• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Illini’s Tisdale towers over Michigan

CHAMPAIGN, IL. — Early this week, coach John Beilein said he didn’t think a 7-footer would bother Michigan.

As long as the opposition only had one, he figured, the Wolverines had an equal advantage with their smaller, quicker frontcourt.

That theory blew up Wednesday night, as 7-foot-1 Illinois center Mike Tisdale dominated Michigan at Assembly Hall, scoring 24 points in a 66-51 victory.

Tisdale was only a complementary player in the first half, hitting three baskets. But when the second half opened, Illinois seized on the game’s biggest mismatch, feeding him for the first five Illini baskets.

Giving up five inches, Michigan’s quasi-center, DeShawn Sims, had no answer. Tisdale took him in the post, using his length, and stepped out for midrange jumpers.

Even on the offensive glass, Tisdale had position for put-backs.

Then, as the Illini began to push the lead, Tisdale twisted the knife, swishing his first three-point attempt of the season with less than five minutes left.

“The big fella looked like (former West Virginia center Kevin) Pittsnoggle out there,” Beilein said. “If you don’t make guarded shots against them, with their length and experience, it’s tough to win.

“He’s hard for us (to stop). We’re playing small—not real big in center. I knew he could shoot from the outside.”

A game that Michigan (13-4, 3-2 Big Ten) led at the half—after 11 lead changes—looked different as the second half progressed. The lead for Illinois (15-2, 2-1) reached 60-45 with 3:50 left.

Michigan guard Manny Harris made a personal charge down the stretch, finishing with 20 points. But as Michigan learned last year, it won’t win Big Ten road games without multiple weapons.

The Wolverines shot a season-worst 32.2 percent and had little chance to rally with poor three-point shooting in the second half. It opened 0-for-7 and finished 2-for-13.

“I thought their defense was really good,” Beilein said. “They’ve always been a real good defensive team.”

Illinois kept throwing big punches that the Wolverines somehow withstood early.

Illinois guard Demetri McCamey used his size and strength to score 15 first-half points, drilling a trio of three-pointers and driving the basket against a porous defense.

Michigan got some movement to the basket early in the second half, pulling within 42-41, but that was as close as it got. U-M went nearly five minutes without scoring after that.

The loss extended Michigan’s losing streak at Assembly Hall, where Michigan hasn’t won since January 1995.

-- (7) Michigan St. 78, Penn St. 73—At State College, Pa., Raymar Morgan scored 17 points and Kalin Lucas went 6-of-8 from the free throw line in the final 2 minutes for Michigan State.

Goran Suton added 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Spartans (14-2, 4-0 Big Ten), who won their 10th straight.

Down by 17 points with 13:39 left, Penn State (13-5, 2-3) mounted a furious comeback, getting within 71-70 with 1:30 left after an off-balance 3 from Talor Battle.

But Lucas, who finished with 15 points, hit four free throws from there.

Jamelle Cornley led the Nittany Lions with a career-high 26 points, while Battle finished with 20.