Michigan
Colorado State
U-M Finishes Non-Conference Slate with Win over Rams
1/2/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Michigan junior center Josh Asselin (Caro, Mich./Caro HS) paced the Wolverines with a season-high 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting. Freshman guard Jamal Crawford (Renton, Wash./Rainier Beach HS) connected with Asselin several times as Crawford dished out a career-best 10 assists to go along with 14 points.
Michigan (9-2) got on the board first with a dunk from Asselin. Asselin's dunk sparked an early Michigan run and the Wolverines led 14-7 after a Leon Jones (Battle Creek, Mich./Winchendon Prep) triple at the 15:51 mark. Following a timeout, Colorado State (9-4) went on a 11-3 run to take its first lead of the game at 18-17 with 12:15 left in the first half. The Rams pushed their lead to 20-17 before a Brandon Smith (Amarillo, Texas/Palo Duro HS) layup began a 6-0 Michigan run which culminated in a LaVell Blanchard (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) dunk on a feed from fellow freshman Crawford to put Michigan up 23-20.
Michigan continued its run with another three from Jones and eventually pushed its lead to nine at 31-22. After Colorado State cut Michigan's lead to four at 37-33, Asselin converted a conventional three-point play and a layup for the Wolverines. However, Colorado State continued its torrid three-point shooting (9-of-13, .692) to keep it close as the Maize and Blue took a 46-41 lead into intermission. Asselin led the Wolverines at the half with 13 points, while Crawford dished out five assists.
Michigan guard Kevin Gaines (Las Vegas, Nev./Clark HS) opened up the second-half scoring with a triple to give the Wolverines a 49-41 lead. However, Colorado State answered with a 10-2 run to knot the contest at 51. A triple from Gavin Groninger (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield HS) helped Michigan put Michigan back up 56-51, but the Rams came back to cut the deficit to one at 62-61. Gaines answered with five straight points on a triple and a jumper in the lane to give Michigan a six-point lead 67-61.
From there, Jones scored five of Michigan's next nine points on a three-pointer and a pair of free throws as Michigan took its biggest lead of the game, 76-65 with 7:24 left. The Wolverine assault continued after a Blanchard dunk on an assist from Crawford and a Asselin layup gave Michigan an 80-65 lead and forced the Rams to call timeout with 5:07 left. Colorado State made a late mini-run to cut the lead to eight, 85-77, before a Asselin dunk on an assist from Blanchard with 0:16 left put an exclamation point on a Michigan 87-80 victory.
The Wolverines will open Big Ten Conference play on Wednesday (Jan. 5) with an 8 p.m. CST start at Minnesota.
N O T E S
Brandon Smith made his first appearance of the season after recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. Smith has been out for six months. Smith played 19 minutes, scoring six points and grabbing two rebounds.
Jamal Crawford's 10 assists represent the first time a Michigan player has had 10 assists in a game since Travis Conlan had 10 on 1/9/96 vs. Illinois. Crawford also recorded the first double-double of his career with 14 points and 10 assists. Crawford is the first Michigan guard to register a double-double since Louis Bullock had 34 points and 11 rebounds vs. Eastern Michigan (Dec. 9, 1998).
LaVell Blanchard recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Michigan's eight turnovers was a season low, which coupled with 21 assists gives the Wolverines their best assist-to-turnover ratio of the season.
The last time Michigan had five players score in double figures was the season opener vs. Oakland on Nov. 19, 1999.
Guard Aki Palmer set a Colorado State record for three-pointers in a game with nine, which is also a Crisler Arena record. The previous mark was eight, set by Michigan's Garde Thompson vs. Illinois-Chicago on Dec. 6, 1986.
Colorado State set a team record with 17 three-point shots made, which is also a Crisler Arena record. The previous mark was 15 by Michigan vs. Indiana on Feb. 22, 1998.
Palmer's 29 points is a career high. Palmer also set a Colorado State record for three-point field goal percentage with .900 on 9-of-10 shooting from behind the arc.
CSU's Ceedric Goodwyn has scored in double figures in all 13 games this season and in 36 of 42 for his career. John Sivesind made 7-of-11 three-point tries, giving him three or more triples in a game for the seventh time this season.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
