The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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74 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MARCH 2024 ❱ MICHIGAN BASKETBALL Three Best Players 1. Sophomore forward Tarris Reed Jr. Four of Reed's double-digit scoring efforts on the season have come in the last five games, with the 6-foot-10, 265-pounder raising his level of play on the offensive end. During that span, he averaged 12.2 points per clash and shot 22-of-45 (48.9 percent) on two-pointers. He also improved from the free throw line, up to 59.1 percent from the line after posting a 40 percent mark last season. He has made 17 of his last 24 foul shots. Reed has three career double-doubles, with two of them in the last five contests. He recorded 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in a 69-59 loss to Rutgers Feb. 3, and 15 points and 11 boards in a 73-63 setback to Michigan State Feb. 17. 2. Graduate forward Olivier Nkamhoua The bar isn't very high when ranking top players on a squad that's been without its most valuable piece in recent road games, in sophomore point guard Dug McDaniel. We don't have him in the top five since he missed four of the last eight games. That's how Nkamhoua, who struggled in recent outings, checks in No. 2. He scored double-digit points in five of the eight most recent contests, including 16 in an 88-73 loss to Illinois Jan. 18. He also grabbed 10 and 12 rebounds in back-to-back losses at Nebraska Feb. 10 (79- 59) and at Illinois Feb. 13 (97-68), respectively. Unfortunately, Nkamhoua had surgery on his wrist following the MSU game Feb. 17, and he will miss the remainder of the season. 3. Senior forward Terrance Williams II Williams is Michigan's top sharpshooter and one of its most steady play- ers. The value he brings was apparent even, and maybe especially, when he was out with an illness in the MSU loss. The U-M rotation was stressed, with four players seeing 33-plus minutes, and they ran out of gas, not scoring a point in the final 7:01. Williams hasn't been prolific, but he's still been one of the top standouts on a team that's lost 13 of its last 15 games. Though he connected on just 3 of his last 20 three-point tries, he's still sitting at 38.9 percent from long range on the year. He scored 17 points in the loss at Il- linois and scored in double figures five of his last seven contests. Key Moment Michigan tied the score with Michigan State at 63-63 with 7:01 to play Feb. 17 at Crisler Center, but the Wolverines failed to score another point and allowed the Spartans to reach 73 in a disappointing loss. In U-M's nine possessions directly after tying things up, it had 5 turnovers, 3 missed long jump shots and a missed layup. Best Highlight Michigan had a 63-57 lead over Wisconsin with just over four minutes to play Feb. 7 in Ann Arbor. Late in the shot clock, the ball found Williams, who was guarded by Wisconsin standout wing AJ Storr. With five seconds to shoot, Williams drove from the top of the key to the right baseline, planted his left foot and faded away to hit a 10-foot jumper with a hand in his face with one second remaining on the shot clock. That dagger put the Wolver- ines ahead 65-57 and was one of the highlights of a 28-20 close to the game. The Maize and Blue trailed by four with 13:47 to go but answered with their own hot stretch to knock off the No. 11 team in the land. Bold Prediction KenPom predicts that Michigan will win just one more regular-season game, though it's an underdog in each individual contest. We project that the Wolverines will get that victory in one of their remaining games — against Northwestern, Purdue, Rutgers, Ohio State or Nebraska — but lose in the first game of the Big Ten Tournament. U-M is currently in last place in the conference and slated to take on the No. 11 seed in one of two Wednesday night games. The Wolverines' season will end there. U-M has won just one Big Ten Tournament game under head coach Juwan Howard, a 79-66 victory over Maryland in 2021, after never losing its first game in the event in 12 seasons under former head man John Beilein. — Clayton Sayfie Superlatives For U-M's Eight Games From Jan. 23 To Feb. 17 Terrance Williams II scored 17 points in a 97-68 loss to Illinois Feb. 13 and has reached double figures in five of his last seven contests. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL been I've always faced the noise. I roll up my sleeves and find solutions. "We're going to be solution-based as we finish the season. Next season is not here. We have to finish the season strong." Howard wouldn't use his health as an excuse, adding, "I am getting healthier." He added he would continue to coach his guys to the best of the ability while keep- ing his cool during the hard times. "That's the blessing of God, and then there's also the three days a week that I go to physical therapy," he said. "I do a lot of work on rehabilitation to get stronger, and I'm so happy to have nurses there that are working hard with me and kicking my butt. Because I have my workouts, too, and those workouts are intense, but at the same time, I see some good positive results. "As a leader of the program, if I crack and I explode, that's going to trickle down to the players. So, it's my job to keep coaching, keep teaching, and to find positive energy each and every day. That's what I enjoy doing, because these young men that I work with, I love them, and I enjoy coaching. I've enjoyed work- ing with them, and I enjoy learning from them." ❑