tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86763018691236825422024-03-17T02:52:29.804-04:00WCBN Sports: Maize & BlogTHE OFFICIAL WORDS OF THE OFFICIAL STUDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANAndrew Seidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08398849460946480994noreply@blogger.comBlogger736125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-55108883748387709182014-03-15T18:56:00.000-04:002014-03-15T18:56:07.974-04:00Live Hockey<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a> To the final game of the regular season from Yost. Michigan takes on #1 Minnesota at 7:05. Mike Lewandowski and Zach Bayer on the call.Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-37929336933547291742014-03-14T18:22:00.000-04:002014-03-14T18:22:11.798-04:00LIVE HOCKEY<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a> to Michigan Hockey as they take on the #1 Overall Minnesota Golden Gophers. Puck drop at 6:30. Mike Lewandowski, Eli Sherman, and Zach Bayer on the call.Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-64138931326513995382014-02-28T18:03:00.000-05:002014-02-28T18:03:22.974-05:00LIVE HOCKEYLISTEN LIVE as your Michigan Wolverines take on the hated Ohio State Buckeyes. Mike Lewandowski and Andy Goddeeris on the call. Puck drop is at 6:30.Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-3689953452319583472014-02-21T17:59:00.000-05:002014-02-21T17:59:22.414-05:00Live Hockey<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a> To Michigan Hockey as your wolverines take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in Big Ten play. Mike Lewanowski an Zach Bayer on the call. Puck drop is at 6:30.Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-81437433810072340432014-02-01T18:00:00.000-05:002014-02-01T18:00:16.092-05:00Live Hockey<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan">LISTEN LIVE</a> as Michigan tries to sweep the series against Wisconsin. Mike Lewandowski and Leo Blavin on the call. Puck drop is at 6:30.Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-35244927986914251112014-01-31T18:24:00.003-05:002014-01-31T18:24:48.413-05:00<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE </a>To Michigan as they take on Wisconsin from Yost. Mike Lewandowski and Andy Goddeeris on the call. Puck drop at 6:30.Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-11437263439332187512013-12-27T18:05:00.000-05:002013-12-27T18:06:30.933-05:00Live Hockey<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a> to Great Lakes Invitational action as your #3 University of Michigan Wolverines take on the Western Michigan Broncos. Mike Lewandowski and Andy Goddeeris on the call. Delay in the other semi final has caused puck drop to change, follow us on twitter @wcbnsports to stay up to date.Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-66782694529762153772013-12-11T18:13:00.000-05:002013-12-11T18:13:51.678-05:00LIVE HOCKEY<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a> to Michigan hockey as they take on the Ferris State Bulldogs at Yost Ice Arena. Mike Lewandowski and Andy Godeeris on the call. Puck drop is at 7:05Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-77068738470604122552013-11-29T18:02:00.000-05:002013-11-29T18:02:01.484-05:00LIVE HOCKEY<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a> to your University of Michigan Wolverines take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Mike Lewandowski, Leo Blavin, Eli Sherman, and Andrew Hausman on the call.Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-38876598648643455792013-11-18T11:17:00.001-05:002013-11-18T11:17:07.990-05:00Winning UglyBy Leo Blavin<br />
<br />
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Michigan won’t win pretty. Time and
time again, the Wolverines find ways to both win and lose ugly. On Saturday in
Evanston, the Wolverines won and it was ugly. Michigan, behind their first
positive rushing performance in three weeks, defeated the Northwestern Wildcats
27-19 in triple overtime. The Wolverines struggled to establish success in the
red zone in regulation, however in overtime Michigan appeared to be a different
offensive team. The Wolverines scored two touchdowns in extra time and
following a failed fourth down by Northwestern it was over. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
play of the game came in special teams as Michigan scrambled to get their field
goal team out as time expired in the 4<sup>th</sup> quarter. Holder Drew Dileo
slid into his holder position as kicker Brendan Gibbons rushed into place to
kick a 44-yard field as regulation expired. Michigan made plays when it
counted, as two, 4<sup>th</sup> down conversions set up the game tying field
goal.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Quarterback
Devin Gardner played his best game since Indiana, however it was Michigan’s
running game that stood out. Behind freshmen Derrick Green and De’Veon Smith,
the Wolverines rushed for 137 yards on 45 attempts. It was a welcomed sight for
Michigan fans, which had yearned for more carries from the highly touted Green.
As for the passing attack, Gardner finished 24 of 43 for 226 yards and 1
touchdown. More importantly Gardner didn’t throw an interception for the second
straight game. </div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
the end, a sloppy game resulting in a win is the best this team could have
hoped for following two consecutive ugly losses. Moving forward the Wolverines
will travel to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes before returning home to take
on archrival Ohio State to close out the regular season. For Northwestern, the
season can’t end soon enough as the Wildcats, who were ranked as high as 16<sup>th</sup>
this season, have lost 6 straight and are on the verge of missing a bowl game
for the first time since 2007. As Northwestern continues to find ways to lose,
it was Michigan that found a way to end their losing skid and get back on
track. They’ll take it, no matter how ugly it was.</div>
Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-62547167525041775362013-11-12T18:49:00.001-05:002013-11-12T18:49:54.921-05:00MICHIGAN BASKETBALL LIVE<a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE </a>to Mike Lewandowski, Zach Shaw, and Morris Fabbri as they bring you Michigan Basketball against South Carolina State. Tip off at 7:00 PMMike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-19898141488575213482013-11-01T18:26:00.001-04:002013-11-01T18:26:32.315-04:00MICHIGAN HOCKEY LIVETune in at 7:35 to hear Mike Lewandowski and Andy Goddeeris broadcast #4 Michigan vs Michigan Tech. <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a>Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-49685671170214692012013-10-26T17:49:00.003-04:002013-10-26T17:49:35.124-04:00MICHIGAN HOCKEY LIVETune in at 7:00 PM to hear Mike Lewandowski call your #4 University of Michigan Wolverine hockey team in action against #18 University of Massachusetts-Lowel. <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a>Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-36756751094880522252013-10-25T18:08:00.001-04:002013-10-25T18:08:08.761-04:00MICHIGAN HOCKEY LIVETune in to hear Mike Lewandowski and Ryan Kasoff call Michigan hockey vs Boston University from Yost Ice Arena at 7:05 PM. <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a>Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-57255910137967562642013-04-06T15:08:00.000-04:002013-04-06T21:09:39.509-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCA575Nog8GkulI4jYo3b0K-nk7waRcg96eYw9G5HeWg9nHcXj67TIgNIy2vQh-By5CfVtL8hf7uePZ1r_KxzOp95Ds23SIOPOuGxZT2qHftNN_oikEAPJT7fKMq8e6QJBzmEGr97wvf4F/s1600/Michigan+Basketball+Elite+8+national+anthem.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCA575Nog8GkulI4jYo3b0K-nk7waRcg96eYw9G5HeWg9nHcXj67TIgNIy2vQh-By5CfVtL8hf7uePZ1r_KxzOp95Ds23SIOPOuGxZT2qHftNN_oikEAPJT7fKMq8e6QJBzmEGr97wvf4F/s320/Michigan+Basketball+Elite+8+national+anthem.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Making their first Final Four appearance since 1993, Michigan meets fourth seeded Syracuse, one of two Big East teams remaining in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.<br />
<br />
Fresh off yesterday's reception of the 2013 John R. Wooden and Oscar Robinson National Player of the year awards, Trey Burke figures to be the X-factor for the Wolverines. Though Burke's points are down during the NCAA Tournament from his regular season totals, the sophomore's game changing heroics saved Michigan's season against Kansas. Burke is one of the few players in the NCAA with the capability to take over games, and has done so on several occasions throughout the season.<br />
<br />
Michigan head coach John Beilein and Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim are no strangers to one another. During nine years coaching at division II LeMoyne college, Beilein would often listen to Syracuse games on the radio, and occasionally see Boeheim in the stands. As a coach at West Virginia, Beilein compiled a 0-8 record against Boeheim, and is looking for his first win ever against the Hall-of-Fame head coach.<br />
<br />
<strong>Matchup to watch: Michigan offense vs. Syracuse defense</strong><br />
<br />
Out of the four remaining teams, The Wolverines have arguably the deepest and most complete rotation. Guards Trey Burke (15.5 ppg, 7.8 apg) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (13.5 ppg, 3 apg) offer the complete package of shooting, driving, and dishing, while Mitch McGary (17.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg), and Glenn Robinson III (13.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg) have dominated on the boards. Nik Stauskas (12.3 ppg) is the NCAA Tournament's most accurate three point shooter, and went 6-6 from behind the arc in Michigan's 79-59 Elite 8 win over Florida.<br />
<br />
Syracuse has thrived defensively in their four Tournament victories, thanks to a stingy 2-3 zone defense focused on attacking opposing offenses. The Orange are surrendering a mere 45.8 points per game, and held Montana (34), Marquette (39), and Indiana (50) to their lowest point totals of the season. Syracuse's opponents have shot 28.9% from the floor and 15.4% from three-point range.<br />
<br />
"It's incredible," acknowledged Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. "I would have never thought those numbers would be possible."<br />
<br />
<strong>When Michigan is on defense...</strong><br />
<br />
The Wolverines have had mixed results. Michigan is surrendering 63.3 points per game in the NCAA Tournament, and opponents are shooting 45% from the field. Thanks to the most athletic roster he's ever coached, John Beilein hasn't needed the 1-3-1 zone in this year's tournament, and Michigan's pressure man-to-man scheme has limited opponents to 25% shooting behind the arc.<br />
<br />
The size of Syracuse's forwards may present a problem for the Wolverines. Standing at 6-8, 210 pounds each are junior C.J. Fair (14.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg), senior James Southerland (13.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg), and freshman Jerami Grant (4 ppg, 2.8 rpg). Fair and Southerland each shoot over 40% from three point range.<br />
<br />
"We feel like it creates matchup problems for opposing defenses," said Fair of the forwards' ability to shoot the three.<br />
<br />
The meeting is the first between the Michigan and Syracuse since November 26, 2010, in which the Orange defeated the Wolverines 53-50. A total of 17 of the 30 roster players from that game will also be on Saturday's rosters.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943351295337344537noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-87262178165008661632013-03-24T13:50:00.001-04:002013-03-24T13:50:28.391-04:00CCHA Championship <a href="http://ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a> to Mike Lewandowski, Kevin Carpenter, and Andy Goddeeris call the final CCHA Championship game between Michigan and Notre DameMike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-45835135728820936632013-03-06T23:28:00.000-05:002013-03-07T14:28:57.687-05:00Wolverines Escape a Double Digit Deficit at Purdue, Aim for Big Ten Title<br />
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Quick Recap: </b>The Wolverines, who led by 12 points early, had to overcome a 12-point deficit of their own last night to defeat the Purdue Boilermakers and keep their Big Ten title hopes alive. Tyrone Johnson scored 32 points for Purdue, who fell to the 7-10 in the Big Ten. Michigan, at 12-5, moved to within one game of the Hoosiers for first place in the Big Ten.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Burke to the Rescue Again: </b>After submitting one of his worst 20-minute stretches of play throughout the entire season in the first half, Trey Burke scored 22 points in the 2<sup style="line-height: 0.786em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">nd</sup> half and propelled Michigan to victory in a tough road environment. Burke was the offensive catalyst for the Wolverines in their 21-8 run during a 7-minute stretch in the second half in which Michigan retook the lead at 61-60 with 4:16 to play. Burke was money from the free throw line down the stretch, going 7-8 in the last minute of the game to ice away the victory. His performance only strengthened an already compelling Big Ten and National player of the year resume.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Mental Lapses on Defense Continue:</b> Ten minutes into the first half, the Wolverines, leading 21-9, looked like they were going to cruise to a blowout victory, while Purdue looked erratic on offense. Suddenly, Michigan seemed to relax their focus on defense, a constant theme on the road as of late, and Purdue responded with 4 three-pointers and a 34-30 lead to close the half. Michigan lost their toughness near the basket, got lazy closing out on jump shooters and struggled to secure defensive rebounds. Even though Michigan eventually made up for it on the offensive end, their weak defensive trends continued into the second half and will continue to plague the Wolverines and limit their ceiling in March if they do not get tougher and more committed to their defensive game-plan.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Stauskas Back Strong:</b> Nik Stauskas showed no ill effects of the elbow he took to the face against Michigan State that sidelined him for most of the game on Sunday. He came out aggressive on offense, notching 17 points, including two 2 three-pointers, along with 8 trips to the free throw, 7 of which he converted. His confidence is essential to opening up Michigan’s offense and will be pivotal for the Wolverines to make a deep run in March.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.984375px; margin-bottom: 1.571em; padding: 0px;">
<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Big Picture: </b>Despite the erratic rollercoaster of a game, it was nice to see Michigan hold their composure facing adversity on the road. This would have been a crushing and mentally debilitating defeat at this point in the season. The Wolverines played with a little extra chip on their shoulder, looking like a team in desperate search for a championship. They have the opportunity to go out there and seal one on their home court on Sunday against Indiana. There’s really not much more that any Michigan fan could ask for.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943351295337344537noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-25845092885276892932013-03-03T00:14:00.000-05:002013-03-07T00:15:09.787-05:00Trey Burke steals his way to victory over Spartans<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quick Recap: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Michigan survived a wacky end to their contest against
Michigan State, defeating the Spartans 58-57. The victory vaults Michigan into
a 4-way tie for 2<sup>nd</sup> place in the Big Ten at 11-5 with Wisconsin,
Michigan State and Ohio State. This means that Indiana has clinched at least a
share of the Big Ten title. For the Wolverines though, this victory was a huge
mental boost to a team that struggled against elite Big Ten competition in the
past month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Big Time Players Make Big Time
Plays: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Michigan’s only points in the last
2:53 of the game came courtesy of their leader, Trey Burke. With Michigan State
in the midst of a 7-0 run to tie the game at 56, Keith Appling brought the ball
up the court with 32 seconds left and Michigan State looking to holding for the
final shot. As Appling gazed to the bench to attempt to call a timeout, Trey
Burke smartly went for a steal, got it, and streaked uncontested up the court
to the Michigan basket for a flush. Later, on the game’s final possession, Trey
Burke picked off Gary Harris’s attempted pass to Appling with under 2 seconds
remaining to play, allowing Michigan to escape with the victory. Burke finished
with another player-of-the-year resume building afternoon, posting 21 points, 8
assists, 5 steals, and 4 rebounds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Two Bigs on the Court? </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Throughout the season, coach Beilein has received some
criticism for under-utilizing Michigan’s post players. With 3 legitimate
post-men in Jordan Morgan, Mitch McGary and Jon Horford, Beilein rarely showed
any lineups featuring two of them on the court at the same time. However, this
afternoon, against a Spartan team that historically uses two post-oriented
players on the court 100% of the time, Beilein finally decided to match them.
This lineup decision may have been coming with or without the matchup against
the Spartans, as Michigan’s defense, particularly their rebounding, has
struggled of late. This alignment was used for close to 65% of the game, and it
worked perfectly, as Jordan Morgan matched up well at the power-forward
position guarding the lengthy Adrian Payne, who was a matchup nightmare for
Glenn Robinson III.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Caris Pushing for a Starting Spot:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Nik Stauskas suffered an elbow to the face, right above his
left eye, early in the game and did not return. Therefore, Caris Levert spent
much of the game at shooting guard, making up for Staukas’s lost offense with
brilliant man-to-man defense. He may find himself starting soon if Michigan
continues to emphasize defense moving forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Big Picture:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Michigan badly needed this victory to re-legitimize
themselves as national title contenders. Furthermore, we saw a Michigan team
that looked like they were playing with an extra edge that will be necessary to
advance far in March. The Wolverines showed that correcting their defensive
woes are a top priority and that their mental toughness can no longer be
questioned. The Spartans threw every punch at Michigan and they responded,
defending their home court in an almost personal way. The Wolverines put to bed
any questions of whether they can compete on an elite level and they turned a
corner as a team, right as the calendar flipped to March. Next matchup is
Wednesday at Purdue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943351295337344537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-85951642996373372912013-02-27T23:24:00.000-05:002013-03-07T00:12:18.845-05:00Wolverines stunned by Penn State as title chances slip away<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quick Recap: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Wolverines suffered an inexplicable mental collapse in
State College, falling 84-78 to Penn State, previously 0-14 in Big Ten play.
Michigan led by 66-51 with over 10 minutes to play, but did not convert a field
goal in the last 6 minutes and 37 seconds of the game. With the loss, Michigan
has fallen out of contention for the Big Ten title, now trailing Indiana by two
full games with three to play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Defense…Disappeared: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Penn State scored 48 points in the 2<sup>nd</sup> half of
tonight’s game. There is not much that can be said to justify that sort
offensive output from the worst team in the Big Ten. This erased much of the
progress on defense that was made in the previous matchup against Illinois. The
presence of Jordan Morgan back in the starting lineup did not have much of an
impact on Michigan’s ability to rebound the basketball or defend the
pick-and-roll, as Penn State carved up the Wolverine defense, just like many
other teams have in the past seven games.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Moving Forward? </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This game only illuminated many of the flaws in the
Wolverines that seemed to reveal themselves throughout the tough February
schedule. Most observers tended to pass off those flaws due to Michigan’s youth
and the level of competition Michigan faced going up against the likes of Wisconsin,
Michigan State, Ohio State and Indiana all in a two-week stretch. However
tonight, it was clear that those flaws still exist. Michigan’s defense is below
average. Their crunch time offense is very one-dimensional. The Wolverines
rarely open basketball games with energy and urgency. And John Beilein can’t
seem to find an on court combination of players that balance good offense and
good defense equally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Big Picture: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Michigan can easily erase this mentally debilitating loss by
beating Sparty on Sunday. For now though, Michigan has probably slid out of
contention for a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament and will now need to fight just
to get a first round bye in the Big Ten Tournament. There are still many
opportunities for the Wolverines to correct their flaws and end the season on a
high note. But they will have to do it against superior competition and can
ill-afford any more mental lapses like tonight. We will find out a lot about
the character of the players on this team and their coach on Sunday against Michigan
State.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943351295337344537noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-47164942498698384642013-02-24T23:09:00.000-05:002013-03-07T00:12:39.069-05:00Wolverines use energized defense to outlast Illini<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quick Recap: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Michigan Wolverines played their most complete
basketball game in what seemed like quite a long time, topping the Fighting
Illini by a score of 71-58. Michigan kept pace in a crowding race for second
place in the Big Ten, improving to 23-4 on the season and 10-4 in conference
play. The Wolverines turned a 31-28 halftime deficit into a blowout in the
second half, putting up 43 points while looking like the Wolverines that rose
to #1 in the country earlier this season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally….Some Defense:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> After a lackadaisical defensive performance allowing 71
points to Penn State, following a rough stretch of 4 games where Michigan’s
defense was, well, not very good, John Beilein finally found a combination that
worked for him on that end of the floor. After starting center Mitch McGary
picked up his 3<sup>rd</sup> foul early in the 2<sup>nd</sup> half, Beilein
went back to the veteran Jordan Morgan and Michigan went on a 12-3 run and
never looked back. Caris LeVert played the majority of the final 10 minutes of
the game in place of Nik Stauskas, whose poor defensive performances of the
past month have made him somewhat of a liability when his shots aren’t falling.
Sporting the lineup of Burke, LeVert, Hardaway, Robinson and Morgan, the
Wolverines put on an absolute clinic on defense, holding Illinois to 18 points
over the first 17 minutes of the 2<sup>nd</sup> half. Illinois’s 3 starting
guards combined for 10 turnovers and Michigan held the hot shooting Illini to
32% from 3-point territory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Glenn Robinson III is Back:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Sure, a modest 10-point and 3 rebound performance is not
anything to get overly exited about. But Glenn Robinson appeared as if his
energy level has heightened back to the point where it was earlier in the
season when his athleticism was such a crucial part of Michigan’s success. Robinson
was on the receiving end of 2 dunks, one on a nifty pass from Jordan Morgan,
and he took his jump shots with a confidence that was unseen in the past month
against the Big Ten’s best. This performance, along with last week’s dunk-fest
against Penn State, will hopefully restore Robinson’s confidence back to the
point where he’ll be able to make an impact on a bigger stage against better
competition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Trey Burke’s Stats Continue to
Impress: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Trey Burke, amid all of Michigan’s
recent struggles, is quietly amassing performance after performance of
unparalleled efficiency. Burke scored 26 points on 8-11 shooting, including
8-10 from the free throw line, to go along with 8 assists and only 1 turnover.
This followed a 29-point performance on 16 shots against Penn State. The more
Trey Burke impresses, the more Michigan fans realize that they might not see
another player like him come along in the next 20 years. I’m not sure if he’ll
win national player of the year, but if he continues to operate at this high level
of play, he might singlehandedly lead Michigan deep in March and potentially
April.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Big Picture: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This was a game Michigan absolutely could not afford to lose
if they wanted to keep their slim Big Ten title hopes alive. Michigan’s home
winning streak is up to 15 and they remain the only in the Big Ten without a
loss at home. Positive momentum heading into matchups against Michigan State
and Indiana will be crucial. Next matchup is Wednesday at Penn State.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943351295337344537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-35016444101942398952013-02-01T18:23:00.000-05:002013-02-01T18:23:03.652-05:00<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/university-of-michigan-athletics">LISTEN LIVE</a> </span>To Mike Lewandowski and Kevin Carpenter call the Michigan Michigan State hockey game live from Yost at 6:35Mike Lewandowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18385521931343881260noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-45504142924827865422013-01-13T23:47:00.000-05:002013-03-07T00:13:19.621-05:00Michigan’s undefeated season ends in heartbreaker in Columbus<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quick Recap: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Wolverines lost a heartbreaker in Columbus in a game
featuring many ups and downs from both teams. The 56-53 defeat at the hands of
the Buckeyes is Michigan’s first loss of the season. This loss strikes
especially hard at the hearts of the Michigan fans with the #1 ranking in the
country in sight, as #1 Duke was taken down in Raleigh by NC State yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A Game of Runs: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This game was truly a game of mega-runs, as Ohio State
jumped out to a 29-8 lead in the first 14 minutes. Michigan methodically clawed
their way back engineering a 38-17 run to tie the game at 46 with 5:58 left in
the game. Ohio State outworked the Wolverines over the final stretch, as
Michigan only managed two field goals, settling for 8 three-pointers, only one
of which was converted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What Went Wrong</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: The execution to begin the game was horrific. Michigan,
averaging just over 9 turnovers per game, committed 8 in the first 10 minutes.
Trey Burke struggled early on defense against Aaron Craft. He also struggled
moving the ball and running the offense for much of the game, as he appeared to
be forcing his own offense a little too hard against a top-tier perimeter defender
in Craft. Nik Stauskas was an absolute no-show in his first true road test,
scoring zero points on 0-3 shooting. Tim Hardaway also struggled on both ends
of the court, shooting 5-15 for 12 points.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What We Learned</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Spike Albrecht was the key player that stopped the Ohio
State run to start the game. His 7 points mid-way through the first half were
key in switching momentum. His defense on Aaron Craft halted OSU’s easy-flowing
offense that catalyzed the early run. In addition Mitch McGary is becoming the
superior option at center compared to Jordan Morgan. It’s been obvious
throughout the year that McGary is a better defender. However, his presence on
offense in the pick-and-roll is having more of a positive impact because
McGary’s ability to finish at the rim has improved as he’s become more
comfortable with the offense. Finally, Michigan played its best 25-minute
stretch of defense of the year, holding Ohio State to 27 minutes in that
stretch, allowing for the comeback.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Big Picture</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: On the whole, Michigan probably outplayed Ohio State for
most of the game. To come back from a 21-point road deficit against a top-15
team nationally takes resiliency, mental toughness, a steady coach, and
high-quality execution under pressure in difficult conditions. Michigan displayed
all of these in coming back from that deficit, even while shooting under 40%
overall. While the execution down the stretch of this winnable game was poor,
Michigan lost this game in the first 10 minutes, not the last 10. This was the
first true tough road test the Wolverines faced and Michigan was simply not
ready for it. I would expect a better effort out of the gate at The Barn on
Thursday. This was definitely a tough one to swallow for Michigan fans. But
before the fan base panics, road losses are going to be common in the Big Ten
this year, and at 16-1, Michigan is sitting very pretty and their ceiling is
still sky-high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943351295337344537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-65162658322694177102013-01-09T23:33:00.000-05:002013-03-07T00:13:38.804-05:00Wolverines push past Nebraska, remain undefeated for showdown in Columbus<br />
<b>Quick Recap</b>: On a night when Michigan did not play its best
basketball, the Wolverines put forth a gritty performance to outmuscle the
Nebraska Cornhuskers 62-47. Neither team shot over 40% from the field, but the
size, length, physicality, and toughness of the Wolverines allowed them to
outwork their opponent as Michigan attempted 19 more free throws than the
Cornhuskers. Michigan is now 3-0 in the Big Ten and 16-0 overall, matching the
best start in school history, set in the 1985-1986 season.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<o:p></o:p><b>Player of the Game</b>: Tim Hardaway Jr. put the team on his back on both
ends of the floor tonight, scoring 15 points while adding 11 rebounds. He also
spent most of the game guarding Nebraska’s best player, Dylan Talley, holding
him to 4 of 12 shooting good for only 12 points. Hardaway showed the progress
he’s made from last year, as most of his shot attempts were taken on drives to
the basket as opposed to jump shots.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Game Changing Moment</b>: With Michigan leading 45-39 with just under 8
minutes left in the game, Glenn Robinson III came up with two thunderous dumps
on consecutive possessions. The first dunk occurred on an uncontested breakaway
following a steal. On the following possession, Robinson was untouched in his
put-back dunk off of a Caris LeVert missed 3-pointer. These dunks effectively
ended the game, as the crowd erupted and Michigan carried that energy to the
finish line.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Negatives</b>: There was a lot of ugly in this game. Michigan shot 17-26
from the free throw line. Trey Burke was not as effective moving the ball and
controlling the offense in his usual manner, as he was held to only 3 assists.
Jordan Morgan had zero points and took only 1 shot. Michigan’s 38.9% shooting
against a lower-tier Big Ten team is a concern, especially since they have lead
the country in offensive efficiency thus far this year.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Big Picture</b>: Despite that, this was one of Michigan’s best defensive
performances of the year, as Nebraska shot only 34% from the field. The offense
also remained turnover free, committing only 4 turnovers. It was encouraging to
see the Wolverines grind out a win on a night when they did not play their best
basketball. They will need a better effort on Sunday in Columbus. Beat Ohio.<o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943351295337344537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-31979501501267868252013-01-06T23:50:00.000-05:002013-03-07T00:13:48.090-05:00Wolverines Improve to 2-0 in Big Ten Play Behind Another Explosive Offensive Performance<br />
<b>Quick Recap</b>: The Wolverines withstood a competitive Hawkeye team
early, behind a dominant second half performance and another shooting
masterpiece. With the score tied 29-29 with just over three minutes to play in
the 1<sup>st</sup> half, the Wolverines engineered a 17-6 run to close the half
and ultimately pulled away in the 2<sup>nd</sup> second half, cruising to a
95-67 victory over Iowa (11-4, 0-2) and improving to 15-0 on the season.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Game Changing Moment: </b>The engineer of the 17-6 run to close the first
half was Mitch McGary, particularly on the defensive end. With Michigan leading
31-29, McGary emphatically rejected an Aaron White shot attempt in the post,
leading to a Trey Burke layup. McGary added a dunk and 2 rebounds in that
stretch, one of which led to a fast-break layup by Glenn Robinson III right as
the 1<sup>st</sup> half buzzer sounded.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Freshman Sensations</b>: Four of Michigan’s fabulous freshman put up big
numbers today. Glenn Robinson III registered a double-double, with 20 points
and 10 rebounds. Nik Stauskas had 13 points and three point shot looked sharp
again, shooting 3 of 6 from behind the arc. Caris LeVert added 9 points off the
bench. However, the most impressive performance this afternoon came from Mitch
McGary. He contributed 5 points, including a smooth fourteen-foot jumper, 11
rebounds, and 2 blocks, with many other shots altered. The future is indeed
very bright in Ann Arbor.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Best Point Guard in the Country?</b>: The orchestrator behind Michigan’s
58.1% shooting seemed to fly under the radar today. However, Trey Burke
consistently put his freshman teammates in wonderful positions to the score the
basketball, as Burke notched 12 assists to go along with 19 points. It is
really nice to see Burke operate with a myriad of offensive weapons. His talent
has been on display night in and night out, and he is becoming the consensus
top point guard in the country as performances like these continue.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Developing Before Our Eyes</b>: The criticism of Tim Hardaway Jr. in his
first two seasons at Michigan has revolved around the tendency for his numbers
to dip once Big Ten play starts. It appears this trend might disappear this
year. Today, Hardaway scored 19 points in addition to 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
He has been more aggressive with the basketball these past two games compared
to earlier this season, but his decision-making with the basketball was better
than ever today, as he only committed 1 turnover.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Big Picture</b>: Michigan is now 2-0 in conference play. They must
continue to hold serve at home. The next matchup is Wednesday against Nebraska
at Crisler Center. The Wolverines need to take care business.<o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09943351295337344537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8676301869123682542.post-28867925013376745732013-01-03T22:45:00.000-05:002013-03-06T23:50:01.931-05:00Michigan rolls past Northwestern in conference opener<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Quick Recap</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: The Wolverines opened conference play with a 94-66 rout of
the Northwestern Wildcats in Evanston. Michigan controlled the game from start
to finish, jumping out to a 20-4 lead early and coasting to their 14<sup>th</sup>
straight win to begin the season. Northwestern could not sustain any momentum
without Drew Crawford and Reggie Hearn, their top two scorers, falling to 9-5
on the season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Player of the Game</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Trey Burke once again led the Wolverines with 23 points,
along with 5 assists. He was the catalyst on Michigan’s 20-4 run to open up the
game, shooting 5 of 6 for 13 points during that stretch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">X-Factor</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Tim Hardaway Jr. showed no ill effects after sitting out
the previous game with an ankle injury. Hardaway scored 21 points on 8 shots
including 4 of 5 from beyond the three-point arc. His aggressiveness in
transition and quick and confident trigger on his three-point attempts proved
that his injury would not be of any concern moving forward, a major relief for
many Michigan fans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Positives</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Jordan Morgan looked great finishing in the post in his
workmanlike 12-point, 13-rebound performance. His finesse moves appeared sharp
and his ball awareness was better than usual. In addition, he did not fumble
the ball down low as much as he has in the past, something that will need to
continue against tougher big men in the Big Ten. Glenn Robinson III also looked
very poised and aggressive at the same time, finishing high in transition on a
couple of alley-oops, while continuing his spectacular work off the ball and on
defense. He finished with 10 points on 4 of 4 shooting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Negatives</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Nik Stauskas’s shot looked a little flat today, as he only
shot 2 of 7 from deep. Despite his lackluster shooting, Stauskas still figured
out a way to grind out 10 points on an off night. Expect him to shake this
performance off and come back strong on Sunday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Big Picture</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Road wins are hard to come by in the Big Ten. Credit Coach
Beilein with having his boys focused and ready to play against an inferior
opponent. This was the 1<sup>st</sup> of a critical 3-game stretch of winnable
Big Ten games that Michigan must sweep if they wish to contend for the title.
The next matchup is Sunday against a pesky Iowa squad who came very close to
upsetting Indiana in their conference opener. <b> </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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