The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/111015
������ men���s basketball of the season. In short, he���s doing it all again, for a team hoping to repeat as Big Ten champions. Impact Freshman ��� Mitch McGary: The rugged rookie needed to step up when redshirt junior big man Jordan Morgan went down with an ankle injury. McGary did it so well, he garnered Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors during Morgan���s absence. McGary���s 14 points and four steals against Ohio State helped boost Michigan to the overtime victory against the Buckeyes. Meanwhile, his hustle shows up even when the statistics aren���t as gaudy. In the scuffle past Penn State Feb. 17, McGary made a diving recovery of a loose ball, flipped it to a teammate and set up a fast-break three-point play opportunity. Moments later, he tipped a ball on the offensive glass to fellow freshman Glenn Robinson III, who scored and drew a foul. McGary���s non-stop motor will keep him improving. Game To Watch: Michigan State at Michigan, March 3: The Spartans had everything their way when the Wolverines succumbed in East Lansing. Michigan players came away expressing embarrassment, anger and nearly every other negative emotion imaginable following that 75-52 pummeling. Beilein has stressed increased physicality, and the Spartans simply cannot play their brand of clutchand-grab, over-the-back basketball in Crisler Center. This one lets everyone know whether or not the Wolverines still have a shot at a Big Ten title. ��� John Borton In Big Ten Stats, U-M Offense Stays Near Top, While Defense Slides The Big Ten season reveals all cracks, some have observed. While Michigan remains close to the ceiling of the conference in its ability to score points, the Wolverines have struggled some with their interior defense, and it���s shown up in the numbers. Through Feb. 17, U-M averaged 72.2 points per game in conference play, second only to Indiana���s 76.5 average. But while the Wolverines were limiting teams to less than 60 points per game in the non-conference schedule, they���re giving up an average 64.3 in Big Ten play ��� a far cry from Wisconsin���s league-leading 56.2 average. The Wolverines did maintain the second-best scoring margin in the league, beating Big Ten teams by an average 7.9 points per game, while the Hoosiers were enjoying blowouts by an average 13.7 points. Michigan remained second in the Big Ten in field goal shooting (47.5 percent) behind only Indiana (48.3), and stood third in three-point shooting (39.4 percent) behind Indiana and Michigan State (39.7). The Wolverines��� only head-scratcher on offense crops up at the free throw line, where they were no better than eighth in the Big Ten (68.4 percent), well behind