Michigan
Ohio State
Rookie Backcourt Paces U-M to Series Sweep of Buckeyes
2/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team gained its 12th straight home victory at Crisler Arena and improved to 8-3 in Big Ten Conference play with its 70-54 victory over Ohio State this afternoon (Saturday, Feb. 15). The Maize and Blue (15-9 overall) built a 38-24 halftime edge and did not trail in the game after the first minute of play, though Ohio State (12-11, 5-7 Big Ten) drew within one point midway through the first half.
| | Abram scored 10 of U-M's first 12 points, hitting 5-6 from the field with two treys. |
Michigan built a 12-6 lead by the 16:12 mark with the help of 10 early points from Abram. Abram opened up scoring for the Wolverines with a triple and then gave U-M a 7-3 lead with a steal in the backcourt. Then following an OSU triple, Abram hit his second three-pointer of the game to put his team up by six approaching the first media timeout.
During a five-minute Buckeye scoring drought, Horton and Chuck Bailey (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) were able to take advantage of turnovers to extend the Wolverine lead to 16-8. Buckeye senior Sean Connolly converted his second triple at 12:12, however, to help the OSU offense find its rhythm.
Spurred on by the three, OSU went on a 9-2 run to draw within one point following a pair of Brent Darby free throws at 7:37.
Bernard Robinson Jr. (Washington, D.C./New Hampton Prep., N.H.) was whistled for fouls on three straight trips to the defensive side of the court and was forced to sit the half's remaining five minutes. Horton capped off three straight trips to the offensive end, however, with a triple that put Michigan ahead by six points, 25-19, at 4:26.
At 2:41 and 2:04, Horton connected on his fourth and fifth consecutive shots, both for three points, to put Michigan ahead by 10, 33-23. Blanchard continued the Maize and Blue's hot shooting from behind the arc with a triple at 1:23 to extend the run to 11-3 over the previous two minutes. With a pair of free throws and a final rebound, Bailey sent the Wolverines to the locker room with a 38-24 halftime lead.
Despite the absence of Robinson, who picked up his fourth foul in the first minute, the Wolverines continued their run in the second half, as Blanchard hit a pair of three-pointers to put Michigan ahead by 20 points, 48-28, at the 16:59 mark. Abram continued Michigan's aerial assault, responding to an OSU field goal with the Wolverines' ninth triple of the day to maintain a 19-point lead at 14:33.
The Maize and Blue led 57-32 at 11:02, holding the Buckeyes to only eight points in the first nine minutes. Bailey and Graham Brown (Mio, Mich./Mio-AuSable HS) re-entered the game at 12:25 and contributed six points to an 11-0 Wolverine run.
Radinovic scored OSU's first points in nearly five minutes, at 10:15, with a three-point play under the basket. However, Bailey continued his strong play, making one of two free throws following a flagrant foul by Darby to put the score at 60-35.
OSU clawed back with a 14-3 run but still trailed 65-44 after Horton's fourth three-pointer of the game at 5:08. A Darby three followed, but Blanchard's two-points from the line re-established a 20-point U-M advantage with three minutes remaining.
Darby helped OSU make a late run, as Michigan fell silent from the field for just under four minutes, but the Wolverines hit three of four free throws down the stretch to win by a final score of 70-54.
The Wolverines will start a two-game road stretch when they travel to West Lafayette, Ind., next Wednesday (Feb. 19) to take on Purdue. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Mackey Arena.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
