The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/751827
DECEMBER 2016 THE WOLVERINE 45 MICHIGAN BASKETBALL size and skill. But they're very differ- ent players at this point, with Wagner still scrambling to get his defense up to speed. "D.J. gives us great athleticism. Moe gives us great skill," Beilein explained. "If Moe can make the same jumps that D.J.'s made … but it's a matter of time. You've got a guy who's never had to rebound in his whole life. Never. And now he's 6-11, so this is what you're supposed to do — you're supposed to rebound. "In these two years, he's sort of learning it. There are techniques to it. There's a mentality. But those two at 6-10 [and 6-11] … there are guys who are 6-7 and crafty, but it's tough to shoot over our guys." The two can probably learn a lot from each other. Beilein knows the Wolverines will face different types of teams, where different combinations will be more effective. As always, growth is the key. "We've got to grow D.J.'s skill and with Moe, more aggressive and more anticipating the next plays," Beilein said. "He's a little slow reacting to it. He didn't have those reps last year. "D.J. didn't have them. This is the first time with D.J., it's really slowed down for him." BEILEIN PLEASED WITH MICHIGAN'S OPENING-NIGHT WIN Howard University was without its top scorer, a future pro in point guard James Daniel, when the Bison came to Ann Arbor for the season opener Nov. 11, part of the regional 2K Classic. Daniel averaged 27 points per game last year, and his loss was a blow. His absence didn't prevent head coach John Beilein from worry- ing about the intricate and effective match-up zone Howard brought with its remaining players, all veterans. U-M finally solved it in the second half on the way to a 76-68 victory in its first test. "I'm concerned about every game, but they took us out of our rhythm early, and I was a little concerned about that game because we needed to shoot the ball well," Beilein said. "But we've got to rely on defense a lot and probably try to get in transition. How they played, what they play, there's not a plan — they're going to take you out of your plan. They're going to deny passes, make it difficult to run what you want to run." In the end, however — on a night when UConn lost to Wagner in an- other 2K Classic contest — U-M was happy to survive. Howard's match-up zone and ath- leticism provided quickness Beilein said his team might not see again all season long. The Wolverines pulled away late, and while his team had "all kinds of plans" for the Howard zone, at the end it came down to making plays. "Some of them worked, some of them didn't. It came down to 'play ball,' and we played ball when we needed to," Beilein said. "Up until they made a few shots at the end, I think our defense was really good. We forced 17 turnovers — they shot a high percentage, but 17 turnovers was part of that. It was just a good perfor- mance defensively. "Then off the bench, the 21 [com- bined points] and 14 [combined re- John Beilein opened his 10th year in Ann Arbor with a 76-58 victory over Howard at Crisler Center Nov. 11. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN Basketball Rewind: Nov. 11-16 Overall Record: 2-0 Best Win — 76-58 over Howard, Nov. 11: Michigan faced a tricky match-up zone against Howard in the season opener, ultimately prevailing despite a slow start offensively. Senior guard Derrick Walton Jr. led the way for the Wolverines, scoring 20 points, boosted by 4-of-7 shooting from three-point range. Walton added three assists and three steals on the night. Senior forward Zak Irvin scored 11, while redshirt sophomore forward D.J. Wilson scored nine points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. The Wolverines led by nine at the half, 34-25, and used a decisive advantage at the free-throw line (23 of 26, compared to Howard's 14 of 29) to pull away. Michigan also led in second-chance points, 18-11, in a game that was part of the 2K Classic Ann Arbor Regional. Worst Loss: None. Breakout Performer — D.J. Wilson: The Wolverines are looking for help on the boards, and the third-year performer supplied some, pulling down eight stray shots against Howard. He also flashed some offensive excitement, throwing down a slam dunk after soaring to snag a rebound high above the rim. He followed up the opener with 14 rebounds in Michigan's subsequent 77-65 victory over IUPUI. He also asserted himself with his length, blocking five shots. Wilson gives the Wolverines length and athleticism at the four spot, and can also help out at the five when called upon. He has remained in the background for the most part over his first two years in Ann Arbor, but is in position to begin asserting himself with this crew. Head coach John Beilein noted Wilson has gotten stronger, and that the red- shirt sophomore realizes it no longer hurts to jump in and battle in the paint. That's one ticket for him to see minutes, but he also has some range on his shot, granting him the ability to grow into the stretch-four role. Freshman Impact — Xavier Simpson: None of the Michigan freshmen drew extensive minutes over the first pair of games, but the rookie guard did deliver in his first chance in maize and blue. Simpson hit his only two shots, including a three-pointer, in the opener against Howard. He added two assists and a steal in 11 minutes. The freshman is feeling his way out so far, but has some quickness and ball-handling skills that can help the Wolverines this season. — John Borton