Hoops season ends with NIT first-round loss

By Chris Duprey

Daily Sports Editor

SOUTH BEND - On Monday, the day after finding out that Notre Dame was its first-round opponent in the NIT, the Michigan basketball team went through what LaVell Blanchard called "The Troy Murphy Show," a videotape tribute to the Irish's best player.

Blanchard was wrong. The Troy Murphy Show aired last night, as Murphy made a sitcom of Michigan in a 75-65 Notre Dame victory at the Joyce Center.

The loss ended Michigan's season - one which looked more promising during its early months, before a seven-game Big Ten losing streak crippled the Wolverines and sent them spiraling into the NIT.

Last night, Murphy scored 32 points before fouling out with 49.6 seconds left, his team leading by six. The Wolverines pulled to within five on a Kevin Gaines free throw and got the ball back after a Notre Dame turnover. But Gavin Groninger's 3-point attempt went awry - an obvious foul, claimed Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe - and the Wolverines were cooked.

Michigan needed someone with the quickness of Blanchard and the size of Peter Vignier to guard Murphy. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, there was no one player on the roster with both those qualities.

So Michigan picked its poison.

When it played Murphy man-up, the Irish star worked on his game-high scoring mark.

When the Wolverines sent help, Murphy passed out and found a shooter for one of Notre Dame's nine 3-point field goals.

"He's very good," Ellerbe said of Murphy. "All-Americans do that. He should have a bright future."

As much scoring damage as Murphy did, Notre Dame's killer blow was actually delivered at a time when Murphy was out of the game.

After picking up his fourth foul with 4:27 to play, Murphy rested the next defensive possession, which culminated in Gaines shooting a one-and-one.

Gaines made the first free throw, upon which Murphy trotted over from the bench to check in before the Irish got the ball back. He was too late.

Gaines missed the second, and the Irish were forced to run their offense without Murphy, holding a 66-61 lead.

Notre Dame ran down the floor, and David Graves flared off an Ivan Kartelo screen to hit a lethal 3-pointer that gave Notre Dame an eight-point lead with 3:52 left. It was the death bell that, up until that point, neither team had been able to sound.

"I looked at David (Graves) at halftime and said 'We can't shoot any worse, so we better let them fly in the second half,'" Notre Dame guard Matt Carroll said. "We did, and some of the shots fell for us."

Michigan survived a large portion of the first half without Blanchard, who went to the floor to secure a jump ball and was called for an unusual personal foul, his second, with 8:08 left before halftime.

The Wolverines were able to plug the role in their rotation and make it through the game's first 20 minutes, deadlocked at 33 with Notre Dame.

"The Troy Murphy Show" will likely air again next Monday night. The Irish will face Xavier in the second round, again at the Joyce Center.

MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily

Michigan men's basketball coach Brian Ellerbe argues his case during last night's 75-65 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the NIT at the Joyce Center in South Bend. Ellerbe is 5-4 in the postseason - his Wolverines this year finished 15-14.