U-M Peddles Through Play

by Andrew Golding

As Detroit Mercy Head Coach Perry Watson exited the media room after a loss to Michigan on November 20, he paused for a moment. "You know this is a big game when Charlie Vincent is in the house," he remarked in his distinctive twang. All heads turned toward Vincent, the Free Press columnist sitting in the second row, who was quick with a reply. "Slow night," he cracked.

With a 4-5 record after losing to Western Michigan on December 6, U-M has proven itself to be a middle of the road squad with an impressive backcourt, but hurt by inexperience and youth in the frontcourt. Chances of making the NCAA Tournament, never high, have been dashed by losses to also-rans Florida International and Ball State, upcoming anticipated defeats to Duke and Florida on the road, and an always tough Big 10 schedule which begins November 30 versus Wisconsin. Supposing U-M plays at a .500 clip in the Big 10 - which many consider a stretch - they will finish at 15-14, making them a borderline candidate for NIT play.

After opening the season 0-2, U-M rebounded with a 62-55 victory over Watson's UDM team. Senior Ron Oliver, a former walk-on, played ten key minutes in relief of roommate and foul-plagued Louis Bullock, and showed he can be counted on for help off the bench. Oliver's final stat line - 0 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists - was rather paltry, but his impact was not. Oliver entered midway through the first half with U-M losing 18-15, and proceeded to feed center Josh Asselin for a lay-up and foul off an inbounds pass, and then guards Leon Jones and Robbie Reid for medium-range jumpers. By haltime, and without main scoring option Bullock for the last eight minutes, U-M led 30-28. Watson noted the importance of the last eight minutes. "That hurt. We're usually a team that expands the lead, and we didn't."

The contest began to grow more heated as UDM's Jermaine Jackson patted Oliver on the behind after hitting a three-pointer in his face - "I hated that," Oliver said later - and Ellerbe threw his sport coat in disgust after a foul call on forward Brandon Smith. Bullock was held in check by UDM's Rashad Phillips, who went for none of Bullock's many fakes, and limited to nine shots and ten points in 26 minutes. Reid nailed a pivotal trey to break a 49-49 tie, and tried to call a timeout one minute later as both teams scrambled for a loose ball; the officials did not see him, and Smith hit a 16-foot jumper off a Bullock feed to essentially seal the contest and the U-M victory.

U-M next faced #22 Clemson at the Maui Invitational and pulled off the upset as Bullock pumped in 24 points. Losses to #19 Syracuse and #18 Utah followed, before U-M returned to face Towson University on November 30.

U-M defeated Towson easily, 60-45, in one of the dullest and slowest games in recent memory. "We had to do that because of their size," said Towson coach Mike Jaskulski, of his team's deliberate play. There was some action that night, though; it emanated from the stands.

As a result of his shaggy, 70's-ish hair, which did scream for a cut, albeit silently, Towson's freshman guard Danny White received a torching from those in attendance. Each time White touched the ball, fans bellowed his name - "White! White! White!" - and later "W-H-I-T-E," followed by "We Want White" when he was on the bench, and then "I'll give you the ten bucks for a haircut," by one sly fan dressed as the SuperFan. White finished with zero points on zero attempts and three rebounds in thirteen minutes. Nevertheless, the crowd was at its loudest when he was in the game, or when calling for his insertion.

The halftime contest, which featured three men attempting to devour a 12-inch Subway submarine, also received some sizeable crowd reaction, though none of the contestants fully completed the task in the allotted time and all looked sick and covered with lettuce afterwards.

Oliver stepped up again in the Towson game with strong defense in 24 minutes of play - a career high - and satisfied many of the fans who continually urge him to shoot with his first basket of the season. "A couple guys said 'shoot the ball'" he reflected post game, before leaving with an armful of game programs picturing him on the cover. "They [the fans] appreciate hard work. And they like the little guy."

The scoring streak did not continue in the December 2 Bradley game, however. Bullock picked up the slack with 29 points, though, and Reid pitched in 16 points as U-M rolled, 74-44.

Overall, considering the team's makeup - two seniors, two sophomores, and two freshman, and Peter Vignier, who should be a freshman due to a lack of previous playing time - U-M's performance should not be considered a disappointment. This is a team in development and one that will likely gel years from now, when new recruits are the nucleus.

The 1998-99 Wolverines will certainly suffer their share of growing pains in Big 10 play, when their inside weaknesses will be exposed as well as their lack of a consistent third scorer. Versus Clemson and Utah- two physical, Big 10-like teams - Asselin and Smith scored 11 points, combined.

After the UDM game, Watson stated U-M is "a little wounded" and "won't win the Big 10," which is not perception, but reality. U-M doesn't have the guns, the bodies, or the chemistry of a Michigan State or Indiana. If they had should-be seniors Robert Traylor, who has become a fixture on U-M's bench, and Albert White, who transferred to Missouri, MSU and Indiana would likely finish second and third in the Big 10 this year.

The onus for this year's .500 or so season should not be placed on Ellerbe, if any blame is to be assessed, at all. The second year Head Coach inherited this team - recruiting was complicated by his 'interim' status last year - and he has not had a chance to put his stamp on the program. Next year, when his four heralded recruits arrive, the increased scrutiny should begin. MR

This article was published in the 9 December 1998 edition of The Michigan Review (Volume 17, Number 5).
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