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`M' guards could learn a thing or two from Wisconsin's Anderson

Let's hope the Michigan women's basketball team will keep yesterday's game in their heads up until this week's Big Ten Championships in Indianapolis.

And let's hope the Wolverines hold on to the memories of yesterday's 88-63 blowout by Wisconsin over the summer and up until preseason of next year.

The reason why?

The Badgers' point guard Keisha Anderson.

Anderson displayed to Michigan, which has had trouble all year with its point guard play, what the "one" guard is all about.

The numbers are not spectacular: 14 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. But that doesn't tell the story.

Just with her presence on the court and her point guard play, Anderson was the key of the game.

In the Wolverines' last game of the season, Anderson dished to her teammates at the right times. She penetrated down the lane and often had a choice of going all the way for the layup or pulling up for the short jumper.

The 5-foot-7 junior also put on a defensive show.

Anderson was right in the face of Michigan's Jennifer Kiefer all game. She bodied Kiefer and got her out of her rhythm. Anderson slapped away the ball from behind and quickly drove down the court for easy layups.

Anderson leads the conference in steals with 4.5 per game. She also set the Big Ten season record for steals in conference games, with 72. That is a record that hasn't been broken in over a decade.

"I take a lot of pride in my defense," Anderson said. "My defensive effort helps me on the offensive end. That's just the type of point guard I am. Wherever the ball is, that's where I want to be."

She was there.

Whenever the ball was loose on the floor, Anderson threw her body into the heap of players and came away with the ball.

And she did it again in the final minutes of the first half. There was a loose ball on the court. Anderson hustled her way back to mid-court and wrestled for the ball in the middle of three Wolverines.

Just before Michigan was going to tie up the ball, Anderson cleverly poked the ball while seated on the court to forward Ann Klapperich, who dished it to Barb Franke for the layup.

Michigan just witnessed the top point guard in the Big Ten, bar none.

Both coaches agree.

"Keisha distributed the ball very, very well," Wisconsin coach Jane Albright-Dieterle said. "You saw who I think is the best point guard in our conference get the ball inside and outside to her teammates."

Michigan coach Trish Roberts would drool to have a point guard like Anderson. Too many times this season, the Wolverines have not delivered the ball to the right people at the right times.

Whether Kiefer or Akisha Franklin has played the point, both have shown their faults.

Kiefer is hesitant to drive the lane and dish from close to the basket. Also, she doesn't have the knack of when to take the open shot. She doesn't shoot enough. And at times on the defense, Kiefer doesn't show that defensive aggressiveness.

Franklin, on the other hand, has that intense defensive style. She is on the opposing point guard like glue. And she is a purer scorer than Kiefer, but Franklin lacks that overall point guard leadership.

Anderson doesn't lack anything. Even when the Badgers were up by more than 20 points for most of the second half, she still hustled for every loose ball and drove to the hole with force.

"Any time you've got a spark plug, like Keisha -- she's quick, she's fast -- I think she's one of the biggest differences on that team," Roberts said. "She makes that team go."

"She does so many things offensively and defensively. In my opinion, I think she's the best point guard in the Big Ten."

Anderson even says all the right things.

"The point guard is the toughest position on the court because if things don't go right, you take all the fault," Anderson said. "You try to get people around you in it, and if they're not in it, then you feel bad because you are not doing the job Coach asks you to do as a point guard."

Michigan, pay attention. You have just experienced what a true all-around point guard does for the team. Anderson brings out the best out in her teammates. How about seeing the point guard do the same for the Wolverines?