tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255003083008902987.post4280545989726137074..comments2023-10-24T11:44:15.251-04:00Comments on Blog do Jefferson Marinho: Egypt, Oil and DemocracyJefferson Milton Marinhohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13394318460447468388noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1255003083008902987.post-10301538324957169232013-05-17T01:33:56.817-04:002013-05-17T01:33:56.817-04:00Illinois can't keep up in 71
ANN ARBOR, Mich. ...<br />Illinois can't keep up in 71<br />ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)Illinois started strong and seemed to be setting itself up foranother impressive win after defeating top-ranked Indiana, Gonzaga,Butler and Ohio State earlier this season.The Fighting Illini, though, were flat in the second half andNo. 7 Michigan took advantage.Trey Burke had 26 points and eight assists to help theWolverines bounce back to beat Illinois 71-58 Sunday.Illini coach John Groce said Michigan won because its team wastougher and smarter.''It's unacceptable,'' Groce said. ''It's intolerable.''The Fighting Illini (20-9, 7-8 Big Ten) had won five straight, arun that started Feb. 7 by knocking off the Hoosiers, and wereleading the Wolverines (23-4, 10-4 Big Ten) by as much as eightpoints in the first half.Michigan outscored Illinois 43-27 in the second half after Grocepleaded with his team to learn from its recent history.''Coach talked to us at halftime about how we came out strong inthe second half and beat Indiana, and how we came out flat and lostto Michigan State,'' forward Tyler Griffey recalled. ''We alllistened, and then we came out and played like that in the secondhalf. They really amped up the intensity and we didn't respond atall.''Brandon Paul played a key role in helping the Illini lead 31-28at halftime - scoring a game-high 10 points in the first half - andwas one of the reasons they couldn't keep up the pace. Paul washeld scoreless in a shotless second half.''I'm not so concerned about him scoring as I am about our teamscoring,'' Groce insisted. ''Teams are trying to take him away,guys have to step up.''That didn't happen.Illinois had just two other scorers in double figures, barely,with D.J. Richardson and Tracy Abrams having 10 points each.''We made a ton of boneheaded turnovers in the second half, andyou can't do that against one of the best transition teams in thecountry,'' Richardson said. ''They played smarter than we did andthey played harder than we did. Give them credit for that.''Michigan played for the first time in a week and looked rustyand sloppy early, turning the ball over the missing open shots.Illinois didn't trail until Tim Hardaway Jr. had a three-point playwith 3:30 to go in the first half.The Wolverines opened the second half with a 15-3 run, goingahead for good on Burke's 3-pointer with 16:49 left to play and hada nine-point lead with his two free throws that put him over the1,000-point mark for his career.Hardaway Jr. scored 13 and Glen Robinson III had 10 points.Freshman Nik Stauskas, who was averaging 12-plus points, missed allfive of his shots and was held scoreless for the second time thisseason. Fellow freshman guard Caris LeVert took advantage of hisopportunity to [url=http://www.newzfor.me/images/jqTransform/cheapnikejordans.aspx]cheap nike jordans[/url] play more, scoring eight points, one shy of hiscareer high.Griffey's second 3-pointer pulled Illinois within four pointswith 7:55 left, then Burke made a couple assists and a shot in alittle more than a minute to allow Michigan to get a big leadback.Groce was impressed, but not surprised because he has beenwatching the native Columbus, Ohio, play since he was in middleschool.''The thing that he's always had is competitive toughness,''said Groce, who led the Ohio Bobcats past Michigan in last year'sNCAA tournament. ''He's had that since Day 1.''The Illini are idle until Saturday when they host Nebraskabefore closing the regular season on the road at Iowa and OhioState, trying to improve their position for the NCAA tournament.Groce said the break will be good for his entire team, butespecially guard Joseph Bertrand, who landed hard on his left hitearly in the second half and fouled out with 1:15 left to play.---Follow Larry Lage on Twitter: http://twitter.com/<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com