Big Ten Tournament Blog: U-M vs. Wisconsin
3/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
#9 Seed Michigan vs. #1 Seed Wisconsin
Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal Round
Friday, March 14 Noon EDT
Conseco Fieldhouse Indianapolis, Ind.
Live Audio | Live Stats | Thursday's Blog
Follow the Wolverines' quarterfinal-round Big Ten Tournament contest against Wisconsin with courtside updates from Conseco Fieldhouse starting approximately one hour before game time
2:00---The season is over. Wisconsin wins it, 51-34. It is never easy to lose but when you the season comes to an end, it is even tougher-especially for the seniors. The locker room scenario is not one you'll ever forget. The tears, the disappointments. The highs in sports are high, the lows are low. It is truly a roller coaster ride for these players. Time will remind them how much fun they had playing basketball at U-M. Right now, they will not understand.
1:52---Less than four minutes left. Kelvin Grady passes up an easy lay up, looking to get a three on the kick-out pass. Manny Harris misses the shot. A quick TO after a Wright lay-up for U-M and then the press is applied. Now, the Badgers are going to milk the clock. They miss one shot as the shot clock goes off but get the rebound. Then they milk the clock again, getting a foul and having Joe Krabbenhoft sink two for 14 point lead,Now, the season is winding down. It is going to take a great comeback for Michigan to get the win. But after the TO, a U-M travel gives ball back ti UW for an easy lay up by Michael Flowers. Its over. Beilein puts in Coleman for a last opportunity to play as a senior plus a few others including Alan Block.
1:45--Wright hits a three with 8:16 left, the first FG in almost six minutes, cutting the lead to nine. An offensive rebound after a shot clock buzzer shot takes away U-M momentum again. The TO called and Beilein knows time is running out. He just talks about running the offense and getting the open shot. Unfortunately, the UW guards are leaving the U-M shooters alone when the play goes low. They are staying high, denying the opportunity for an open three. And down low, UW is too strong. Udoh goes to the line after the TO and misses the first of the one and one, UW scores, Wright goes to the line and ditto, he misses the first of the one and one.
1:35---Beilein talked about the three but really said 'Get the open shot.' Wright hit a three with 14 left and that has been the last FG for U-M. The Maize and Blue are starting to take it to the hoop even more, knowing those shots are open. Ron Coleman ketp the ball alive with a great effort but U-M couldn't get a shot off. Gibsongot it back, went insidebut only hit one of two. UW gets to the line and cans two. Not the type of trade one can afford when trailing. And when you are hitting 16 percent from the field in the second half, something is going to have change quick.
1:20---The faces on the U-M bench seem a little down now after Landry put his second dunk through to give UW a 12 point lead. Beilein knows what's going on and called a long time out to help get U-M back up and into the game, He's looking at getting open three point shots, but to do that Michigan has to move the ball inside better before kicking it out. Anthony Wright got the three after the timeout, but U-M needs to keep the Badgers outside on offense. NOTE--The Badgers have yet to have an offenisve rebound, even though they have out rebounded U-M. Currently, Wisconsin has 19 rebounds--all on defense.
1:10---21.4 percent from the field and down by eight. Beilein told the team at halftime, they are playing hard but have to play smart. U-M needs to get off to that quick start and five points at the start did just that. The Maize and Blue are trying to keep the paint clear of Badgers and the UW had to settle for a three-point shot on its first trip but 2:40 into the half Marcus Landry put an exclamation point on the inside game, slamming one through.
12:45During the last TV timeout, Beilein reiterated what he has been saying all along. Run the offense and get the open shots, and defensively keep pressing the Badgers at every opportunity. It looks like Beilein is hoping the Wolverines can keep it close to the half so he can really work on some changes or at least aspects of the game. Even though U-M has been missing three-pointers, Beilein likes the shots and the way they are looking to kick it back outside. Wisconsins Trevon Hughes just hit three free throws, putting Wisconsin up by 12 with 2:30 left. Can U-M cut the lead by the end of the half
12:30--During the TO, Beilein reminded the team about the good news...they are only down by six. He reminded them not to play with desperation but to play with urgency. He reminded his team thatthey needed to play every play like its their last play in college basketball--especially the seniors. Whoa, Ryan is getting Technical Foul. Steve Skiles called it across the floor after some contact and rebound by a small man in the paint--David Merritt. Skiles went right over to Ryan and they went face-to-face. Probably not the PC thing the Big Ten wants to see, but it sure made for some interesting theater. Harris is taking the techical foul shots---he made one of two, cutting the lead tofive.
12:20--- John Beilein told his team to protect the ball and make every possession count. Beilien also moved his chair up next to the scorers table so he did not have to worry about re-twitching the back since the court and the charirs do match up and assistant coach John Mahoney got his regular four pieces of bubble game before the start of the game. Trust me when I say Mahoney gives the gun a work over.
Well, a U-Ms hope for a quick start has evaporated. Four lay ups by Wisconsin has pretty much given U-M an indication of how the Badgers want to play this game. A 30-second timeout by U-M is a must. Now, it has to run its offense. Yikes, a fifth lay-up after a steal, 10-0. Fortunately, Manny Harris responded with a three. During the first long time out, Beilein talked with the players about defending low and the need for back-side help on defense. But U-M also needs to get down in the paint on offense to have any chance of getting open shots anywhere on the court.
After the time-out Michigan is helping out low but Wiscosnin turned around, kicked the ball outside and hit a big three, 13-5.
11:55 a.m.---Just moments before tip off for the second round of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament. More fans are in the Conseco Fieldhouse today than for the first round game, lending for a better atmosphere. The Wolverines found themselves in a big hole at Madison earlier this year against this team and then fought back before Marcus Landry hit a big time three midway in the second half to close the deal for the Badgers. If Michigan is going to win this game, they have to get off to a good start as it did yesterday against Iowa. This might be the best match up for Michigan for its second-day game. The Badgers do not play a pressure defense. This will at least allow Michigan to get into its offensive rotation a little easier than with some other teams. Now what is going to happen inside will be a major question. Deshawn Sims will have to step up his inside play to help Ekpe Udoh.
Todays officials are Ed Hightower, Steve Skiles and Tim Hutchinson. Hightower and Skiles were two of the three officials for yesterdays first round game against Iowa.Dr. Jeff Hausner had some extra work to perform yesterday after the game. Beilein developed some back problems during the game. It seems the six-foot plus Michigan head coach had problems with the court set up. When Beilein sits, the court sits a little higher. When John stood up, he felt a twitch in his back causing some discomfort.
11:30 a.m.---- How can one game make a season Well, from the looks of it, this Michigan team is having fun and tournament action is truly unqiue. Today, Wisconsin brings in one of the toughest defensive teams in the nation but let's not forget, they play offense too. Not the high scoring machine one tends to equal with a great offense, but everyone on this Badger team knows their role. Brent Musburger, today's play-by-play man on ESPN, told me this morning this Wiscosnin team plays the best 'team offense and defense' in the country. He went on to say this team is loaded with athletes that know their roles. This is a compliment to head coach Bo Ryan but it also something U-M fans need to look at when they see how John Beilein is trying to build this Wolverine program. Does one game make a season Maybe. A win here would be a great feather in the cap of the Maize and Blue, especially against a tough Wisconsin team. But a win here would definitely be a great building block when looking at what Beilein is trying to do to build a program.
