The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1051817
DECEMBER 2018 THE WOLVERINE 43 MICHIGAN BASKETBALL "For our young guys, it's part of the reason they came here," Beilein said. "Most of them would have committed after our [Big Ten Tour- nament] championship in 2017 down in Washington D.C., so they know this a little bit. They believe we can win championships here, and this is more credibility to it. "The biggest thing is to tell them this didn't happen easily. We just worked hard every day, and we fo- cused on what we could control, but that's not easy given all the distrac- tions you could have." They got there by doing every- thing Beilein preached, Livers said, but one thing in particular. "Play as a team," Livers said. "We didn't get there without being a team. It's got to be a team-first men- tality." — Chris Balas BEILEIN IS STILL HOPEFUL FOR A FAB FIVE REUNION Former Michigan Fab Fiver Chris Webber was U-M's honorary captain for the Wolverines' game with Penn State Nov. 3 — only it wasn't basket- ball, but Jim Harbaugh's football team he was representing. Webber received a nice ovation and acknowledged the crowd with a wave and a bow before the coin toss. Michigan head coach John Beilein was hopeful he'd get a chance to see Webber, too, after having reached out to him many times with no response. "We did not intersect, but I think it was a great step in the right direc- tion that he was here," Beilein said days after the game. "Whatever we can continue to do to keep those two different entities moving closer to a reunion of everyone, of every basket- ball program that we've had here in the past, is all good." Webber was the center and an All-American on the 1992 and 1993 NCAA finalists, but his dealings with the late booster Ed Martin led to sanc- tions and his own 10-year ban from the program. That ended in 2013. Beilein has since been trying to get in touch. "There were five or six years where I was limited in what I could say about that era," Beilein said. "Since the ban has been off, I've reached out to Chris several times. "I continue to do that, and we're going to continue to try and build bridges and just really work at mak- ing sure there's a lot of healing going forward. "… I want every player that ever played here to feel like he's a part of that building, including Chris. We're really looking forward to the day that we get him back here with our team, in front of crowds and things like that." — Chris Balas JON TESKE EMERGING FOR MICHIGAN With Moritz Wagner departing early for the NBA, Michigan had huge shoes to fill down low. Wagner was a key piece in Michi- gan's back-to-back Big Ten Tourna- ment championships and its most recent trip to the Final Four. The an- swer to who would replace Wagner was junior center Jon Teske, who had a minimal role in Michigan's impres- sive two-year run. However, in the season-opening victory over Norfolk State, the 7-1, 260-pound Teske led Michigan with 13 points and was a threat on both ends of the floor. After tying for the team lead with eight boards and notching a game-best four blocks, he looked like he would fill Wagner 's role just fine. In a 56-37 win over Holy Cross Nov. 10 in the second game of the season, he picked up another five blocks. Both of U-M's first two oppo- nents struggled to shoot over Teske's length. "He's not a shot blocker, but a big dude to score over," Michigan coach John Beilein said after the season opener. "He just goes up there. It used to be a foul when you jumped up like that, but he's really starting to understand the verticality. He's just a big wall for us and using it ef- fectively." His size is going to affect how teams attempt to attack Michigan's defense. Opponents might be hesi- tant to go at him down low. "It's going to change up their game plan," sophomore forward Isaiah Livers said. "They're not going to go at a 7-footer that can move his feet and doesn't foul. You wouldn't be a smart coach to go at Teske." Teske can provide a safety valve for Michigan's offense when they 2018-19 MICHIGAN MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Time (ET) Nov. 2 Northwood (BTN+)^ W, 90-58 Nov. 6 Norfolk State (BTN)* W, 63-44 Nov. 10 Holy Cross (BTN+)* W, 56-37 Nov. 14 at Villanova (FS1)$ 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17 George Washington (ESPN3)# Noon Nov. 18 Providence/South Carolina# (ESPN/ESPN2) TBA Nov. 23 Chattanooga (BTN) 4:00 p.m. Nov. 28 North Carolina (ESPN)& 9:30 p.m. Dec. 1 Purdue (ESPN)! 3:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at Northwestern (BTN)! 9:00 p.m. Dec. 8 South Carolina (FS1) Noon Dec. 15 W. Michigan (BTN) 2:00 p.m. Dec. 22 Air Force (BTN) 4:00 p.m. Dec. 30 Binghamton (BTN) Noon Jan. 3 Penn State (ESPN/ESPN2)! 7:00 p.m. Jan. 6 Indiana (CBS)! 1:30 or 4:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at Illinois (FS1)! 8:00 p.m. Jan. 13 Northwestern (BTN)! 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at Wisconsin (ESPN/ESPN2)! Noon Jan. 22 Minnesota (BTN)! 7:00 p.m. Jan. 25 at Indiana (FS1)! 6:30 p.m. Jan. 29 Ohio State (ESPN/ESPN2)! 9:00 p.m. Feb. 1 at Iowa (FS1)! 7:00 p.m. Feb. 5 at Rutgers (BTN)! 8:00 p.m. Feb. 9 Wisconsin (FOX)! Noon Feb. 12 at Penn State (BTN)! 8:30 p.m. Feb. 16 Maryland (FOX)! Noon Feb. 21 at Minnesota (ESPN/ESPN2)! 7:00 p.m. Feb. 24 Michigan State (CBS)! 3:45 p.m. Feb. 28 Nebraska (ESPN/ESPN2)! 7:00 p.m. March 3 at Maryland (CBS)! 3:45 p.m. March 9 at Michigan State (ESPN/ESPN2)! TBA March 13-17 Big Ten Tournament (at Chicago, Ill.) March 19-April 8 NCAA Tournament (at various sites) ^ — Exhibition; * — Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Tipoff Tournament, Campus Round; $ — Gavitt Tipoff Games; # — Naismith Memorial Basket- ball Hall Of Fame Tipoff Tournament in Uncasville, Conn.; & — ACC/Big Ten Challenge; ! — Big Ten Game Former Michigan and NBA star Chris Webber served as an honorary team captain for the football team's 42-7 win over Penn State Nov. 3. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL