Still slumped over: Blue hits low again

Wolverines fall by 29; winless on road

By Michael Kern

Daily Sports Writer

CHAMPAIGN - After last Tuesday's 70-64 victory over Indiana, the Michigan men's basketball team said it had learned from its mistakes. The Wolverines were ready to escape many of the trappings that had led to their failure in their previous five road losses.

But Saturday night at No. 7 Illinois, Michigan (1-2 Big Ten, 7-7 overall) looked like the same team that had not played within a single-digit margin of a quality opponent outside of Crisler Arena, falling to the Fighting Illini, 80-51.

After the opening tip, it looked as though Illinois (3-1, 13-4) was still reeling from its 78-62 loss to Iowa earlier in the week, as it turned the ball over twice in the first 20 seconds of the game. But as would be the case throughout the game, the Wolverines failed to capitalize, turning the ball over twice themselves en route to 21 turnovers for the game.

"The bottom line is that we can't turn the ball over like that," associate head coach Scott Trost said. "And if we're not going to score, we've got to be able to stop the other team."

Much like previous road games in which the Wolverines have averaged just 43 percent from the field, Michigan was plagued by shooting woes. The Wolverines shot a season-low 28 percent from the field, making just 13 field goals for the game.

Michigan's 51 points also matched a season-low against Maryland from earlier in the season. Sophomore LaVell Blanchard was the only Wolverine to score in double digits. He finished the game with 15 points on 4-of-11 shooting.

"They had a great defense, but we've seen better," sophomore Gavin Groninger said. "This was really a matter of us shooting ourselves in the foot."

At the halfway point of the season, the Wolverines already have been held to 60 or fewer points four times. Last year, they only met that dubious achievement three times all season.

Michigan finished the game with 27 personal fouls. All three centers - Josh Moore, Josh Asselin and Chris Young - fouled out, forcing the Wolverines to play the last four minutes of the game with the 6-foot-7 Blanchard as the tallest remaining player in the lineup.

Illinois didn't fair much better. The Fighting Illini had 24 personal fouls, allowing Michigan to score 21 of its 51 points from the charity stripe.

"The officials got to a point where there were some hard fouls and they weren't really in control of things," Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe said. "Maybe they got a little overzealous."

Despite playing without point guard and leading scorer Frank Williams, Illinois easily pushed out to a 15-4 lead in the first six-and-half minutes of the game. Michigan never got it closer than five and Illinois led comfortably by 15 at the half.

The Fighting Illini continued to cruise in the second half and never allowed the Wolverines to slice into the lead. Four Illinois players scored in double digits, including senior Sergio McClain who finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for the first triple-double in school history.

"It feels good," McClain said. "With Frank (Williams) out, we knew as a team we had to pick it up, pushing the ball and creating for others. There were a lot of mismatches out there."

With two more road games this week for Michigan - at Ohio State on Thursday and Iowa Saturday - the Wolverines must find a way to be competitive in a difficult environment to prevent a 1-4 Big Ten start.

"We've got a lot of mental stuff we need to take care of as far as our confidence when we go on the road," Young said.

MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily

Josh Asselin, helpless in loss to Illinois.

MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily

Michigan's LaVell Blanchard looked sorrowful after another road loss.