The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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than his share of adversity in the first half of Michigan's season, Beilein noted. "You ever stub your toe and tried to play?" he asked. "It's not easy. A lot of times, when you have an injury, you've got to beg them to come in [for treatment]. That young man was here Friday, three or four times. "He's there right now. He under- stands that it's important to get him- self healthy." NEW ROLES PLAY A PART The two starting guards themselves demonstrate how dramatically Michi- gan's lineup has changed from the Elite Eight crew of last season. Yes, Walton started, but he not only had the support of a deep group of vet- erans, he was further down on the Wolverines' list of scoring options. Stauskas, Big Ten Player of the Year and eventual top-10 NBA Draft pick, drew the most attention. With Robin- son, LeVert, and a fifth-year senior in Morgan on hand, Walton could easily become a complementary component, especially when it came to scoring. Albrecht, meanwhile, has been a fan favorite ever since his freshman season, featuring his fantasy-scenario first half in the national champion- ship game against Louisville. But few would have ever projected him as a regular starter for the Wolverines, cer- tainly not as a high school recruit. He has more on his plate than ever, and through Michigan's first 17 games he shot 34.1 percent from three-point range. That's down from 38.7 percent as a sophomore and 54.5 percent as a true freshman, including his 9-of-10 effort in the run to the title game. Go right down the Michigan lineup, and it's a similar story. LeVert finds himself having to create far more than he ever did, with fewer sure options in terms of passing off. Irvin isn't in- stant heat off the bench anymore; in- stead, he has to get after it from the opening tip, including playing ex- tended defense, rebounding and see- ing the additional defensive attention. A year ago, he shot 42.5 percent from beyond the arc as a true fresh- man. This year, it's 36.1 percent through 17 games, and Beilein has found occasion to try and refocus him when the shooting woes get Ir- vin down. That's why Beilein highlighted a play from the Penn State game so forcefully. Irvin has to be a stronger all-around performer for the Wolver- ines to be successful, and his effort af- ter a miss became as good as a make, his coach pointed out. "Zak Irvin missed a wide-open three, and he got a 50-50 ball that he never would have gotten a couple of years ago," Beilein said. "He threw it to Max [Bielfeldt], Max threw it to Spike, Spike threw it to Aubrey [Dawkins], and Aubrey knocked it in. That was a huge play in that game. "Zak would have, even a month ago, maybe been looking at that shot and, 'Shucks, I missed it,' and maybe not getting his own rebound. Those are the strides we're making." Whether they're made quickly enough for March to feature madness remains an unknown.