With the US Chess Nationals going on in downtown Chicago, it was Michigan coach Dusty May came up with a chess match victory over Alabama. After a wild, fast-paced first half that ended with the Crimson Tide leading 49-47, May changed the second stanza strategy, resulting in a 90-77 Sweet Sixteen game victory.
At the half, Alabama’s Labaron Philon tallied 19 points and the Tide had connected nine times from deep. The Wolverines took 26 first half shot attempts.
May says his team played much smarter and in a more physical fashion during the second half.
“I thought we played much smarter, much harder, and much more connected as a group,” said May. “When you can hold a team like Alabama, who, you know, they're the leading scoring team in the country, one of the most efficient every single year, we held them to .88 in the second half DER (points per possession). It was a testament to our guys with how hard they played.”
May employed his bench with outstanding results, outscoring the Alabama reserves 33-6.
Roddy Gale Jr says he and Trey McKenny have the responsibility to provide an offensive spark.
“I just feel like me and Trey's responsibility to come in the game and give those starting guys some energy, some juice,” said Gale. “That's just kind of what I try to bring to the game every game. It just happened to be offensively it was just kind of going for me. I just tried to make winning plays, and at the end of the day, if the ball falls, the ball falls, but I just try to give it my all.”
McKenny says the Wolverines changed their second stanza defensive approach and Yaxel Lendeborg says they slowed down their offensive approach.
“I think in the second half we were early in the gap and then we got out, and we made them shoot tougher shots,” said McKenny. “I think that was why the result was at the end of the game.”
Alabama made just five of 23 second half three-point attempts.
“I would say we tried to pretty much get into an offensive match with those guys,” said Lendeborg. “You know, we're not that kind of team. They're a way better offensive team than we are. Once we started slowing the game down, being a lot more physical, and trying to dominate the paint, we started finding more success.”
Lendeborg recorded a 23-point, 12-rebound double-double. Senior guard Elliot Cadeau added 17 points and seven assists. Philon finished with 35 points. Michigan (34-3) heads to the Elite Eight game Sunday at 1:15 pm.
Michigan coach Dusty May is now 61-13 in two seasons in Ann Arbor, he seems to be playing Chess when others are playing Checkers.