Michigan
2-2
Butler
4-0
Michigan Cannot Overcome Butler's Three-Point Barrage
11/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Boxscore | Notes & Quotes
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team suffered its second straight loss with a 79-65 setback today (Wednesday, Nov. 21) at the hands of Butler (No. 22 AP, No. 23 ESPN/USA Today) in the opening game of the Great Alaska Shootout at Sullivan Arena. The senior-laden Bulldogs used their experience and deadly long-range shooting to set a tournament record with 17 three-point field goals, as they were a force from the outside.
The Maize and Blue was led by senior Ron Coleman (Romulus, Mich./Romulus HS), who finished with 12 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes of action. Sophomore DeShawn Sims (Detroit, Mich./Pershing HS) had a team-best 14 points, with three rebounds in 24 minutes, while freshman Manny Harris (Detroit, Mich./Redford HS) made it four straight games in double figures with 12 points against the Bulldogs. He added five assists and two steals in 28 minutes of action.
In the opening half, the Wolverines and Bulldogs exchanged buckets throughout the first four minutes as the more-experienced Butler squad held an early 10-8 edge. Known for their three-point shooting, the Bulldogs went on an 18-3 run over the next eight minutes as they built a 17-point lead with four treys, including three from senior guard Peter Campbell. After a U-M timeout, the Wolverine defense picked up the pace and the Wolverines' own three-point shooting picked up as they cut into the lead. With three triples from Coleman and another by senior/junior C.J. Lee (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland HS), U-M reduced the lead to seven with less than three minutes to go. Back-to-back triples from Butler's A.J. Graves continued the Bulldogs' long-range assault, but the Wolverines battled with free throws and heady play to end the first half down just eight points, 40-32.
An energized Wolverine squad came out storming in the second half as they went toe to toe with Butler. Sims opened a U-M run with a triple to start the half, and Harris had four straight free throws to pull the Wolverines within one, 40-39, just a minute into the half. But the Bulldogs responded as they hit free throws of their own to push the lead back to eight. A pair of buckets from Coleman and another from sophomore Ekpe Udoh (Edmond, Okla./Santa Fe HS) cut the lead to just one possession, 51-48, with 14 minutes remaining. It was at that point that the Bulldogs turned up the heat from long range, draining their next seven attempts as they pushed their lead to 22 over the next seven minutes.
A determined Wolverine group did not give up for the remainder of the game as they did their best to control the Bulldogs down the stretch. Solid defense and productive offense helped U-M cut into the lead down the stretch, but it was not enough as Butler closed with the 14-point win, 79-65.
The Wolverines will now play Eastern Washington, a 69-52 first-round loser to Virginia Tech, Friday (Nov. 23) at noon AKST (4 p.m. EST) in the consolation semifinal round of the Great Alaska Shootout. There will be no television broadcast of the game.
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
