The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Sports
Friday, January 11, 2019 — 7A

An outdoor mirage
T

he win at Notre Dame was 
supposed to be a turning 
point.
Senior defenseman and captain 
Joseph Cecconi said as much after 
the Michigan hockey team beat 
the Fighting Irish, 4-2, at Notre 
Dame Stadium 
on Saturday.
“We all 
know that 
it’s time to 
turn this ship 
around, and 
all it takes is 
one win,” Cec-
coni said. “It’s 
three points 
for us, and 
we’re going to play Tuesday and 
just going to continue (to) go on. It 
doesn’t matter if it’s a league game 
or not, and we’re just excited that 
we got the win and it’s going to 
turn us around a bit.”
But when Merrimack — ranked 
52nd of 60 teams in the Pairwise 
before Tuesday’s game against 
the Wolverines — came to Ann 
Arbor, Michigan found itself fail-
ing to build on the momentum 
from Saturday’s win.
To put it simply, the Wolverines 
fell on their faces in the 4-2 loss.
The Warriors average just 1.81 
goals per game. Michigan gave 
up more than double that, includ-
ing two in a span of less than five 
minutes.
In many ways, the perfor-
mance mirrored the Wolverines’ 
season-opening loss to Vermont. 
Both losses were riddled with 
defensive lapses and an overall 
lack of respect for the opponent. 
But in that game against the 
Catamounts, Michigan had the 
excuse of being a young team still 
trying to come together and find 
chemistry.
“I thought we weren’t ready 
to play tonight,” said Michigan 
coach Mel Pearson after falling 
to Vermont. “We weren’t really 
ready to play. We came in today 
with the mindset that it was going 
to be easy.”
But nothing has been easy for 
the Wolverines thus far.

Michigan skidded through the 
first half of the season. The Wol-
verines won a weekend series only 
once in the first half, when they 
swept St. Lawrence — which has a 
3-14-1 on the season and rank 59th 
in Pairwise — in late October. 
Michigan has also tied six times 
in the first 19 games.
All of that was supposed to 
change with the win over the 
Fighting Irish — a victory over 
one of the nation’s top teams on 
the road. The win snapped a nine-
game winless streak that dated to 
mid-November — and the Wol-
verines won without sophomore 
forward Josh Norris and sopho-
more defenseman Quinn Hughes, 
arguably their two best players.
The cards seemed to be set for 
Michigan to get back on track and 
make a run through the second 
half of the season, just as it did last 
year, when the Wolverines swept 
No. 9 Minnesota in the second 
weekend of the second half and 
ended up in the Frozen Four.
And then Merrimack hap-
pened.
“Not prepared to play, and 
that’s up to each player to be ready 
to play,” Pearson said after the 
loss. “We were worried as coach-
es, you go from playing Notre 

Dame and you got Ohio State on 
the back end and you got this mid-
week game.
“Couple comments from our 
team, ‘We didn’t take them seri-
ous’ or whatever. I don’t know 
how you can, because we’re not 
that good. We have to take every 
team serious to have a chance to 
win.”
Michigan didn’t take the War-
riors seriously, and now its chance 
to build on the momentum of the 
win at Notre Dame is gone.
Once again, just like in the 
Vermont game, the Wolverines 
weren’t ready and ended up los-
ing to an opponent they should’ve 
handily beaten.
There are no more excuses.
Michigan has had 21 games and 
over three months to get ready to 
play. Now, with the second half of 
the Big Ten season looming, the 
Wolverines are running out of 
time to figure things out.
This weekend, Michigan will 
visit No. 4 Ohio State, which leads 
the Big Ten with 20 points and a 
5-2-3 conference record. The Wol-
verines sit third with 15 points, 
and a sweep of the Buckeyes could 
put them in first place.
But that’s a tall order for a team 
that just lost to bottom-dwelling 

Merrimack and fell to Ohio State 
all five times the two programs 
met last season.
“They had our number last 
year,” said junior forward Jake 
Slaker Tuesday after the loss. 
“We played them five times and 
they beat us five times. We’re not 
happy with that, and we know 
how — they have a strong team.
“We’re going to go in there and 
we got to throw the whole kitchen 
sink at them. We got to really go 
at them and try to grab as many 
points as we can, because the Big 
Ten’s tight right now and these 
are huge games for us.”
Slaker is right. This weekend is 
a huge series for Michigan.
There isn’t any more time for 
talk of turning points or spring-
boards or any other cliché about 
how a struggling team can save a 
season.
It’s time for the Wolverines to 
turn talk into action.
If they don’t, the win over 
Notre Dame will become simply 
one good win in a lost season.

Johnson can be reached 
at bajohn@umich.edu or on 
Twitter @BaileyAJohnson_

At midpoint, Michigan 
remains up and down

The ball danced around the 
rim for a few moments before 
falling out of the cylinder and 
landing harmlessly on the floor 
as the final buzzer sounded. 
The game had been decided by 
only one point. This was the 
scenario that played out for the 
Michigan women’s basketball 
team in each of its last two 
games, against Purdue and 
Northwestern, respectively. 
The Wolverines (11-5 overall, 
2-2 Big Ten), though, were on 
different ends of the spectrum 
in each of those games. Against 
the 
Boilermakers, 
Michigan 
watched as its final shot failed to 
fall while, against the Wildcats, 
the Wolverines watched with 
the same helpless feeling as, 
this time, their opponent’s shot 
rolled out of the rim. 
Despite 
being 
picked 
to 
finish third in the Big Ten 
in 
the 
coaches’ 
preseason 
vote, Michigan now sits in a 
three-team tie for sixth place 
through the first four games of 
conference play. One reason for 
its current record is because of 
trends like this one: One day 
the ball rolls the way of the 
Wolverines while the next day 
it goes the opposite direction. 
With two conference home 
wins and a pair of losses 
at 
Purdue 
and 
Nebraska, 
Michigan’s play in the Big Ten 
has so far been a microcosm for 
their season performance as a 
whole. 
There have been flashes of 
brilliance, like its thrashing 
of 
Missouri 
and 
No. 
18 
Minnesota, 
and 
moments 
of disappointment, like the 
Wolverines’ back-to-back losses 
against No. 8 NC State and 
No. 15 Marquette as well as 
that heartbreaking loss to the 
Boilermakers last Saturday.
Yet, one thing that Michigan 

has consistently done well is 
defend its home court. The 
Wolverines are 7-0 at home this 
season compared to just 4-5 
when they are away from the 
Crisler Center.
“We 
really 
challenged 
ourselves 
in 
the 
offseason 
against 
some 
great 
competition,” said Michigan 
coach Kim Barnes Arico. “We 
went on the road and we’ve been 
on the road, we’ve had a lot more 
road games than home contests, 
in preparation for the long haul; 
in preparation for the Big Ten 
Tournament; in preparation for 
the NCAA Tournament. 
“What we have found is that 
taking those bumps and losing 
those games (is) tough, but 
now we came out with a couple 
of really good wins. So those 
games have prepared us and are 
(continuing to) prepare us.” 
Of the Wolverines’ 14 games 
remaining, half are on the road 
while the other half will take 
place in Ann Arbor. 
If 
its 
current 
trajectory 
continues 
— 
winning 
its 
remaining home games and 
losing 
its 
remaining 
road 
games 
—Michigan 
will 
finish 18-12. That will almost 
certainly not be enough come 
NCAA 
Tournament 
time, 
barring a Big Ten Tournament 
championship.
Midway through the season, 
Barnes Arico has taken away 
the positives from her squad’s 
road performances thus far 
and is hopeful they can turn it 
around.
“I think the way our league 
has gone so far has kind of 
showed us that, ‘Hey, we can 
have a night where we’re not 
happy with the outcome, but 
we can’t put everything on the 
outcome of the game,’ ” Barnes 
Arico said. “If we are continuing 
to improve, then we are going to 
be a great program down the 
stretch.” 

Five keys to the Wolverines upsetting ninth-ranked Terrapins on the road

Last season, the Michigan 
women’s basketball team all but 
saved its season with a 71-65 
win over then-No. 13 Maryland, 
which went a long way in 
ensuring the Wolverines a berth 
in the NCAA Tournament.
Though it is just over halfway 
through 
the 
season, 
the 
importance of Michigan (11-5 
overall, 2-2 Big Ten) visiting 
College Park to take on the 
9th-ranked Terrapins (14-1, 3-1) 
cannot be overstated. Just like 
last year, a positive result for 
the Wolverines could push them 
over the line come the end of 
the season. A loss, on the other 
hand, could cripple their already 
tenuous position on the NCAA 
Tournament bubble.
Michigan 
enters 
the 
contest off the back of a hard-
fought overtime win against 
Northwestern, while Maryland 
will also be riding high following 
an 
18-point 
demolition 
of 
Nebraska.
The Daily breaks down the 
keys to Saturday’s Big Ten clash.
Michigan’s struggles away 
from home
It is safe to say that Crisler 
Center 
has 
been 
friendly 
to Michigan. All five of the 
Wolverines’ losses this season 
have been away from home and 
they have averaged just over 
61 points and 17.4 turnovers in 
these road losses. 
In 
contrast, 
Michigan 
is 
averaging 
81 
points 
per 
game and 15.05 
turnovers at home. 
The 
Wolverines 
notched a home 
upset over No. 12 
Minnesota, 
but 
have 
struggled 
to 
defeat 
even 
mediocre 
teams 
away 
from 
Crisler.
In addition, with freshmen 
Amy Dilk and Naz Hillmon 
in the rotation, and only a 
few 
upperclassmen 
playing 
significant minutes, Michigan 
has 
lacked 
the 
experience 

needed to beat ranked teams on 
their turf.
“I think our message has been 
‘Continue to improve, continue to 
improve,’ ” said Michigan coach 
Kim Barnes Arico. “We’re trying 
not to look at the outcomes but 
to look at the process. Hopefully, 
our improvement in practice will 
result in victories. But it’s more 
of a focus on improvement than 
just results.”
Still, results matter and a win 
against the Terrapins would be 
the Wolverines’ best result to 
this point of the season.
Controlling the boards
The 
rebounding 
battle 
will also be a major factor in 
Saturday’s outcome.
“Maryland does a tremendous 
job 
of 
rebounding 
the 
basketball,” Barnes Arico said. 
“We have to make sure we block 
and hold them to one shot.”
Rebounding 
has 
been 
a 
strength 
for 
both 
squads 
throughout the first half of 
the 
season. 
Both 
Michigan 
and Maryland are in the top-
10 nationally in total team 
rebounds 
and 
rebounding 
margin — though the Terrapins 
have a slight advantage in both 
categories.
Maryland’s only loss this 
season came at home to Rutgers. 
It is no coincidence that game 
is one of only two in which the 
Terrapins were outrebounded, 
giving up a season-high 19 
offensive rebounds to the Scarlet 
Knights.
“They 
are 
big, long and 
athletic,” 
Barnes 
Arico 
said. 
“They 
really 
have 
a 
motor 
to 
the 
basketball, 
so we have to 
make 
contact 
with them. It’s 
going to be key 
for us to make sure they don’t 
have multiple chances.”
Kaila Charles
There are only three Big Ten 
players on the midseason John 
R. Wooden Award watch list: 
Minnesota guard Kenisha Bell, 
Iowa forward Megan Gustafson 

and Maryland’s do-it-all guard 
Kaila Charles.
At 6-foot-1, Charles possesses 
unique 
size 
for 
the 
guard 
position. 
“She is an incredible player,” 
Barnes Arico said. “She’s really 
a tough matchup for anyone. She 
can go off the bounce, she can 
elevate over you, can go left or 
right, pull-up in 
front of you. She 
is really just an 
incredible scorer. 
We’re just going 
to have to keep 
the 
basketball 
out of her hands.”
Even 
though 
Charles’s 
offensive 
production 
has 
fallen off slightly 
from last season — when she 
was an All-Big Ten First team 
selection — she still leads the 
Terrapins in scoring and has lit 
up the scoresheet on multiple 
occasions already this season, 
reaching double figures in all but 
one game this season.

It’s no small task, but if the 
Wolverines are able to limit 
Charles’ offensive opportunities, 
they will have a chance to pull 
off the upset.
The point guard matchup
It has been an inconsistent 
season for Dilk. The heralded 
recruit has undoubtedly shown 
signs of brilliance in her short 
time 
at 
the 
helm 
of 
the 
Wolverines’ 
offense. And yet, 
as 
with 
most 
young 
players, 
there have been 
growing pains.
In 
recent 
games, 
her 
confidence 
and 
decision making 
have 
been 
on 
the rise. She had solid offensive 
outputs against both Minnesota 
and Purdue, scoring 14 and 16 
points, respectively, with just 
three combined turnovers.
Though the offensive burden 
does not fall squarely on Dilk’s 
shoulders, there appears a clear 

improvement 
in 
Michigan’s 
offense when she looks to score.
“Her ability to score the 
basketball really gives us a 
different 
dimension,” 
Barnes 
Arico said. “It helps to not pack 
the paint against (senior center) 
Hallie (Thome) and Naz inside. 
So she has the green light on 
offense and is getting more and 
more comfortable. She has done 
really well for us recently.”
Dilk’s counterpart on the 
Maryland sideline is freshman 
Taylor Mikesell. Mikesell is 
the Terrapins’ second-leading 
scorer behind Charles, averaging 
14.8 points per game. Dilk’s best 
offensive asset is her three-point 
shot — hitting a 42.3 percent rate 
beyond the arc.
Dilk will be tasked with 
guarding Mikesell. Job number 
one 
will 
be 
minimizing 
Mikesell’s opportunities from 
deep, an area where Dilk is quite 
capable. Her size and athleticism 
were one of the reasons she was 
a five-star recruit out of high 
school. In order to win the 
matchup against Mikesell, and 

put Michigan in a position to 
leave College Park with a win, 
Dilk will have to play smart 
and 
aggressive 
on 
offense 
and be mindful of Mikesell’s 
movements when the Terrapins 
are in possession.
Last word
The odds don’t favor Michigan 
in this matchup — especially 
against Maryland in its home 
arena. Charles and Mikesell 
are potent offensively, but the 
Terrapins run deeper than that 
duo. With that said, there have 
been a number of surprising 
results in the Big Ten so far 
this season, and the Wolverines 
have already pulled an upset of 
their own against the Golden 
Gophers. Despite its youth and 
struggles on the road, a Michigan 
victory against Maryland would 
not necessarily be the most 
surprising. 
Controlling 
the 
boards, containing Kaila Charles 
as much as possible and winning 
the point guard matchup will 
be pivotal if the Wolverines 
hope to beat the Terrapins in 
consecutive seasons.

BAILEY
JOHNSON

BENNETT BRAMSON
Daily Sports Writer

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

ALEXIS RANKIN/Daily
Junior forward Jake Slaker said that Michigan will have to throw the kitchen sink at Ohio State this weekend.

CONNOR BRENNAN
Daily Sports Writer

ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily
Freshman guard Amy Dilk will match up against Maryland’s Taylor Mikesell, who averages 14.8 points per game, when Michigan goes to College Park on Saturday.

“It’s more of 
a focus on 
improvement 
than ... results.”

“It helps not to 
pack the paint 
against Hallie 
and Naz inside.”