Michigan
Michigan State
Wolverines Drop Home Contest to Archrival Spartans
1/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball lost a 91-64 matchup to in-state rival Michigan State on Tuesday (Jan. 30) at Crisler Arena. The Wolverines outscored the fifth-ranked Spartans in the second half (37-35) but shot only 33.9 percent for the game compared to 57.9 percent from the field for Michigan State. LaVell Blanchard (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) had a game-high 27 points and seven rebounds, with Chris Young (Plymouth, Mich./Catholic Central HS) adding 11 points and seven boards.
Michigan State (17-2, 6-2 Big Ten) hit its first five shots to start the game, before Young scored Michigan first bucket off a feed from Avery Queen (Moreno Valley, Calif./Redemption Christian Academy [N.Y.]). Young delivered a facial on U-M's next possession, following his own miss along the baseline for a one-handed reverse jam. Following a timeout, Bernard Robinson Jr. (Washington, D.C./New Hampton Prep [N.H.]) nailed his first triple of the game with the shot clock nearing zero, bringing the Wolverines within four points at 16-12 with 14:19 on the clock.
The Wolverines (9-10, 3-5 Big Ten) remained patient on offense, working the ball around to Queen, who created and converted with the shot clock at one. Young added two free throws to pull U-M within eight (26-18) at the 9:54 mark, but the Spartans went on a 24-0 run over the next seven minutes to assume control of the game. Blanchard halted the steak with a triple from the wing and scored four more points Michigan's next two trips down the court, making the score 52-25 with 2:20 before intermission.
Heading into the locker room, Michigan trailed 56-27. The iron was unkind to the Wolverines as they shot 21.4 percent (6-28) compared to a 66.7 (18-27) percent from the floor for the Spartans. Free throw shooting was not a problem for either team as Michigan State was perfect from the line (15-15), and Michigan only missed one from the charity stripe (13-14).
Robinson Jr. scored on the Wolverines' first possession of the second half on a driving layup down the key. Michigan State took control thereafter, going on a 16-1 run until Robinson Jr. knocked down a long deuce near the top of the key. Robinson Jr. took the offense into his own hands, scoring on his next attempt by taking a hard foul and making a three-point play to bring the score to 74-35 with 12:47 on the clock.
The Wolverines would receive an offensive spark from the post players as they went on a 16-7 run. Josh Moore (Newark, N.J./St. Thomas More Prep [Conn.]) got things started, using spin and power moves to free himself and scoring on back-to-back attempts. Blanchard then responded, scoring inside and at the charity stripe. Queen would add to the run by hitting a triple at the top of the key, with Moore contributing again inside with a three-point play to make the score 83-49 at the 7:07 mark.
As time winded down, Michigan went on a 10-2 run, with Blanchard scoring eight of the points. Josh Asselin (Caro, Mich./Caro HS) got his first bucket of the night off a long pass to finish off the run with the score 87-59 and 1:49 left in regulation. In the final minute of the game, Michigan's reserves, led by Mike Gotfredson (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South HS), Herb Gibson (Taylor, Mich./Truman HS), Rotolu Adebiyi (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) and Jermaine Gonzales (Orchard Lake, Mich./St. Marys HS), entered the contest and finished off the game.
The Wolverines host their second game in a row on Saturday (Feb. 3) against Wisconsin, with tipoff scheduled for 12:17 p.m.
N O T E S
With his 27 points, LaVell Blanchard has now scored 20 or more points in four straight games.
Freshman Jermaine Gonzales made his first appearance for the Maize and Blue since joining the team on Jan. 23.
Michigan's 27-point margin of defeat is the largest the Wolverines have suffered at Crisler Arena.
Michigan State's 18-of-18 performance from the free throw line is the best in Crisler Arena history, joining Michigan's 15-of-15 marks against Northwestern (2/21/87) and Wisconsin (3/8/90) as the only perfect foul-shooting efforts in Crisler.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
