MAUI INVITATIONAL : Big Second Half Sends Sun Devils into Final

Bill Frieder knew what was coming and thought about simply sending a message about beating an old employer Tuesday. After all, he had left the job at Michigan on something other than cordial terms, but that was a long time ago.

Then he decided that wasn’t the best way to explain Arizona State’s 79-62 victory over the No. 13 Wolverines in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii.

Frieder coached Michigan from 1981 until being forced to resign just before the 1989 NCAA tournament when he had accepted the job at Arizona State. Steve Fisher was appointed interim coach and led the Wolverines to the national championship that year.

“I think too much was made of this nonsense,” said Frieder after his Sun Devils had earned the right to play Maryland for the tournament championship. The Terrapins beat Utah, 90-78, in the other semifinal.

“It was a very minute two hours in a lifetime. It was not Frieder vs. Fisher or Frieder vs. Michigan. It was Arizona State against Michigan, period.”

The Sun Devils (2-0) dominated play from a 38-38 halftime tie, starting the second half with a 13-0 run.

“I said coming in the key would be if we could force an up tempo, and it was,” Frieder said. “Our quickness and athleticism prevailed.”

Michigan (1-1) missed 10 of its first 11 shots in the second half.

Maryland’s Joe Smith matched his career high with 33 points, most from down low where he got Utah players in foul trouble in leading the No. 7 Terrapins (2-0).

When the Utes cut the lead to 73-68 with 7:02 to play, Smith scored 10 of the Terrapins’ next 12 points.

Keith Van Horn, Utah’s leading scorer, scored 28 points in 22 foul-plagued minutes.

In the consolation bracket, No. 11 Indiana (1-1) was a 92-79 winner over Chaminade (0-2) and will play Tulane (1-1), a 76-74 winner over Texas A&M; (0-2), for fifth place.