Tighter ofciating catches 'M' off guard

By Michael Kern

Daily Sports Writer

ROCHESTER - When the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee passed down a mandate to the referees before this season to eliminate rough play, few were sure exactly what effect it would have on the game.

Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien said that every team would have to play a zone defense if the referees actually called it that tightly. Purdue coach Gene Keady thought it would bring the finesse game back to college basketball.

Despite bringing officials to practice to help his young players prepare for the new style of officiating, Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe took an "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude at media day.

But after Friday night's 97-90 loss to Oakland, in which the Wolverines were called for 31 fouls, Ellerbe may be singing a different tune.

"Guys have to make an adjustment," he said. "That's why we had officials come into practice a lot. Kids have got to adjust. They adjust to other things and they'll adjust to this."

Neither team appeared to be prepared at the start for how tightly the officials would call the game. Both were in the bonus with 11 minutes still to play in the first half.

Oakland guard Brad Buddenborg scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half after sitting out the last 17 minutes of the first half because he picked up three fouls less than three minutes.

Chris Young, who started at center for the Wolverines, drew his fourth foul with nine minutes still to play in the first half.

But while Oakland seemed to adjust at the half, Michigan continued to be whistled for illegal screens and ticky-tack fouls in the post, putting the Grizzlies in the bonus with 14 minutes still to play in the game.

Six different Michigan players finished the game with at least four fouls, including freshman Josh Moore, who fouled out with 18:53 still left in the game.

"We didn't set a screen in the second half," Oakland coach Greg Kampe said. "We didn't want any physical contact because we felt the only way we could lose was if the referees took the ball away from us. We didn't want to set illegal screens, and we didn't want to foul.

"And we didn't get our fifth or sixth foul until late in the half because of it."

While Michigan regularly rotated Young, Moore and senior Josh Asselin - who all stand at 6-foot-11 or taller - the Grizzlies had just one player taller than 6-foot-7 on the floor for just two minutes. But Oakland made the Wolverines' size advantage a disadvantage by attacking the post and picking up easy fouls.

"The first five minutes of the second half, our plan was to throw it to Dan (Champagne) on the blocks," Kampe said. "We went foul, foul, foul, and the game was really in our favor from then on."

Tomorrow, Michigan hosts another undersized perimeter team in Western Michigan. To come out with a win, the Wolverines will need a big post presence, which means Moore, Young and Asselin must stay out of foul trouble.

"They've got to adjust," associate head coach Scott Trost said. "Our kids didn't adjust, and they've got to learn."

JEFF HURVITZ/Daily

Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe said his team failed to 'make an adjustment' to the new tighter officiating the NCAA forewarned heading into the 2000-01 campaign.