Oh, Lord, not again.
For the second consecutive season, the Michigan basketball team has fallen to Athletes in Action.
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| SARA STILLMAN/Daily Robert Traylor closely guards Athletes in Action's Greg Colbert. On offense, Traylor totaled 14 points and 11 rebounds. |
As embarrassing as it may sound, losing to AIA isn't all that bad. In fact, AIA, which is known for astounding perimeter shooting, looks to be back-dooring its way into the top 25, improving to 5-0 with the victory.
What was troubling was the Wolverines' failure to execute offensively down the stretch. In the drama that is a close contest against AIA, the Wolverines missed four free throws and failed to get to the basket down the stretch.
Despite the loss, coach Brian Ellerbe's Wolverines injected a breath of fresh air into a sparsely populated Crisler Arena last night with their new-found aggressiveness.
If that trend continues, Michigan fans might finally get this season what they've so desperately wanted from the man Ellerbe replaced 11 days ago, Steve Fisher - a motivated and aggressive basketball team that may fill up Crisler pretty quickly.
Ellerbe has been preaching aggressiveness, especially toward senior guard Travis Conlan, since even before the former assistant was named interim head coach for this season.
"Before (Ellerbe) found out that Fisher wasn't going to be the coach," Conlan said, "he said, 'The coaches, they might get mad at me some days cause I'm going to tell you: Every time you get the ball, look to be a threat."
Evidently, the message got through to Conlan.
The co-captain made 11-of-13 shots, including four of five 3-pointers. He was forced to leave the game midway through the second half when he dove for the ball and sprained his right wrist.
Conlan came out firing from the start. He scored six of the Wolverines' first 14 points and assisted on the other eight. At one point, an AIA player yelled at Conlan, daring him to take a three. Conlan spotted up, shot, and nailed it.
Conlan was as aggressive last night as departed guard Brandun Hughes was selfish all of last season.
Ellerbe has tried to increase Conlan's aggressiveness by raising his confidence level.
"I want him to feel like he has a green light," Ellerbe said. "I think he's responsible enough to know what's a good shot and a bad shot."
As a team, the Wolverines looked more aggressive than in recent seasons. Even Ellerbe himself was active in front of the bench.
But don't expect this team to all-out run and gun like one of Rick Pitino's Kentucky teams. With such a short bench, the Wolverines would run out of steam before the conference season even began.
Sophomore center Peter Vignier tried to give the Wolverines some quality minutes off the bench, but he may have done more harm than good, looking as confused as a deer caught in headlights. Freshman Brandon Smith, who is expected to contribute immediately, came off the bench to add a couple of sparkling assists.
Newcomer Robbie Reid displayed some intensity as well as rust. It was the first game action in two years for Reid, a Brigham Young transfer, after serving a mission in Greece. Reid nailed the team's first shot of the game, but also missed two key foul shots in the game's final minutes.
The one guy for whom intensity is rarely a problem, senior center Robert Traylor, contributed a relatively quiet 14 points but also missed from the charity stripe near the end of the game.
But it was Conlan who stood out the most. He sparked the Wolverines early and was sorely missed in crunch time.
"I think the last eight or nine minutes, Travis would have had the ball in his hands," Ellerbe said.
But even if Conlan hadn't left the game with the injury, it might have been pretty hard pull out a victory over a team that says it plays in the name of Jesus Christ.
"We never gave up. We scratched back," AIA coach Chuck Badger said. "If Jesus Christ was playing, I know that he would've played like we did tonight."
AIA is one thing, but the Wolverines better hope Jesus is busy when Duke comes to town.
11-04-97
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