Northwestern blows out Michigan basketball team, 67-52, with a 3-point shooting barrage
Northwestern's Drew Crawford tries to poke ball out of the hand of Michigan's DeShawn Sims on Tuesday. Crawford finished with a game-high 17 points. Sims was held to four points. (Photo: Associated Press)
By the end of the game Tuesday, the Wildcats made 10 3-pointers in a 67-52 romp over the Michigan basketball team. It left the third-year Michigan coach wondering where, exactly, he could find some of what Northwestern coach Bill Carmody has.
“We would die right now for someone to shoot 38 percent from three,” Beilein said. “They have four guys doing it.”
Meanwhile, none of Michigan’s main rotation players shot well against Northwestern.
Northwestern's John Shuma goes in for a shot against Michigan's Laval Lucas-Perry (31) and Zack Novak. (Photo: Associated Press)
As Michigan flailed, Northwestern (15-7, 4-6) essentially did exactly what Beilein would love to see his teams do. They swung the ball with efficiency. They found - and made - open 3-pointers.
And they cut to the basket using the back door.
Northwestern junior guard Michael Thompson faked a cut toward the lane, pulled back and then went back door on his Michigan defender. His teammate, sophomore John Shurna, stood by the 3-point line and found his Northwestern teammate for an easy layup in the second half to give the Wildcats a 43-35 lead.
It was prototypical Northwestern basketball - and the type of offense John Beilein is known for.
In the middle of the slicing and dicing, the Wolverines’ at-large hopes for the NCAA tournament were cut to pieces.
“It was a weird matchup,” Michigan senior forward DeShawn Sims said. “And Northwestern is a good team, one of the most disciplined and hard-to-guard teams in the country.”
Especially for Sims. Michigan’s best player this season was held to single-digit points - four - matching the season low he had against Boston College on Dec. 2. It is the first time in Big Ten play he’s been held under 10 points.
Northwestern routinely collapsed on the 6-foot-8 Sims, making it difficult for him to shoot or pass out of double teams.
As Sims struggled, Michigan followed. Junior guard Manny Harris, who told reporters after the game he intends to return to Ann Arbor for his senior year, led Michigan with 11 points, but it took him 14 shots to get there.
“Any time we having struggles like this as a team, it’s real frustrating,” Harris said. “Individually, when you have a bad shooting game like you had today, it’s frustrating but you can’t sulk on it.”
Instead, there are other sobering thoughts. This is the first time Michigan has been swept by Northwestern since the 1966-67 season. And that the 15-point margin was the worst loss by the Wolverines to the Wildcats since a 58-34 loss on Feb. 4, 1999, before either Carmody or Beilein were in their current jobs.
Freshman guard Drew Crawford hit two of those 3-pointers in Northwestern's first-half flurry for six of his game-high 17 points - the second straight game he’s led Northwestern against the Wolverines.
“It’s not really surprising that our shots go in,” Crawford said. “Because they go in all the time.”
As Beilein said, and what has been part of Michigan’s problem this season, is he doesn’t have a single player who can say that.
• Box score • Big Ten standings
Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.
Comments
aareader
Wed, Feb 3, 2010 : 11:41 a.m.
Good to read Manny is coming back. We need him and he needs more skill building. How does a player get good at 3 point shooting???? Michael Jordan used to say shoot, shoot, shoot, Shoot when you are on shot when you are off. He and many other successful players put in huge hours working on the shot... getting open.... using screens.... shoot, shoot, shoot. Feel bad for Mr. Sims. Sometimes he is hot but it appears when the game is on the line he can not finish. Still hoping goods things can happen... After seeing MSU taken apart by Wisconsin, Michigan has a long way to go to win a game over there.. Maybe Blue's 3 point touch will comeback. Let us hope. Go Blue!
MikeAA
Wed, Feb 3, 2010 : 11:20 a.m.
If you think things are bad now, wait until DeShawan Sims and Manny Harris are gone. After that, things will be so bad we'd take the likes of Courtney Sims and Dion Harris.
marlon glenn
Wed, Feb 3, 2010 : 9:03 a.m.
I am not an expert hence I struggle to understand exactly what it is JB has done to earn a contract extension. I would appreciate any feedback from those more knowledgable than I.
a2roots
Wed, Feb 3, 2010 : 8:46 a.m.
This team is a huge disappointment. No leadership, lack of hustle, zero defense, 2 stars that sleepwalk and yes, awful coaching. It will be a long time before UM sees the tournament with the talent the coaches are bringing in. Was Beilein really worth the extension? Time will tell but in my book he gets a D and should not have been rewarded. Yes he runs a clean program, says and does the right thing but that should be expected of any coach at this level. Say what you want, but it all boils down to wins and tourney appearances. This guy needed to come through this year and he hasn't. Beilein and his staff are as much to blame as our stable of mac players.
chosen1
Wed, Feb 3, 2010 : 7:20 a.m.
I predicted 24 wins for this team at the beginning of the season, boy did I drink the Beilein kool-aid. This team has truly been the most disappointing one in a while.
MetricSU
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 11:18 p.m.
azwolverine: I don't think UM played poorly against MSU, although they did shoot poorly. Of course, with MSU getting blown out by UW in Madison, UM must be kicking itself. The Spartans are clearly overrated at this point in the season, and UM let one get away. Bad night in basketball for the state of Michigan.
TXteacher
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 10:44 p.m.
"Take me home, Country roads, to the place, I belong, West Virginia, Mountain Mama, Take me home, To UofM". Love those WVU coaches. Keep it up, boys.
azwolverine
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 10:28 p.m.
Save for the Iowa game, I'm amazed at how poorly they've played since the UCONN game. Very disappointing.
LBGoBlue
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 10:23 p.m.
After attending the game at Northwestern, I can only conclude that the gig is up for this team this year. They were utterly listless, and the Wolverine offense consisted of little more than long 3-pointers, many of which didn't even draw iron. Northwestern's offense was far more fluid. Sims got virtually no touches inside. I will say that I cannot imagine Manny being selected in the first two rounds of the NBA draft. Based on what I saw tonight, he needs a fourth year to learn how to drive left. All in all it was a very disappointing performance. There's not much to be optimistic about.
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 9:45 p.m.
At least they can end the pretense of thinking they can qualify for an at-large NCAA berth with a "run," not that they've shown any consistency this season.
Doug
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 9:42 p.m.
No chemistry. No leadership. No tournament. Something amazing better happen after this season or we are in for another long stretch of poor Michigan basketball. Let's just hope the football program finds it's way back to the top!
braggslaw
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 9:32 p.m.
The West Virginia experiment is officially a failure. The new AD will have to hire a new football coach and basketball coach in the next 2 years. Hopefully he makes better decisions than Gilligan Bill Martin.
miatamich
Tue, Feb 2, 2010 : 9:29 p.m.
U-M came into the game ranked 228th nationally in scoring and 231st in FG percentage. After this game, they may have moved down. Highlights: Lucas-Perry actually hit the rim with a shot, Vogrich got stuffed on a flat-footed jumper and Person nailed a free throw. With Sims and likely Harris gone next year, I see nothing but good things next year. Imagine a frontline with Blake McLimans and Jordan Morgan...watch out Big Ten. Go Bleu!