U-M Finds Shooting Touch in Exhibition Win Over Nike

Friday, November 15

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:00 PM

Michigan

Nike Elite (ex)

11/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team used some sharp shooting to knock off Team Nike Elite 81-77 on Friday (Nov. 15) in its final exhibition contest of the year. U-M shot 50 percent from the field and received strong contributions from senior LaVell Blanchard (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) and junior Bernard Robinson Jr. (Washington, D.C./New Hampton Prep, N.H.). Blanchard finished the night with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Robinson Jr. had 23 points and seven rebounds.

Blanchard

Wolverine freshman Daniel Horton (Cedar Hill, Texas/Cedar Hill HS) and Lester Abram (Pontiac, Mich./Northern HS) also played large roles in the U-M victory. Horton had his first double-figure scoring game as a Wolverine, scoring 11 points, and led the team with six assists. Abram scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half and finished the game with four rebounds and three assists.

The Wolverines jumped out to an early 15-5 lead after taking advantage of some early transition opportunities and finding their shooting touch from behind the arc. During that opening stretch, U-M tallied two dunks and knocked down three triples while holding the Nike Elite offense at bay with an aggressive zone defense. Blanchard and Robinson sparked the run by both netting five quick points.

Nike Elite kept chipping away at the U-M lead throughout the half and used some hot three-point shooting (41.7 percent) of their own to climb back into the game. Nike pulled within two points of the Wolverines with a minute to go, but Chris Hunter (Gary, Ind./West Side HS) hit a fadeaway jumper as the first-half buzzer sounded to make the score 37-32.

Defensive intensity was a huge key to the Wolverines' first-half success as they forced Nike Elite into taking some very tough shots, which led to U-M holding a 19-12 advantage on the boards. Those rebounds helped ignite the Wolverines' fast-break offense as they found Blanchard streaking downcourt for numerous easy baskets.

Leading the charge for the Wolverines in the first half was Blanchard, who scorched the nets for 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and he pulled down seven rebounds. Horton also had a solid half as he bucketed four points and dished out four assists.

Nike Elite came out of halftime firing, going on an early 6-0 run to take a one-point advantage after only two minutes of play in the second half. That run was stopped by a Blanchard turnaround from the left block, but Nike Elite continued its impressive outside shooting and tied the game at 48. The Wolverines broke that tie when Robinson Jr. found Blanchard for an alley-oop dunk with 12:49 left in the contest.

After Nike Elite went up 57-53, U-M picked up the defensive pressure by going to a trapping full-court press, which led to an 8-0 run for the Wolverines. Abram scored five of those eight points, including a key three-point play the old-fashioned way to give U-M a one-point lead, 61-60.

The Wolverines would never look back as they held on to the lead for the remainder of the game thanks in large to many key offensive scoring possessions and some clutch free throw shooting by Robinson to seal the win. Robinson had the hot hand in the second half, scoring 18 points, while Abram chipped in 13.

The Maize and Blue will open the regular season in the University of the Virgin Islands Paradise Jam against St. Boneventure on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 8:30 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (7:30 p.m. EST).

Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423