Michigan basketball has unusual travel schedule for game against Spartans
Michigan junior Manny Harris looks to knock the ball away from Michigan State sophomore Korie Lucious during the second half of Michigan's 57-56 loss on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at Crisler Arena.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
The Big Ten wrestling championships are being held at Crisler Arena this weekend, so the Michigan men's basketball team adopted an unusual practice schedule as it begins preparations for Sunday's game at Michigan State.
The Wolverines took to the road Friday for a two-hour practice at the Breslin Center before returning to Ann Arbor. On Saturday, they’ll practice at Concordia College.
Instead of staying in a hotel the night before a road game, Michigan will bus to East Lansing on Sunday and return home after the game.
“We did this at West Virginia when we played Pitt or Duquesne, we would go up and just play the game,” Beilein said. “But I think two years ago, I don’t know what the situation was. It depends if your kids are in classes or not. Knowing it was a 4 o’clock game, our options for Saturday’s practice were too early or too late so we said let’s just go up there Friday and then play the game.”
It’ll be the first time this season Michigan buses to and from a road game in the same day.
In some ways, Beilein said, he likes this better. Players can sleep in their own beds the night before a game. They aren’t wandering around a hotel waiting for games to begin, sitting on Facebook or napping or watching television.
“It’s better to just go up there fresh and play,” Beilein said. “They said if we got in there we would have to practice early in the morning on Saturday and then we would have to sit around in the hotel room for 24 hours waiting to play. Or we would have gotten in there and practiced late at night on Saturday with an afternoon game. So it just didn’t make sense to do anything (in East Lansing) on Saturday.
“Going up the night before when it is such a short trip, I didn’t see any purpose in it.”
Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein
Comments
2sweetblue
Sat, Mar 6, 2010 : 3:26 p.m.
I heard Dorsey is the keynote speaker at this so called potluck
2sweetblue
Fri, Mar 5, 2010 : 11:41 p.m.
Bust!!
wersch213
Fri, Mar 5, 2010 : 3:44 p.m.
Rich Rodriguez and Michigan won't go the way of Notre Dame and "Beefsteak" Charlie, so don't you worry redcedar. Morris will contain Lucas, and the Michigan "sharp shooters" will finally hit a few of the many open looks that sparty gave Michigan last game. Big Ten Tourney Championship or bust! GO BLUE, WE SUPPORT YOU!