The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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DECEMBER 2019 THE WOLVERINE 43 MICHIGAN BASKETBALL Three Best Players 1. Junior guard Eli Brooks He enjoyed by far the best game of his U-M tenure in the victory over the Mountaineers, pouring in a career-high 24 points (his previous best had been nine) on 5-of-11 shooting from deep. Brooks also played a team-high 37 minutes in the win, pulling down two boards, handing out three assists and connecting on 5 of 6 free throws. 2. Senior center Jon Teske He got the Maize and Blue's season started off with a bang by scoring the first 11 points for his club, en route to a 17-point, 13-rebound performance. The double-double was the 11th of Teske's career, a feat he accomplished before the two teams even hit the locker rooms for halftime. 3. Junior forward Isaiah Livers His 14 points and 11 shot attempts were both the third most for the Wolverines against Appalachian State, with the point total standing as the third highest he had ever compiled in a game (the only two contests where he tallied more were last season when he poured in 21 in the victory over Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, and when he registered 17 in the win over Binghamton Dec. 30). After shooting 42.6 percent from deep last year, Livers picked up right where he left off by connecting on 2 of 5 triples (40.0 percent) against the Mountaineers. Key Play Appalachian State sophomore guard Adrian Delph brought the ball up on the right side of the court with 1:49 remaining in the contest, with his club trailing 70-64 and looking to cut into the six-point deficit. Delph was loosely guarded by senior guard Zavier Simp- son the whole way, and attempted to shake the senior by cutting to his left just past midcourt. Simpson read Delph's intentions perfectly, reaching in with his right hand and easily stealing the ball away. The senior guard then sprinted toward the Appalachian State basket, and attempted to lay it in off the glass with Delph draped all over him. Physical contact was made between the two but the referee's whistle was never blown, and Simpson's layup bounced high off the glass and never touched the rim. Livers was in the right spot at the right time, though, and corralled the ball before it hit the ground, laying it in with ease. The basket extended the Maize and Blue's lead back to eight at 72-64, and was a crucial turning point that helped stymie the Mountaineers' hopes of an upset on college bas- ketball's opening night. Best Highlight With Michigan leading Appalachian State 65-37 and 13:02 remaining in the game, Simpson casually brought the ball up the court before stopping at the right wing. With fresh- man forward Kendall Lewis guarding him, Simpson scanned the floor and found sophomore forward Brandon Johns all alone underneath the basket. The senior cocked back with his right arm and rifled a one-handed pass to the sophomore, who didn't even need to dribble before throwing down a monstrous two-handed slam. The Mountaineer players had failed to identify Johns as Simpson had advanced the ball up the court, which al- lowed the 6-8 forward to sneak into the paint undetected. Surprise Performer Brooks is the choice here, thanks to his surprising 24-point outburst in the season-opening triumph. To further exem- plify how astounding the junior's scoring effort was, con- sider this: he had tallied more than seven points just four times during his first 68 games in Ann Arbor. Brooks' 37 minutes were the most he had ever logged in a contest, shattering his previous high of 25 that he set last December against Air Force. The Spring Grove, Pa., native also nailed five of his 11 shots from deep, marking the first time he had ever connected on more than two triples in an outing. Brooks came up clutch when the Maize and Blue needed him most, converting his final five free throw attempts of the night, all of which came with less than 31 seconds re- maining in the affair after the Mountaineers had trimmed U-M's lead to four. Bold Prediction Michigan will win two of its three games in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament Nov. 27-29 in the Bahamas. This may not seem all that bold at the outset, but takes on a bit more significance when considering who the Wolver- ines could wind up squaring off with in the event. U-M will open play Nov. 27 against an Iowa State squad that went 23-12 last season and, depending on how the Maize and Blue fare against the Cyclones, will match up with either Alabama (18-16 last year) or North Carolina (29-7; reached the Sweet 16 last year) on Thanksgiving. Michigan will then conclude action Nov. 29 in either the tournament's championship or a consolation game, and will face one of Gonzaga (33-4), Oregon (25-13), Seton Hall (20-14) or Southern Miss (20-13). All but Southern Miss made the NCAA Tournament last year, with Gonzaga reach- ing the Elite Eight and Oregon making the Sweet 16. — Austin Fox Superlatives For The 79-71 Season-Opening Win Over App State Senior point guard Zavier Simpson had six points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals in the season-opening 79-71 win over Appalachian State. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL