11/28/1987

UA beats Michigan, plays Syracuse next

By Jay Gonzales
The Arizona Daily Star

Anchorage, Alaska — University of Arizona forward Sean Elliott may need some work on his arithmetic.

When a team, whose national ranking is in double figures, goes to a neutral court and beats a team ranked with a single digit, it can be called an upset, as in No. 17 Arizona’s 79-64 basketball victory over No. 9 Michigan yesterday in the Great Alaska Shootout.

Elliott begged to disagree.

“Before the game, the guys were saying that if we won, it would be called an upset,” Elliott said. “I don’t think this was an upset. We have a quality team.”

Whatever else it’s called, the victory puts Arizona in tomorrow’s shootout championship against another team with a low number. Emphasis on low.

The Wildcats, 2-0, face No. 1 Syracuse, 2-1, in a game to be televised live on ESPN, beginning at 9 p.m., Tucson time. KNST radio (940-AM) will broadcast the game.

The Orangemen moved into the title game with a 79-63 victory over Alabama-Birmingham earlier yesterday.

UA Coach Lute Olson said Arizona got to the title game by mixing its defenses to exploit Michigan’s youth and inexperience. The Wolverines starting lineup has two sophomores, Terry Mills and Rumeal Robinson, who played in their first college game in Friday’s first round. Michigan’s first player off the bench, Sean Higgins is a freshman.

“I kind of know what Bill is going through,” Olson said of Michigan coach Bill Frieder. “You can have a lot of talent, but if it’s young talent, it takes time to get them to be a great ball club.”

The Arizona defense The Wolverines from mounting an attack from the outside where Michigan guards Gary Grant, a senior, and Robinson and Higgins combined for 18 points.

“Going into the ballgame, we knew there were certain keys,” Olson said. “One was to not let them use their physical strength to get to many second and third shots.

“The other was to keep grant and Robinson out of the paint. We did a good job of stopping their penetration into the lane.”

Grant made a three-point basket 18 seconds into the game and didn’t score again in the first half. He finished with seven points on three-of-14 shooting from the field.

“Gary has got a new role this year.” Frieder said. “Last year he had the luxury of playing with two guards who were real great players.

“Now, there’s no other guards with any experience. He’s called on to do a lot, but we’ve got to find a way to get him out and get two or three minutes of rest. The problem is, we struggle something fierce without him.”

The Wolverines scored the first five points, on grants three-pointer and a jump shot by Mills.

Arizona responded with nine straight points, including four from Elliott, who had six in the half.

Michigan surged back into the lead, 19-18, with 8:42 left in the game, but a 13-4 run by Arizona put it back in the lead for good. Steve Kerr made to, three-point baskets during the run, and Craig McMillan had another.

The Wildcats led, 39-30, at halftime.

Kerr, who had 11 of his 14 points in the half, said that he had been trying to pace his return after a year on the sidelines with an injured knee, but feels like he’s closer to his normal playing level.

“I been trying to ease myself back in,” he said. “In the Blue-Red game and the Russian game, I was not looking for my shot so much because I didn’t want to rush it and take bad shots.

“The strategy paid off. Now my shot feels great. I feel completely comfortable.”

Kerr was five or six from the field, with three, three-point baskets, and one field goal in sight 16 feet.

UA center Tom Tolbert tied Mills for game-high scoring honors with 18 points.

Frieder said he tried some changes on both offense and defense in the second half, but nothing seemed to work. Over the first 8½ minutes of the half, Arizona – lead to 60-42.

“We tried everything.” Frieder said. “It just didn’t work because they’re a better team than we are. Our perimeter guys didn’t do a good job of moving or penetrating.”

The Wildcats were on top by 20 points with 8:35 left, when Michigan went on a 7-0 spurt to close to 66-53.

Higgins started the surge with a three-point basket, and Grant drove the lane for a layup and was called for charging McMillan. McMillan missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Robinson made an 18-foot jump shot on the Wolverines next trip down the court.

After McMillan turn the ball over on a bad pass, Olson called a timeout to regroup.

Arizona got the ball back when Grant missed a jumpshot and Tolbert was fouled on the rebound. He missed the one-and-one, but got another opportunity less than a minute later and converted both free throws, starting and eight-point UA run.

Elliott pulled up for short jumpshot, Kerr made a three-pointer and Anthony cook made a free throw, having the Wildcats their biggest lead, 74-53, with 4:40 to play.

Michigan got no closer than 14 points the rest of the game.