The message is clear: If you want to start for Tommy Amaker you must give the effort he expects in practice and in the game.

Finishing time, on the other hand, still appears to be rooted in talent.

Last year, LaVell Blanchard, Bernard Robinson and Avery Queen finished 1-2-3 in minutes played for Michigan. But Saturday, they all opened the game in warm-up jerseys.

This is nothing new for Amaker, as he has chosen to start all three of those players together just five times this season.

But this was just the fourth time in his career that Blanchard, a preseason All-Big Ten selection, has come off the bench.

Amaker has typically shied away from explaining the specifics of why he starts the players that he does. But in Blanchard"s case, he was quick to provide clarity.

"We didn"t start Blanchard because I wasn"t pleased with his effort defensively in our last game (against Illinois on Thursday night)," Amaker said.

Whatever the reason for Blanchard"s benching, the Wolverines" top scorer has been tremendous as a reserve, averaging 19 points and shooting better than 65 percent from the field in his last two bench games.

"He brings tremendous energy when he comes in off the bench," said senior captain Chris Young of Blanchard. "He"s been sitting there for a couple minutes, he"s got that emotion built up, and it just explodes on the court."

For most of the game, Amaker had been using a rapid-fire substitution pattern to get as many players involved as possible. This was the second game of four in a seven-day stretch for the Wolverines.

But with the game on the line, he left his super bench players Robinson, Queen and Blanchard on the court for the final 6:28.

With starters Herb Gibson (0 points), Mike Gotfredson (0 points) and Chuck Bailey (2 points) riding the pine, Michigan"s more athletic players made the plays to win the game.

Blanchard was especially key in the Wolverines" 15-5 run at the end of the game. Over the last four minutes, he grabbed four rebounds and scored eight points, including four consecutive free throws in the final minute.

The diminutive Queen (listed at 5-foot-7) picked up three of his season-best six rebounds in critical moments late in the game. He also picked off his fourth pass (a career high) and went coast to coast to give his team a four-point lead with 3:33 to play.

But perhaps the most important play came on an unselfish pass from Robinson to Blanchard, which gave the Wolverines a six-point lead with 1:30 left.

"I just thought Robinson"s pass was such a critical and trusting play for our team," Amaker said. "We didn"t force a shot. Robinson may have had one, but he found LaVell for a better one. I love that basketball play. And since it went in, I love it even more."