Tigers can’t outsnarl Wolverines

By Adam Douglas

Sports Editor

 

This one went the way it was supposed to — for the Michigan Wolverines, that is. Michigan beat the Tigers at their own game and dictated their own pace, defeating Memphis with a brilliant game-plan 73-61 in the quarterfinals of the 2011 EA Sports Maui Invitational.

The Tigers (1-1) couldn't get anything going offensively and defensively. They opened the game cold, going 3-for-10 in the first minutes. Sophomore Tarik Black also got into foul trouble, picking up two personal fouls in the first 90 seconds of the game, forcing head coach Josh Pastner to go to the bench early and often. The experts had the Tigers winning this one big, but the No. 15 Wolverines played within themselves and kept the Tigers at bay by limiting Memphis' transition game.

The first half was a game full of runs. The Wolverines opened the game on a 10-4 run, followed by an 18-9 lead. But the Tigers, sparked off the bench by Chris Crawford and a hot-shooting Charles Carmouche, went on a 10-0 run to take an early 29-27 lead. Then Michigan, responding with a 10-0 run of their own, took a 37-31 lead into halftime. The Tigers would get no closer than that for the rest of the game.

The Tigers' defense had no answer for the Wolverines' attack. Sophomore guard Tim Hardaway, Jr., who finished the game with 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists, led a team that shot 54 percent from the field, 6-20 from the arc (30 percent) and over 70 percent from the free throw line. The Tigers were led by senior guard Charles Carmouche's 14 points and five rebounds. Sophomore guard Will Barton had a game he would like to forget. The Wooden Watch list player had nine points on 3-of-12 shooting, while forcing ill-advised shots and going 1 for 5 from the arc with four rebounds and one turnover

The Tigers shot poorly from the field, going 19-of-57 (33.3 percent) and shooting only 19 percent (4 of 21) from the arc. They're rebounding wasn't much better. The Wolverines outhustled the Tigers on the boards 35-29, but committed more turnovers with 16, compared to just six for The U of M. The Tigers didn't do a good job of sharing the ball, having just six assists on 19 made baskets.

The Tigers will return to action today at 1 p.m. when they play rival Tennessee in the consolation bracket.