Games #5, #6
12/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
@
BB&T Classic
Saturday, December 2-Sunday March 3, 2000
MCI Center (18,000), Washington, D.C.
Complete Release in PDF (15 pages, 193 KB)
Michigan at the BB&T Classic
When: Saturday, December 2, 2000
Game One: Michigan vs. No. 13/14 Maryland
Tipoff: 1:00 p.m.
Game Two: No. 19/21 St. John's vs. George Washington
Tipoff: 3:30 p.m.
When: Sunday, December 3, 2000
Consolation Game: Loser Game One vs. Loser Game Two
Tipoff: 3:00 p.m.
Championship Game: Winner Game One vs. Winner Game Two
Tipoff: 5:30 p.m.
Radio Coverage: WJR (760 AM Detroit) will originate the game on the Michigan Basketball Network. Bruce Madej will handle the play-by-play and Dugan Fife will be the color analyst for Wolverines.
Television Coverage: WADL-TV (MediaOne, Channel 23) will broadcast Michigan's game against Maryland Saturday (Dec. 2) at 1 p.m. All other games will not be broadcast locally. The Classic will be broadcast on WDCA-TV in Washington, D.C. Satellite coordinates for the entire Classic will be on Galaxy 11, 14K. On Saturday, Steve Buckhantz will handle the play-by-play and Kevin Grevey will be the color analyst. On Sunday, Joe Beninati will handle the play-by-playand John Feinstein will be the color analyst.
Tickets: Available. Tickets prices for each day's session are $35. A two day package can be purchased for $70. Order by calling PhoneCharge at (202) 432-SEAT or (410) 481-SEAT.
Coaches: Michigan is coached by Brian Ellerbe, who is in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach. He carries a 54-44 record in his four years at Michigan. Maryland is coached by Gary Williams, who is in his 22nd season as a collegiate head coach. He carries 218-130 record in his 12 years with Maryland. St. John's is coached by Mike Jarvis, who is in his 16th season as a collegiate head coach. He carries a 56-17 record in his three years at St. John's. George Washington is coach by Tom Penders, who is in his 30th year as a collegiate head coach. He carries a 39-24 record in his three years at George Washington.
Rankings: Michigan is not ranked. Maryland is ranked 13th by the Associated Press and 14th by the ESPN/USA Today. St. John's is ranked 19th by the Associated Press and 21st by the ESPN/USA Today. George Washington is not ranked.
Websites: For all Michigan information go to: MgoBlue.com. For all Maryland information go to: umterps.fansonly.com. For all St. John's information go to: www.redstormsports.com. For all George Washington information go to: www.gwsports.com. For all BB&T Classic information go to: www.bbandtclassic.com.
The Sixth Annual BB&T Classic
Michigan heads to Washington, D.C., to participate in the sixth annual BB&T Classic, Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 2-3) at the MCI Center. The Wolverines will take on No. 13/14 Maryland in the opener Saturday at 1 p.m. St. John's will face George Washington in game two at 3 p.m. The Classic will conclude Sunday with third-place game at 3 p.m., followed by the championship game at 5:30 p.m. The Classic marks the first in-season tournament in two years. The Wolverines last in-season tournament was the Maui Invitational (Nov. 23-25, 1998)
| Date | Champion | Teams |
| Dec. 1-2, 1995 | UMass | Maryland, George Washington, Florida |
| Dec. 8-9, 1996 | Maryland | George Washington, California, Mississippi State |
| Dec. 7-8, 1997 | George Washington | Maryland, Kansas, Penn |
| Dec. 6-7, 1998 | Maryland | George Washington, DePaul, Stanford |
| Dec. 4-5, 1999 | George Washington | Maryland, Illinois, Seton Hall |
ACC/Big Ten Challenge Comes to Crisler
For the second straight year, the ACC and Big Ten played the nine-game challenge series for the Commissioner's Cup. For the second straight year, the ACC claimed the Cup, winning 5-4, after N.C. State defeated Penn State, 84-76 in the final series match-up to claim the Cup. The ACC won the inaugural Commissioner's Cup, 5-4, after Florida State defeated Northwestern, 60-46 in the series final match-up.
| Date | Challenge Games |
| Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2000 | Wake Forest 71, Michigan 60 |
| | Clemson 57, Northwestern 44 |
| | Duke 78, Illinois 77 |
| | Iowa 85, Georgia Tech 67 |
| Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2000 | Virginia 98, Purdue 79 |
| Michigan State 77, North Carolina 64 | |
| Minnesota 76, Florida State 71 | |
| | Wisconsin 78, Maryland 75 OT |
| | N.C. State 84, Penn State 76 |
Michigan Hits the Road
The Wolverines schedule has always ranked among the top in the country and the next two weeks only adds to that. After facing Wake Forest in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (Nov. 28), the Wolverines hit the road and face two more ACC teams -- Maryland in the opening game of the BB&T Classic (Dec. 2) and then travel to Duke (Dec. 9). In between the Wolverines will either face the Big East's St. John's or the Atlantic 10's George Washington in either the consolation or championship game of the BB&T Classic (Dec. 3).
Young Continues Strong Play
Chris Young has continued with his breakout junior season. He has started and scored in double figures in each of the first four games this season and is averaging 12.8 points and 8.5 rebounds a game. In addition to nearly doubling his career averages, Young is shooting an amazing 75 percent from the field as he is 21-of-28 on the season. He recorded his first career double-double against Western Michigan (Nov. 21) with his 14-point, 13-rebound performance and his second against Wake Forest (Nov. 28) with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Young's 13 boards in both games destroyed his career best of nine recorded at Northwestern (Feb. 26, 2000). In addition to the rebounds, Young set new career bests against Wake Forest in minutes logging 33 against the Demon Deacons.
Asselin Collects Eighth Career Double-Double
Senior Josh Asselin collected his eighth career double-double with his 12 points and 11 rebounds against Wake Forest (Nov. 28) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. His last double-double was against Iowa (Jan. 22, 2000) with 22 points and 11 rebounds. His 11 rebounds also gave him his 10th career game with double-digit rebounds.
| Date | Opponent | Points | Rebs. |
| Jan. 5, 1999 | Indiana | 16 | 10 |
| Jan. 16, 1999 | Ohio State | 22* | 10 |
| Jan. 28, 1999 | Illinois | 12 | 10 |
| Mar. 4, 1999 | vs. Purdue | 19 | 10 |
| Nov. 19, 1999 | Oakland | 10 | 10 |
| Jan. 16, 2000 | Illinois | 13 | 10 |
| Jan. 22, 2000 | at Iowa | 22* | 11 |
| Nov. 28, 2000 | Wake Forest | 12 | 11 |
| * career highs |
Young Adds Second Double-Dip in Four Games
Junior Chris Young collected his second career double-double in four games with his 10 points and a career-high-tying 13 rebounds against Wake Forest (Nov. 28) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Young had his first collegiate double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds in the win against Western Michigan (Nov. 21).
| Date | Opponent | Points | Rebs. |
| Nov. 21, 2000 | Western Michigan | 14 | 13* |
| Nov. 28, 2000 | Wake Forest | 10 | 13* |
| * career highs |
The Block Brothers
Senior Josh Asselin and junior Chris Young have dawned the new name -- the Block Brothers. Asselin has collected five blocks in the last two games and Young has two blocks in the last three consecutive games. For his career, Asselin has 98 swats, which is sixth all-time. Young has 34 career blocks.
Continuing Trends
The Michigan offense has had no trouble putting the ball into the basket as the Wolverines have had at least four players scoring in double figures in each of the first four games. Michigan had four double-digits scores at Oakland (Nov. 17); four against Western Michigan (Nov. 21); six against Wagner (Nov. 25) and four against Wake Forest (Nov. 28) in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Continuing with the Marathon
Senior Josh Asselin has played in 96 consecutive games for the Wolverines and has played in 97 total career games, missing only one game due to illness during his freshman season at Towson (Nov. 24, 1997). Junior's Leon Jones and Chris Young have played in every game in their Michigan careers, a stretch of 64 consecutive games. Now, the Wolverines add sophomore Gavin Groninger to that list, as he has not missed a game in his young career, playing in 33 consecutive.
Carbon Copies
Sophomore LaVell Blanchard and freshman Bernard Robinson Jr. have become a dangerous duo for the Wolverines. Both have almost identical stat lines as they have led the Wolverines all season long. Blanchard leads the team with 18.8 points and 9.0 rebounds, with Robinson Jr. right behind with 16.0 points and 6.0 rebounds a game. Blanchard is shooting 38.6 percent from the field and Robinson Jr. is shooting 38.2 percent. Both are shooting 74 percent on free throws.
Carbon Copies II
The Wolverines' new backcourt, freshmen Avery Queen and Maurice Searight have been gaining experience running the Maize and Blue offense and the continual adjustments have paid dividends for the Wolverines. So far this season the two have been neck-and-neck in each statistical category. Searight and Queen are tied for the team lead with 16 rebounds apiece. Queen has the slight edge in points a game (6.3), rebounds (3.8) and total steals (7). Searight is close behind with 6.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and six total steals this season.
Quietly Producing
Freshman Bernard Robinson Jr. has quietly been producing has he adjusts to the college level. In his first four collegiate games, his stat lines have mirrored each other as he has been doing it all -- both offensively and defensively. He is averaging 16.0 points a game as he has done it from all angles of the court -- from deep, from in the lane, from putbacks to dunks. He is also averaging 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals a game. In addition he is shooting 38.2 percent from the field and 74 percent on free throws.
The Defensive Weapon
Freshman Maurice Searight has proven that his 4.2 speed (40-yard dash) is for real. The Wolverines' defensive "glove" is using his speed and agility to cause havoc and pressure against U-M's opposition guards. He has collected a steal in three of the first four games and trails backcourt mate Avery Queen, who leads the team with seven.
Moore Continues to Shake the Rust
Freshman Josh Moore continues to shake the rust after missing a year of basketball. Against Wagner College (Nov. 25), Moore had another strong night, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds -- both career-highs. He also collected his first collegiate assist and steal and had two blocks in 21 minutes of action. For the season, he is averaging 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds a game.
Blanchard Does it Again
Sophomore LaVell Blanchard recorded his 11th career double-double with 24 points and a career-high-tying 13 rebounds against Wagner College (Nov. 25). He now has collected 13 rebounds four times in his Michigan career, including twice in three games this season (at Oakland, Nov. 17). He leads the team with 18.8 points and 9.0 rebounds a game.
| Date | Opponent | Points | Rebs. |
| Dec. 1, 1999 | vs. Georgia Tech | 18 | 13* |
| Dec. 19, 1999 | at Boston College | 25* | 10 |
| Dec. 23, 1999 | Duquesne | 16 | 10 |
| Jan. 2, 2000 | Colorado State | 11 | 11 |
| Jan. 8, 2000 | at Purdue | 21 | 10 |
| Jan. 25, 2000 | at Indiana | 19 | 13* |
| Feb. 13, 2000 | Indiana | 23 | 12 |
| Feb. 19, 2000 | Penn State | 16 | 11 |
| Mar. 1, 2000 | Iowa | 15 | 11 |
| Nov. 17, 2000 | at Oakland | 19 | 13* |
| Nov. 25, 2000 | Wagner College | 24 | 13* |
| * career highs |
Getting to the Line
The duo of Bernard Robinson Jr. and LaVell Blanchard has made a habit of getting to the free throw line in the first four games of the season. Both are shooting 74 percent from the charity stripe, as Robinson Jr. is 20-of-27 on the year, while Blanchard is 23-of-31. But senior Josh Asselin leads the team with a 78.9 percent mark, as he is 15-of-18 on the young season. As a team the Wolverines are 84-of-120 on the season for a 70.0 percent mark on free throws.
Groninger Raises Bar
Sophomore Gavin Groninger poured in a career-high 20 points coming off the bench against Western Michigan (Nov. 21). He eclipsed the old mark of 19 he had against Purdue (Feb. 24, 2000). The interesting part was that Groninger had those 20 points in just 13 minutes of action against the Broncos. For the season, Groninger is averaging 7.8 points and is 4-of-7 from long range.
Make that Three Straight for the Wolverine Offense
The Wolverines scored 90 or more points in the first three games of the season. The Wolverines hit for 90 points at Oakland (Nov. 17), 92 against Western Michigan (Nov. 21) and 98 against Wagner (Nov. 25). The last time the Wolverines had three straight 90-plus performances was during the 1993-94 season -- in a 102-81 win vs. Auburn (Dec. 28, 1993), a 119-95 loss vs. Arizona (Dec. 30, 1993) and a 111-84 victory vs. Boston University (Jan. 3, 1994). For the season, Michigan is averaging 86.0 points a game, while its opponents are averaging 82.2 points a game.
The Tall and the Short of It
Freshmen Josh Moore and Avery Queen have already made an impact in the Michigan history books. Moore comes to Ann Arbor one of the tallest players in Michigan history. The 7-2 Moore ties Jon Antonides (1981, '83-84) as the tallest player in history. Conversely, Queen comes to Ann Arbor as the shortest player ever. His 5-7 frame beat out 5-8 Dave Hart (1971-72) for the honor.
Wolverines Put up the Numbers against Wagner
Six Wolverines scored in double figures in the Wolverines' 98-83 defeat of Wagner College (Nov. 25). LaVell Blanchard led the way for the Wolverines, collecting his 11th career double-double with a 24 points and a career-high-tying 13 rebounds. Bernard Robinson Jr. followed with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Josh Asselin had 12 points, four rebounds and four blocks; Chris Young had 12 points and five rebounds; b had 10 points, five rebounds and five assists; and Josh Moore had 10 points and nine rebounds. The last time Michigan had six players score in double figures was eight years ago (Jan. 25, 1992) vs. Wisconsin. The last Wolverines to accomplish that feat were Chris Webber (25), Jimmy King (15), Jalen Rose (13), Juwan Howard (12), Michael Talley (12) and Eric Riley (10).
Four More Years
Michigan and Duke, two of college basketball's most prominent programs, have extended their men's intersectional series four more years, through the 2004-05 season. The two universities, which have met during the regular season every year since 1989-90, have agreed to play on December 8, 2001, at Ann Arbor; December 14, 2002, in Durham; December 13, 2003, at Ann Arbor; and December 11, 2004, in Durham. All dates are subject to change. The schools already were scheduled to meet during the 2000-01 season, on December 9, 2000, at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. Michigan and Duke have played each other 12 times since 1989 - including the 1992 NCAA championship game - and have met 21 total times in the series history, with Duke leading 14-7.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
