A Knight-mare: 'M' falls, 80-62

BLOOMINGTON - For once, maybe they didn't have to play the game. In fact, maybe the Wolverines shouldn't have even bothered to make the trip here in the first place. History was on the side of the Hoosiers last night, and the Wolverines could do nothing to stop it.

Since Assembly Hall opened in 1971, Michigan is 4-21 here. And although one of those victories (Jan. 24, 1995) ended Indiana's 56-home game winning streak, last night's contest was a different story.

Despite Michigan's No. 18 ranking and recent surge, Indiana (1-2 Big Ten, 10-5 overall) outplayed the Wolverines (2-1, 12-4) for much of the game, including the entire second half, abruptly ending Michigan's six-game winning streak with an 82-60 whipping.

"I didn't think we met (their intensity)," Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe said. "Obviously we didn't surpass that, which we were doing (during the winning streak)."

In the second half, the Hoosiers outrebounded the Wolverines, 26-13, and outshot them by almost 24 percent, 57.1 to 33.3. Those numbers were in sharp contrast to the ones the Wolverines posted over their previous six games, in which they held opponents to 34.4 percent shooting and outrebounded opponents by an average margin of 19.3 boards.

"That's a demoralizing play," Ellerbe said. "When you can play defense for 35 or 40 seconds, and then give up the offensive rebound."

The Hoosiers scored 22 second-chance points compared to the Wolverines' 15. While Michigan's statistics a team were unimpressive, it was also a night to forget for most of the Wolverines, individually.

Forwards Maceo Baston and Jerod Ward combined to go 5 for 22 from the floor, while guards Louis Bullock and Robbie Reid could only manage a 6-for-19 showing together. Even though center Robert Traylor poured in 25 points, many of those came from easy baskets when the game's outcome was no longer in doubt.

It was an Indiana rally early in the second half that put the game out of reach for the Wolverines.

Michigan had pulled to within two points by the end of the first half, after trailing by as much as 12 midway through the half. But after a Traylor layup tied the game at 44 three minutes into the second half, the Hoosiers pulled away.

Following the basket by Traylor, Indiana sharpshooter A.J. Guyton nailed a 3-pointer to put the Hoosiers ahead, 47-44. After freshman Luke Recker stuffed Bullock's jumpshot attempt on the other end, Andrae Patterson made a trey of his own to extend the lead to seven.

Bullock then missed another jumper, before he was fouled by Recker. But, representative of the Wolverines' night, Bullock could not redeem himself as the 94.5 percent free-throw shooter missed both attempts. The Wolverines and Hoosiers then traded traveling calls, before William Gladness scored four of the Hoosiers' next six points to push the lead to 57-46.

Even though Patterson soon left the game after picking up his fourth foul five minutes into the second half, any chance the Wolverines had to get back into the game were dashed when Indiana's Charlie Miller decided to take over. Miller scored 12 points in the final seven minutes of the game, including a 3-pointer with four minutes remaining, giving the Hoosiers a game-high 20-point lead.

"I thought we relaxed ourselves," Miller said. "It seemed like they were kind of tiring out, so we pushed the ball."

Patterson led the Hoosiers with 19 points, while Gladness scored 14 to go along with a game-high 12 rebounds.

01-07-98