The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1351834
12 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2021 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS BY THE NUMBERS 114 Is how many games it took Smith to reach the coveted 500-assist mark for his career, with the Burr Ridge, Ill., na- tive hitting the milestone in the game at MSU March 7. Prior to playing in Ann Arbor, Smith dished out 393 assists in 92 games over four seasons at Columbia. For perspec- tive, only four players in U-M history have eclipsed 500 assists in their careers. Is where U-M women's basketball junior forward NAZ HILLMON checked in on the Big Ten regular-season leaderboard in points per game (25.1), with the Cleveland native topping the league in rebounds per contest (11.3). That helped her earn the confer- ence's Player of the Year award from the coaches and media, and made her just the second in Big Ten history to be named the league's Freshman, Sixth Player and Player of the Year in her career. 5 Stars Rivals.com awarded to U-M cor- nerback commit WILL JOHNSON, who pledged to the Maize and Blue Feb. 28. The Grosse Pointe, Mich., native is just the seventh five-star re- cruit of the Jim Harbaugh era, joining safety Dax- ton Hill and defensive tack le Chris Hinton in 2019; linebacker Jordan Anthony, wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and defensive tackle Au- brey Solomon in 2017; and defensive lineman Rashan Gary in 2016. 50 Is how many points the Michigan State men's basketball team scored against U-M in the Wolverines' 69-50 blowout victory in Ann Arbor March 4. That is the lowest point total tallied by MSU in the rivalry since a 75-46 loss to the Wol- verines Feb. 27, 1996, and just the fifth time the Spartans have scored 50 points or less against U-M in the series' history. 51.1 51.1 Percent was U-M fifth- year senior guard Mike S m i t h's t h r e e - p o i n t shooting percentage during Big Ten play, which ranked first in the conference. Smith nailed 23 of his 45 attempts from beyond the arc in 17 league games. Michigan commit WILL TSCHETTER made the most of a last-minute national television oppor- tunity [Feb. 15] when his Stewartville (Minn.) High School team filled in for a Tennessee-based school that got snowed in, making it impossible for them to travel to Minnesota for an ESPN-produced game. "Most of the event coverage centered on [five-star center and] No. 1 overall prospect Chet Holmgren, who once again lived up to his lofty billing on the big stage, but the three-star Tschetter made a splash as well. Tschetter finished the game with 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists. More impres- sive than the stat line, however, were the couple of buckets he managed to get while going around the seven-foot Holmgren, whom most expect to make a case to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. "Currently ranked as the 133rd prospect in America, Tschetter is certainly making a case to slide up that list. How dramatic such a move will be is yet to be determined, but he outplayed his ranking." — Rivals.com national basketball recruiting analyst Rob Cassidy, singing the praises of U-M three-star power forward signee Will Tschetter in a Feb. 17 article "I wasn't on the bench for this game, but I drove down to watch [Feb. 21] in Columbus. First thing after a top- five win, @JuwanHoward pointed to me in the stands and hit his chest. THAT'S culture and that's how he treats all our players." — Michigan walk-on senior forward C.J. Baird after U-M's thrilling 92-87 win at Ohio State Feb. 21 2nd 2nd PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN