Wolverines Trounce Eagles for Fourth Consecutive Win

Monday, December 23

Ann Arbor, Mich.

7:05 PM

Michigan

Eastern Michigan

12/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team recorded its fourth straight victory for the first time in two years, defeating Eastern Michigan 85-57 Monday night (Dec. 23) in front of 9,152 fans at Crisler Arena.

Robinson just missed a double-double, posting 16 points and nine rebounds.

Michigan had four different players score in double figures, as senior co-captain LaVell Blanchard (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead U-M. Junior wing Bernard Robinson Jr. (Washington, D.C./New Hampton Prep, N.H.) added 16 points and nine boards, while freshman guard Daniel Horton (Cedar Hill, Texas/Cedar Hill HS) chipped in with 13 points and six assists. Freshman center Chris Hunter (Gary, Ind./West Side HS) had a career-high 12 points for Michigan.

The Wolverines got on the scoreboard first as freshman center Graham Brown (Mio, Mich./Mio-AuSable HS) put back a shot inside to give U-M the early lead. Eastern Michigan responded with five straight points off of a Steve Pettyjohn triple and a Ryan Prillman dunk. The two teams traded baskets in the post on the next several possessions before EMU pulled ahead on a JaQuan Hart three-pointer to take a 14-8 advantage. Blanchard scored his first points of the contest inside to bring Michigan within four points before Pettyjohn and Prillman scored down low again to help EMU move out to a seven-point lead, 18-11.

Robinson's first basket, with 10:26 remaining in the first half, sparked a 14-0 Michigan run that featured eight points from Blanchard. Eagle guard Melvin Hicks connected on a triple to stop the run to pull EMU within four points. Hunter scored on each of Michigan's next three trips down the floor to keep the Wolverines ahead. Horton scored five points in the closing minutes of the half, including a layup as time expired, to give U-M an 11-point advantage (39-28) heading into the locker room.

Leading the way for the Wolverines in the first half was Blanchard, who scored 11 points and collected six boards. Robinson and Hunter added eight points apiece and combined for 12 of Michigan's 25 first-half rebounds. Prillman led Eastern Michigan with 10 points and four rebounds.

Blanchard and Robinson opened the second stanza by combining for 12 points to put Michigan ahead by 20 points with under 10 minutes left to play. During the run, Blanchard took a flip pass from Robinson on a fast break and buried a jumper at the free throw line for his 1,500th and 1,501st career points at Michigan. The Maize and Blue continued to hold Eastern Michigan without a field goal on several possessions as sophomore forward Chuck Bailey (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) recorded five straight points, including his first career three-pointer at U-M, to keep Michigan ahead.

U-M increased its lead to 77-43 after senior guard Gavin Groninger (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield HS) and Horton added two triples apiece on Michigan's next five possessions. Brown and Hunter closed out the scoring in the late minutes of the game with buckets down low to secure the win for the Wolverines.

The Wolverines will next travel to Los Angeles, Calif., to face UCLA on Saturday (Dec. 28) at 11 a.m. PST. The game will be televised by CBS Sports.

Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423