The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Sports
11— Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Early 3-point shooting crucial in
dominating win over Rutgers
Driving into the lane, senior
forward Naz Hillmon kicked
the ball out to senior guard
Amy Dilk on the baseline.
Catching, ready to shoot, Dilk
fired up a 3-pointer, draining
her first three since returning
from a lower leg injury that she
suffered in the first game of the
season.
In
the
No.
8
Michigan
women’s
basketball
team’s
matchup with Rutgers, sound
3-point
shooting
buried
the
Scarlet
Knights
early,
sustaining a lead the Wolverines
would never relinquish.
The three from Dilk was just
the beginning of a first half
attack from behind the arc. In
the subsequent offensive play,
senior wing Leigha Brown
knocked down a three from
the top of the key. The back-
to-back
3-pointers
capped
off a 12-0 run to end the first
quarter.
Opening the second quarter,
the Wolverines stayed hot from
behind the arc. Junior guard
Maddie Nolan buried a three
from the wing to start the
quarter. Nolan would go on to
finish the game 4-for-4 from
three, ending with 14 points.
“I would take Maddie up
against anyone in the conference
shooting-wise,”
Brown
said.
“I think she’s one of our best
shooters.”
Continuing the hot streak,
senior forward Emily Kiser also
flashed her extended range with
a three from the corner. Brown
knocked down another three late
into the third quarter. In total,
four players contributed from
behind the 3-point line, tying for
the most in a single game so far
this season.
Michigan’s
diverse
3-point
attack throws a wrinkle into
opposing
teams’
defensive
scheme. Keeping extra defenders
out of the paint frees up Hillmon
to work in the post and opens
driving
lanes
for
Wolverine
guards.
“We have a lot of depth in the
guard position,” Brown said.
“And a lot of people that do
different things, whether that’s
shooters coming off the bench,
Amy coming out trying to create
just as good as anyone. Our
ability and the versatility that we
have with that position. … I think
that it’s really important to have
that. A lot of teams don’t really
have six or seven guards deep
that can play so that’s definitely
huge.”
Coming out of the locker
room, the relentless barrage
quieted down in the second half.
Michigan only had one 3-pointer
the rest of the game. Yet there
was no need for more.
As the clock ticked down on
a game Rutgers had no hope of
winning, the Wolverines’ second
quarter storm of raining threes
had already dashed the Scarlet
Knights’ hopes. Michigan ended
the game shooting 60% from
three — and with a season high
nine 3-pointers.
“Maddie Nolan is such an
unbelievable shooter, and she
made some great shots but
Leigha Brown really made them
tonight too,” Michigan coach
Kim Barnes Arico. “And it was
great to see Emily Kiser make
one as well.”
If Michigan can sustain this
level
of
shooting,
alongside
Hillmon and Kiser in the post,
the Wolverines could have a deep
offensive rotation that keeps
opposing teams on their toes.
The combination will be needed
as Michigan still looks ahead
to the remainder of a strong
conference schedule. As the No. 8
team in the country for the first
time ever, the Wolverines have a
new target on their back.
“We’re in a position where
people are coming for us on any
given night,” Barnes Arico said.
“We’re seeing everybody’s best
shot. So we have to bring our best
game and we can’t have lapses.”
ABBIE TELGENHOF
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan defeats Georgia in highest scoring season opener
in program history
With the first routine of
the season, sophomore Reyna
Guggino raced down the vault
runway and soared into her
Yurchenko one and a half. She
landed on the ground as the
crowd, including a full student
section, roared, her feet staying
still to complete a stuck vault.
Guggino’s
vault
scored
a
9.900 and set the tone for the
rest of the gymnastics meet on
Thursday as No. 1 Michigan
(1-0) defeated No. 15 Georgia
(0-1) in its first meet of the 2022
season
197.750-194.500.
The
Wolverines ultimately won the
meet by over 3 points and earned
the highest score in program
history for a season opener.
The meet also marked the
first time fans were allowed to
watch in person in the Crisler
Center since COVID-19 shut
down the 2020 season.
“It
was
amazing
to
have
everyone in here,” senior Natalie
Wojcik
said.
“Everyone
was
super
involved,
cheering
the
whole time and participating in
all our little traditions that we
have throughout. And the student
section was completely filled, so it
was really cool to see their support
and just to be here back with our
families and all of our friends.”
Following
Guggino’s
first
vault, the rest of the vault
rotation also delivered high-
scoring routines, highlighted
by 9.900s from senior Abby
Heiskell
and
junior
Sierra
Brooks. Every gymnast in the
rotation completed a Yurchenko
one and a half, which gave them
an extra boost in their scoring,
since the vault allows for a start
value of 10.0.
“In
order
for
(the
more
difficult vault) to be a benefit, not
only do you have to do them, you
have to do them well,” Michigan
coach Bev Plocki said. “Because
if you do it and you don’t do them
well, it will probably be a bigger
deduction. But if you do them
well… in theory it gives you a
tenth, tenth and a half edge over
someone else.”
As the Wolverines completed
their
vault
rotation,
the
Bulldogs struggled on bars,
giving Michigan a full point lead
moving into the second rotation.
The
Wolverines
continued
their strong performance onto
the bars, led by a 9.950 from
Wojcik and a 9.925 from Brooks.
Meanwhile, Georgia suffered
another rough rotation on the
vault with a fall. Michigan
gained a 98.900-97.525 lead
halfway through the meet.
The Wolverines continued to
increase their lead with a set
of solid routines on the beam.
Wojcik and Heiskell both stuck
their dismounts, earning a 9.950
and a 9.925. When Heiskell
finished her routine, she ran
directly
to
assistant
coach
Maile’ana Kanewa-Hermelyn —
who leads the coaching efforts
for beam — to embrace her. The
event has been a steady force for
the team and was instrumental
in its national championship
title last season.
“Maile has been amazing,”
Plocki said. “Our staff is amazing,
we complement each other so
well. Scott and I both have more
experience, which comes with
age, but she’s been such a great
infusion of young energy and some
new ideas. And she choreographed
all of our floor routines, which I
think are spectacular.”
Michigan’s
floor
routines
did not disappoint in the final
rotation,
where
the
team
clinched the win. Junior Gabby
Wilson closed out the meet with
the highest scoring routine,
earning a 9.950. Sophomore
Naomi Morrison also assisted
on the floor and throughout the
rest of the competition, as she
competed in her first all-around
effort for the Wolverines.
“(Competing
in
the
all-
around) gives me a confidence
boost,” Morrison said. “I just
want to be a steady force for this
team, and I really want to put
up scores for them and help our
team succeed, and hopefully win
a national championship again.”
Michigan’s
performance
secured
the
win
against
Georgia, but also proved why
it is the top ranked team going
into the season. Its score of
197.750 was the highest for
any team in the NCAA this
weekend, as well as the highest-
scoring season opener for the
Wolverines in program history.
SAMI RUUD
Daily Sports Writer
TESS CROWLEY/Daily
The defending National Champions, Michigan, had a strong start to the
2022 season.
JEREMY WEINE/Daily
Michigan’s victory over Rutgers was propelled by its success from
beyond the arc
While
much
of
No.
6
Michigan’s core was away at the
World Junior Championships,
sophomore forward Brendan
Brisson stayed with the team. At
twenty years old, he was too old
to make the cut.
But after scoring two goals
against No. 10 Massachusetts on
Saturday night, he showed his
continued influence on how the
Wolverines perform as a whole.
In Sunday’s final game to
complete a sweep over the
Minutemen,
Brisson
was
electric
from
the
get-go.
Whether it was sticking up
for
sophomore
goaltender
Erik Portillo, rushing back on
defense or firing shots on net,
his presence was immense.
Brisson’s
forecheck
and
backtrack aided his line in
dominating the Massachusetts
defense.
“A lot of our chances in the line
came off turnovers,” sophomore
forward
Matty
Beniers
said.
“Forecheck and getting pucks
back
is
huge
for
our
line.
We’re great with the puck, but
sometimes it’s harder for skilled
guys to get the puck back. We did
that great this weekend.”
In the final minute of the
first period, Brisson picked up
a loose puck deflected off the
Minutemen’s
goaltender
and
buried it for the opening goal.
This wasn’t the only time his
name would be blasted over the
arena speakers; Brisson’s work
continued after the break, sliding
the puck to a wide open Beniers
and giving Michigan a 2-0 lead.
“He’s a sniper and one of the
bigger goal scorers I’ve been
around for 40 years of college
hockey,” Michigan coach Mel
Pearson said. “Anywhere near
him he’s got an idea how to finish.
The puck follows him. The puck
comes to him.”
Brisson’s defensive work also
strengthened the Wolverines as
a whole and gave them the edge.
During a Michigan powerplay, a
Massachusetts skater drove up the
right wing; Brisson blocked his shot
and didn’t let him get near Portillo.
The Wolverines regained possession
and took advantage of their extra
man by tiring out the opposition and
bombarding them with shots.
Brisson was still hungry in
the third, earning four shots.
In the final moments when the
Minutemen
had
scavenged
a
goal, Michigan continued to find
Brisson to design plays. He now
leads the team with 14 goals, three
behind Western Michigan forward
Ethen Frank, the nation’s leader.
His influence was seen in all
aspects of Sunday’s matchup.
When a scuffle starts on the ice,
Brisson is likely to be in the thick
of it. By the end of the second
period, he had spent 4 minutes in
the penalty box. Brisson’s ability
to get in the opponent’s head
and win the psychological game
is an underappreciated skill —
which he displayed on numerous
occasions on the night.
“He’s starting to play with more
pace,” Pearson said. “I didn’t like
his penalties tonight. He’s got to
play with a little more emotional
control. And that’s good because
he’s getting his hands dirty. It’s
just not the goal now.”
Brisson’s days in a Michigan
uniform will likely come to an
end when the season concludes,
but it’s clear his respect and skill
within the group will have a
lasting effect. Opposing teams
tend to have a tough day on the
ice when Brisson is present — and
they can expect it to continue
when they play the Wolverines.
At least until the end of the
season.
JENNA HICKEY/Daily
Brisson powers Michigan in sweep of Massachusetts
NICK MOEN
Daily Sports Writer
Brisson guides Michigan to weekend sweep over Massachusetts
Less than eight
hours
before
tip-off,
it
was
announced
that
the
Michigan
men’s
basketball
team
would
not play No. 10
Michigan
State
on Saturday due
to
COVID-19
concerns
within
the
Wolverines’
program.
After
being
tested
on
Friday, the team fell below
the Big Ten minimum of seven
available scholarship players.
Unsurprisingly, 24 hours
later,
it
was
revealed
that
Michigan
wouldn’t
meet
the
threshold
on
Tuesday and would also
forgo its matchup against
No. 3 Purdue. With each
unscheduled day off the
court,
Michigan
coach
Juwan Howard is losing
his most fleeting resource:
time.
After four unranked non-
conference
losses,
Howard
has repeatedly stated that his
players have what it takes to
turn it around — even when
the number of those players
available
to
compete
has
begun to dwindle.
“It’s so easy to try and point
out like, ‘What’s missing?’ ”
Howard said after Tuesday’s
loss to unranked Rutgers. “
‘No leadership, no shooting,
no defense.’ I have so much
positive — I see so many great
things.”
Now, the potential Howard
sees will have to wait until
at least Jan. 14, when
the
Wolverines
are
scheduled to play Illinois
in Champaign.
But
Howard
is
familiar with COVID-
related
challenges.
Last season, COVID-
19 was always a factor,
whether it was looming
as a constant threat or a
present danger.
Most notably, Howard
and his team weathered a two-
week athletic pause extending
from the end of January to the
middle of February last year.
As
COVID-19
transitioned
from a novelty to a constant
reality, there came to be an
expectation of what a team
would look like after a COVID-
19 pause: off on its shooting,
sloppy in its defense, generally
sluggish from being locked out
of the gym in the middle of the
season.
So, naturally, there were
concerns that the pause would
hamper a season that was off
to a stellar start.
“Well, there were some
turnovers
being
made,”
Howard
told
reporters
after the first practice post-
COVID-19 pause last season.
“Some
excessive
fouling.
Some wobbly legs. All that is
expected when you haven’t
been able to work out, play
basketball, been sitting in your
apartments, studying, having
Zoom calls with professors
and tutors, haven’t been able
to get in the gym. When you
have a layoff like that, you’re
gonna have some rust. Gonna
be winded.”
But the Wolverines didn’t
lose an ounce of momentum.
Michigan shook off the rust
with
a
road
win
against
Wisconsin, a performance that
snowballed into a five-game
win streak. In just his second
season in Ann Arbor, Howard
proved himself not just as a
coach that could shape talent
but one that could withstand
adversity.
Of course, there are very
few resemblances between
this season and last. Last
season, the Wolverines went
into the COVID-19 pause
with a 13-1 record and a No.
4 ranking. After the first
half of this season, Michigan
is solidly unranked with a
firmly mediocre record of
7-6.
Potentially
more
importantly,
last
year’s
pause
was
athletic-
department-wide, a result
of COVID-19 outbreaks in
other programs. While this
year’s break will likely be
shorter, there’s a difference
between getting players back
in shape after they’ve been
sitting in their apartments
versus bringing players back
after
potentially
having
COVID-19.
And, there’s a difference
between facing a pause while
trying to keep a team at the top
of its game and trying to revive
a team that’s limping through
conference play.
The question of how big
that
difference
is
—
and
whether Howard has what it
takes to overcome it — will
have to wait.
LANE
KIZZIAH
Sports Wednesday:
Canceled games put one more hole
in the sinking ship