Zoey's cafe on Hoover Street - a stone's throw from the Big House - doesn't normally expect a lot of customers on Saturday afternoons in December.
But Zoey's didn't consider the sold-out basketball game at Crisler Arena tomorrow, which, in recent years, has become Michigan's biggest sports rivalry away from the gridiron.
Shortly before tipoff at 4 p.m., the cozy little restaurant will pack to the brim with Maize Ragers, upperclassmen recanting stories off storming the court and meek freshmen practicing out loud their spelling of K-r-z-y-z-e-w-s-k-i.
That's Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, the guru of modern college basketball, who has led the Blue Devils to eight Final Fours and two national championships since 1986. This man, more than any in recent times, knows how sweet the fruit of a basketball season can taste when plucked ripe.
 |
| DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily Freshman guard Jamal Crawford answers questions at a press conference yesterday about the upcoming Michigan-Duke game tomorrow. The game starts at 4 p.m.
|
Through NCAA Championships, Cameron Crazies and student celebrations on the court, this rivalry now draws national media attention whenever the teams face each other, even though many sports fans still have their eyes set on the college football season.
"My freshman year when we beat them here is my most vivid memory," said Michigan center Josh Asselin. "We were down by seven, won by 10, and the fans all rushed onto the court. Sometimes I and a couple other players walk back through that game."
The Michigan-Duke rivalry suffered a lapse a year ago, when the Blue Devils and Wooden award-winning center Elton Brand exploited a nonexistent Michigan frontcourt, en route to a 108-64 victory in the intimidating Cameron Indoor Stadium.
"It was a difficult game for us," said Asselin. "We got a little riled and didn't execute. Most of it was our own fault."
But this season the teams look almost equal. Both the Blue Devils and the Wolverines rely on freshmen in the starting lineup, and neither of the storied programs have a big man who can muscle his way to 20 points in the frontcourt.
Gone are the likes of Brand, Christian Laettner, Robert Traylor and Chris Webber - superstars who built this rivalry into one of the marquee sporting events of the 1990s, before moving on to the NBA.
Replacing them under the spotlight will be Shane Battier, Chris Carrawell, LaVell Blanchard and Crawford - a smaller, sleeker group of stars.
These teams are not the basketball giants that shook the frozen ground whenever they stepped into an opponent's arena.
Yet they might be good enough to make some noise in the tournament come March.
The Blue Devils (5-2) are currently ranked No. 14 in the AP poll, and are riding a five-game winning streak. They came from behind to beat DePaul on a 3-pointer from freshman Nick Horvath in the waning seconds last Saturday.
Michigan (6-0) has struggled in two games since an exciting victory over Georgia Tech in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, but remains unbeaten and will inevitably land a spot in the poll with a win tomorrow.
Who: Michigan vs. Duke
Where: Crisler Arena
When: 4 p.m.
TV/Radio: CBS (channel 13 in Ann Arbor), WJR 760 AM
The latest: Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe announced yesterday that due to safety concerns for Michigan students, Michigan Transportation Services will provide buses from Bursley Hall and the Michigan Union to Crisler Arena for the Duke game. The bus
service begins at 3 p.m. Buses will have the message "Maize Rage" on the front. Ellerbe hopes to have bus service for all Big Ten games.
12-10-99
| Next Article |
should be sent to: daily.letters@umich.edu | should be sent to: online.daily@umich.edu |