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Now the real season begins for the University of Michigan basketball team.
The Wolverines, 2-0 after beginning the season with blowout home wins over Northern Michigan and Houston Baptist, hit the road Thursday for the opening round of the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla.
Michigan will play Creighton at noon on ESPN2 in the first round of the eight-team tournament. It is hoped Michigan’s play won’t resemble a Thanksgiving Turkey.
Michigan is the only ranked team in the field but coach John Beilein refuses to believe his team is a favorite.
“At this time of they year I don’t buy into favorites and non-favorites and ranked teams and unranked teams," Beilein said. “I want us just going in there confident but also knowing, ‘All right, now we get to play in some really challenging situations.’”
The event is wholly owned by ESPN and all games will be on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. The majority of games will be on ESPN2, including the championship game on Sunday night and most of the losers’ bracket games will be on ESPNU.
Creighton, under veteran coach Dana Altman, has made three straight NIT appearances and is hungry for an NCAA berth this year. Michigan, which went 10 years without an NCAA berth until landing one last year, knows the feeling.
“They, along with Butler and a few others are among the best of the mid-majors,” Beilein said. “I refuse to think of them as mid-major any more.”
Creighton, out of Omaha, Neb., plays in the Missouri Valley Conference and in the only meeting between the schools back in the mid-60’s, the Wolverines defeated the Blue Jays. Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson attended Creighton and played basketball there.
The winner of the Michigan-Creighton takes on the winner of Marquette-Xavier on Friday at noon. The losers play at 2:30 p.m. The tournament continues on Sunday with games including the championship at 7:30 p.m.
On the other side of the bracket, Alabama meets Baylor and Florida State takes on Iona.
ESPN analyst Fran Frischella predicts a Michigan vs. Florida State final.
Former Michigan forward Ekpe Udoh is starting for Baylor.
This is the first Thanksgiving tournament trip for Michigan since the 2007 Great Alaska Shootout appearance when the Wolverines won just one of three games.
Beilein’s 2006 West Virginia team was in the Old Spice Classic before losing in the finals. Michigan State was upset by Oklahoma State in last year’s Old Spice Classic.
Creighton, 2-1, lost to Dayton earlier this season. Both Xavier and Marquette are 3-0. Iona and Florida State are also 3-0, Baylor is 4-0 and Alabama is 2-1.
Michigan has been led this season by 6-7 center DeShawn Sims, who is averaging 22 points per game. Manny Harris began the season by recording only the second triple-double in Michigan history with 18 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists against Northern Michigan.
The only change in Michigan’s starting lineup from last year is at point guard where freshman Darius Morris has replaced last year’s senior combination of David Merrit and C.J. Lee. Morris, from Los Angeles, is the first Michigan player from California since 2002 and has played well in two starts.
Michigan returns home next week for the ACC/Big Ten challenge when the Wolverines host Boston College at Crisler Arena on Wednesday.
For more info: mgoblue, annarbor.com, Detroit News
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