Ann Arbor, MI (Sports Network) - In a unique situation where one team is
playing its final exhibition game and the other its 2012-13 season opener,
Division II Slippery Rock takes on fifth-ranked Michigan tonight at Crisler
Arena in Ann Arbor.
This is an exhibition game for Slippery Rock and will not count toward its
official record, but the contest is Michigan's season opener and will be an
official part of the Wolverines' season mark.
The Rock went 17-10 last season and earned a berth in the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference Tournament for the third time in four years. SRU is
coached by Kevin Reynolds, who has amassed a 74-41 record in five years at the
helm.
The Wolverines welcome back three starters from last year's NCAA Tournament
team that won a share of the Big Ten title. Head Coach John Beilein enters his
sixth year with the program, and he has a record of 91-77 there while
compiling an overall mark of 642-395 in 34 seasons as a collegiate head coach.
Slippery Rock returns four starters from last year's club, highlighted by 2012
All-PSAC-West performers Devin Taylor (first team) and Tabari Perry (second
team). Taylor led The Rock in both scoring and rebounding. In SRU's first
exhibition game against Navy last Sunday, Perry scored a game-high 18 points
while Taylor finished with a double-double consisting of 13 points and 13
rebounds. Center Luiz Santos logged a double-dip of his own with 10 points and
10 boards, as the Rock sank the Midshipmen, 79-56, on the road. This
represents a huge leap in competition level for the small school from western
Pennsylvania.
Michigan returns a pair of All-Big Ten performers in Trey Burke and Tim
Hardaway, Jr. Burke was named the league's Freshman of the Year by the media
last season after averaging 14.8 points and 4.6 assists per game, while
Hardaway, Jr. turned in 14.6 ppg. The duo will need to be on top of their game
throughout the season, but particularly early on as newcomers Mitch McGary and
Glenn Robinson III develop their overall games. Both are talented players
already, but while Robinson has the blood lines (his dad is former Purdue and
NBA star Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson), the 6-10 McGary comes in as one of the top
frontcourt recruits in the country. Scoring in close to the basket will be
paramount to any success Michigan achieves this year, but make no mistake,
this team will run through its guards.
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