By Danielle Rumore
Daily Sports Editor
While former Michigan standouts Terry Mills and Glen Rice prepared for the 3-point shootout as part of the NBA All-Star Game festivities in Cleveland, current Michigan standout Louis Bullock had his own shooting contest.
And he won.
 |
Penn State | 64 |
 |
Michigan | 81 |
Bullock received the game ball from Michigan coach Steve Fisher, and then went on to score 11 total points as the twenty-third-ranked Wolverines (7-4 Big Ten, 17-6 overall) downed the Nittany Lions (1-10, 8-12), 81-64, at Crisler Arena in front of a crowd of 13,423.
"I'll let Glen Rice take on everyone in the NBA. I'm just fine here," Bullock said.
"I never think about when I take a shot. I got an open look, and I was able to knock it down. It felt good because I got it out of the way. I was glad to have it early; that way I can just go ahead and play the rest of the game without that on my mind."
With Saturday's win, the Wolverines swept the Lions this season, having topped them, 67-59, at University Park Jan. 28. The Wolverines shot just 40.7 percent from the field and had 17 turnovers in that game.
Despite matching their turnover margin this Saturday, the Wolverines shot a blistering 55.8 percent from the field, their fourth highest percentage this season, and 58.3 percent from 3-point range.
Jerod Ward was Michigan's leading scorer, finishing with 19 points and two steals, tying his career record for points and steals. In fact, Ward, Bullock and Robert Traylor - three of Michigan's starting five - finished in double-digits.
"Jerod had the best half of his Michigan career," Fisher said. "The first half was the best he's played since he's been here. He was more than a catch-and-shoot basketball player, and I like that."
After sustaining a broken nose and concussion against Wisconsin last Thursday, Maurice Taylor was fitted for a face mask - which he said he will probably wear for the remainder of the Big Ten season - making him look more like a movie serial killer than a basketball player.
"One of the walk-ons, Ryan DeKuiper, said I looked like Michael Myers," Taylor said. "Then the trainer got on me, and they thought I needed a chainsaw."
Chainsaw or not, Taylor came off the bench and finished with 14 points and five boards despite taking another blow to the nose early in the first half.
"As soon as I came in, I took a blow to it," Taylor said. "After the first blow (to my nose), I was like, 'Oh, my God. I can't take too many more of those.' I didn't want to shy away from any contact because of my nose."
In the first game between the two teams in January, the Lions played without Rashaan Carlton, who was nursing an arthritic knee, and Phil Williams, who attended a family funeral. Their absence left a gaping hole in the middle for the Lions.
But they played on Saturday, joined by the Lions' rail-thin shot-block specialist, center Calvin Booth, and forward Jarrett Stephens down low. The four each scored in double-figures and combined for 45 points, 70.3 percent of the Lions' total offensive output.
"We did not do a good job defending dribble penetration," Fisher said. "They got the ball to the basket. In the first half, we didn't do a good enough job of dropping, sinking and taking away the pass out of the dribble. Second half, we were better at it."
The first half resulted in four lead changes and six ties, courtesy of close shooting from both sides.
The Wolverines shot an even 56 percent from the floor and 60 percent from 3-point range, while the Lions shot 60.9 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from downtown.
The Wolverines seized control of the lead for good on the their next trip down the floor after Bullock topped Rice's record.
Bullock raced toward the right side of the key, flipped a no-look pass back to a trailing, wide-open Brandun Hughes who buried a 3-pointer. The triple put the Wolverines up, 32-30, and they never relinquished the lead.
Penn State's Pete Lisicky hit Stephens inside with a skip pass, and then Carlton buried a 6-footer, bringing the Lions to within one, 35-34, with 40 seconds remaining in the half.
But Bullock beat Penn State's Ryan Bailey off the dribble, forced a floater from the foul line that fell through and was fouled with three seconds remaining. He buried the foul shot, giving the Wolverines a 38-34 lead at the half.
The closest the Lions ever got in the second half was within four in the first three minutes and again after Booth converted a three-point play with 12:39 remaining.
Booth split a Taylor-Traylor double-team and was fouled on the play.
He hit the foul shot, bringing the Lions to within four, 51-47.
The Wolverines closed out the game in the second, outscoring the Lions 43-30, on 55.6 percent shooting versus the Lions' 38.5 percent and zero percent from 3-point range (0-of-5).
But the Wolverines seized eight of their 13 total steals in the second, mostly toward the end of the halt, leading to easy transition hoops and a seal on the game.
Hughes stole the ball and took it to the hole for a one-handed slam, making it 75-60 with 2:58 left.
Travis Conlan stole the ball on the next possession and hit Maceo Baston with an outlet pass.
Baston also skied for a one-handed slam, making it 77-60 with 2:26 remaining.
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
Louis Bullock received an embrace from Maurice Taylor after he broke Michigan's career 3-point record on Saturday.