Michigan
2-1
Georgetown
2-0
Freshmen Shine as Michigan Stumbles at No. 5 Hoyas
11/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Despite impressive efforts by freshmen Kelvin Grady(Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids HS) and Manny Harris(Detroit, Mich./Redford HS) in their collegiate road debuts, the University of Michigan men's basketball team took its first loss of the 2007-08 season, dropping a 74-52 decision at No. 5-ranked Georgetown Thursday evening (Nov. 15) in the Verizon Center. Georgetown took control of the game from the opening tip, dominating the Wolverines in the paint defensively and shooting a hot 71 percent from three-point range to carry the lead during the entire contest.
Grady and Harris scored 16 and 13 points, respectively, with a variety of inside moves and outside shots to charge the Wolverines' offense. But Michigan -- under constant pressure from the Georgetown defense -- was held to only 34 attempts from the field.
The Hoyas held Michigan scoreless for the first four minutes of the contest, bursting to a 12-0 lead in the opening half before a nifty post move by sophomore Zack Gibson(Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc HS) and a three-pointer by Harris got the Wolverines on the board and in firing range, 15-5, at 15:59. Georgetown responded with a 21-12 run, which featured deep treys by freshman Anthony Wright(Sterling, Va./Oak Hill Academy) and Grady, but the Hoyas still led, 36-17, at 2:21. Georgetown added six more points and finished the half with stifling defense, limiting U-M to very few good looks at the basket, as the teams went to the locker rooms with the Hoyas holding a 43-17 advantage.
Georgetown shot a blazing 66.7 percent from the field (18-of-27) in the first half, including 7-of-10 from three-point range. Harris and Wright each led U-M with five points at the break, as the Wolverines were a frigid 7-of-15 from the field and 3-of-9 from long range.
In catch-up mode, Michigan tried to pick up the pace of the game to open the second stanza, but seemingly every Wolverine score -- highlighted by a pair of treys and three speedy drives to the basket by Grady -- was answered by the Hoyas, who continued to hit shots from outside to lead 54-30 at 12:51.
Grady was not the only U-M freshman to sparkle, however, as Harris took over in the second half of the stanza, scoring back-to-back layups on strong moves to cut it to 63-38 at 7:54. While the freshman duo continued to impress, Georgetown ran away in the rest of the half, sealing a 74-52 victory.
The Wolverines continue their road swing, traveling to Anchorage, Alaska, for the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout Wednesday through Saturday (Nov. 21-24). Michigan opens play in the event Wednesday (Nov. 21) against Butler at 7:30 p.m. AKST (11:30 p.m. EST). The game will be televised on ESPN2.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
