The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1310365
10 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2020 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS BY THE NUMBERS PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Is where The Athletic's Brian Bennett placed U-M signee Moussa Diabate on his list of the top 40 high school basketball players in the country, regardless of class. "The exceptionally athletic and long Frenchman [he boasts a reported 7-foot-3 wingspan] is an aggressive rebounder and defender," Bennett explained. "He's not much of a perimeter threat but is versatile and improving fast." Fellow U-M signee Caleb Houston was also touted as one of the nation's finest prep players, checking in at No. 15. "Having Diabate to prowl inside and Houstan to snipe from outside … well, Michi- gan fans have a right to be frothing with excitement," Bennett wrote. "Houstan shot 53 percent on threes for a loaded Montverde team last season and will be asked to be more of a playmaker this season. He's a smart player who's a good rebounder and a solid defender, too. Fun times are coming to Ann Arbor." 26 26 Wins needed by U-M basketball fifth-year senior forward AUSTIN DAVIS this season to tie his former teammates, Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske, for the most victories in program history. Though Davis came into the program with Simpson and Teske, he redshirted during his freshman year, meaning the team's 26 wins in 2016-17 aren't included on his personal tally. Austin Davis is the coolest guy ever. If you have a problem with him, you have a problem with yourself. I'm still a little afraid to go hunting with him, though." — Freshman guard Jace Howard, discussing fifth- year senior big man Austin Davis with reporters Nov. 2. Davis is an avid hunter and outdoorsman. 17th Is where the Michigan women's bas- ketball team's 2021 recruiting class was ranked nationally by ESPN when the team's trio of commits officially inked with the Wolverines Nov. 11. The class is also listed 16th nationally by Collegiate Girls Basketball Report. The haul is headlined by consensus top-60 prospect Laila Phelia, a 6-0 guard from Cincinnati ranked 28th in the land by ESPN HoopGurlz. She is joined by 5-8 guard Ari Wiggins from Indianapolis, who is ranked 68th na- tionally by ESPN HoopGurlz but as high as No. 25 by other outlets, and 6-2 forward Taylor Gibson, who is unranked as a recruit by the major outlets but was a junior starter on a top-10 team nationally at Bishop McNamara High last season. 10.5 Is the score U-M senior defensive end KWITY PAYE earned in PFF's "pass rushing productiv- ity" rating through three games, making him the seventh-most productive pass rusher in college football (minimum 100 pass rushes) according to the metric, which combines sacks, quarterback hits and hurries relative to how many times they rush the passer. In three games, Paye had two sacks, four QB hits and 13 hurries, to go along with his 12 tackles and four stops for loss. PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN 25 25 Is the spot that both the U-M men's and women's basket- ball teams landed at in the As- sociated Press preseason poll for their respective sports. The men's squad concluded last sea- son with a 19-12 overall record in head coach Juwan Howard's first season at the helm, while the women finished with a 21-11 mark under KIM BARNES ARICO, who enters her ninth year in charge in 2020-21. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN #12