Wolverines get first conference win
Ruth Lincoln
Daily Sports WriterJanuary 4th, 2009
The No. 23 Michigan men’s basketball team demonstrated the type of performance it will take to combat a grueling Big Ten schedule.
An all-around team effort.
Facing an 0-2 Big Ten start at home, the Wolverines (1-1 Big Ten, 11-3 overall) played solid offense and defense to defeat Illinois at home, 74-64, this afternoon.
Six players had nine points or more, and the Wolverines finished with an 18:8 assist to turnover ratio.
Illinois (1-1, 13-2) entered Crisler Arena less than a week removed from its upset over No. 9 Purdue in West Lafayette. Illini coach Bruce Weber told his players if they could pull of two road upsets over two ranked teams they would be “special.”
But Michigan put the brakes on Illinois’ recent hot streak.
The Wolverines played forced the Illini to take difficult shots in the second half and finished with three blocks.
The Illini are known for solid team defense, but Michigan spread them out well enough to get open 3-pointers and lanes to the basket.
Despite 58.6 percent first-half shooting from the field, the Illini held just a one-point advantage heading into the second half.
Junior forward DeShawn Sims took the leadership reins during halftime with a motivating speech, and the Wolverines came out in the second frame with more intensity.
Michigan shot 13-for-24 in the second half and held Illinois to 33.3 percent shooting including 2-for-11 from behind the arc.
Harris, who was held to just 3-of-13 shooting against Wisconsin, played with more composure today. He completed his drives to the basket and battled for tough rebounds and finished with game-high 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.
The Detroit native made a huge steal on an Illinois cross-court pass, and went coast-to-coast to finish with a two-handed slam. His dunk gave the Wolverines a two-point lead.
But that lead-change would be one of many. In probably the closest game the Wolverines have played this season, there were seven ties and nine lead changes.
Novak, starting his second consecutive game, once again, put up the big shots. He knocked down 3-of-4 3-pointers in the first half.
The defense that was practically invisible Wednesday against Wisconsin, forced turnovers and disrupted passing lanes.
Illinois guard Alex Legion drew taunts from the crowd of 12,912 each time he touched the ball. The former Wolverines’ committ finished with 10 points off the bench.
On a second-half Illinois turnover, Legion handed Novak an elbow and a face-full of blood. Novak would return to the bench with just over five minutes left in regulation wearing a new jersey and six stitches above his left eye.
Redshirt junior Zack Gibson played more minutes with Novak in the dressing room. The 6-foot-10 center got himself open and was the role player that Michigan coach John Beilein needed, finishing with 10 points. Gibson took the lead on a 3-pointer with just over seven minutes left in regulation, and the Illini would never regain an advantage.
Michigan and Illinois will play again in 10 days in Champaign. The Wolverines will return to action when they take on Indiana on Jan. 7 in Bloomington.
Notes: Redshirt freshman guard Laval Lucas-Perry got the starting spot today over freshman guard Stu Douglass. Douglass has been a slump recently, and Lucas-Perry finished with 13 points and five assists. …. Senior forward Jevohn Shepherd and redshirt sophomore Anthony Wright did not play. Beilein has said he would like to have an eight-to-nine-man rotation.
Printed from www.michigandaily.com on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:35:42 -0500