The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Press poll — the Michigan women's basketball team hit a momentum- killing slump. The Wolverines made four of their first six shots, but missed their next three and, midway through the first half, had already coughed up five turnovers. Down 14-10, Michigan head coach Kevin Borseth turned to the bench. Junior Sam Arnold checked in and L immediately downed a three-point shot. And then a layup. And then a touch jumper in the paint. The run lasted 68 seconds, and it ended Arnold 7, Buckeyes 2, with the Wolverines on top, 17-16. Although it was a tiny section of the entire game, it was just the spark Michigan needed. The Wolverines outscored Ohio State by 10 the rest of the way en route to a 73-62 win. In the upset, Arnold scored 11 crucial first-half points — the only player on either team to reach dou- ble-digits in the first 20 minutes — while exactly half of the Wolverines' 32 points at the break were provided by bench players. "Coach Borseth always says our offense is an equal opportunity for everyone to get in there and score," Arnold said. "Coming off the bench, I try to get in there and give as much energy as I can and give a good spark, be a good complement to the players I'm in there with." Actually, that hasn't always been the case. Borseth has traditionally stuck by his starters, for better or worse. Last season, all five full-time start- ers — Veronica Hicks, Rachel Sheffer, Carmen Reynolds, Jenny Ryan and Nya Jordan (before her knee injury) — averaged more than 27 minutes a game, and three of them more than 30. In 2009-10, all five full-time start- ers also played at least 27 minutes a game; four of them started all 35 games, and freshman Dayeesha Hol- lins started 34. Bench players were used sparingly. "I hate substituting," Borseth said, bluntly. "Not because I don't have confidence in my bench players — when they get in, I hate substituting Borseth has traditionally asked his starters to play a lot, but this year only two are averaging more than 27 minutes a game while eight players are seeing at least 12 minutes a contest. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN FEBRUARY 2012 THE WOLVERINE 77 BY ANDY REID ocked in a heated battle Jan. 7 with unbeaten Ohio State — which had climbed to No. 8 in the Associated Head Coach Kevin Borseth Is Using A Deeper Player Rotation This Season A Spark Off The Bench