball situations. 
So the statistics are proven,” 
Daley said. “We focus on them 
before every game. We discuss 
them before every game before 
and at half. And so we’re hyper-
focused I guess when it comes to 
those situations and fortunately 
today they went in our favor.”
Michigan 
continued 
its 
command of the game, ending 
with a 12-4 advantage in shots. 
However, 
the 
game was far 
from 
over 
until Hallahan 
settled 
the 
contest with a 
goal in the 81st 
minute. Junior 
forward Lucas 
Rosendall 
passed the ball 
inside the box 
to 
Hallahan, 
who drove the ball into the 
lower left corner. The goal 
gave the Wolverines a lead they 
wouldn’t relinquish.
“It was a very huge win 
for us, because we didn’t beat 
them earlier (this season),” said 
Osman. “And before the game, 
our coaches told us this might be 
our last game, so we made sure 
it wasn’t.”

PRASHANTH PANICKER/Daily
The Michigan soccer team avenged its loss to Penn State earlier in the year to move to the Big Ten semifinals.

AVI RAJENDRA-NICOLUCCI
For the Daily

“Physically, 

they’re strong, 

they’re fit ... very 

well coached.”

“This might be 

our last game, so 

we made sure it 

wasn’t.”

