The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Inside Michigan ATHLETICS Finish On Practice Courts Produces Excitement M ichigan hoped to have its prac- tice courts done in the $23-million Player Development Center not long after practices began in October. They weren't finished and available until early December, due to some unex- pected setbacks, but that only height- ened the enthusiasm to get on them. The Wolverines are making full use of them now, senior swingman Zack Novak assured. "You can tell Coach is excited," No- vak said. "He's got his six baskets, the full baskets we can shoot on. We've gotten to take advantage of that. Shoot- ing drills that would have taken 20 minutes for everyone to do before only take 10. "Some guys, he's had them go shoot, then they'd watch themselves shoot [on video], see what they're doing. It's nice, especially with the floor. The floor is really bouncy, easy on your legs." THEWOLVERINE.COM POLL RESULTS Each month, TheWolverine.com runs a new poll for its readers to vote on. If you would like to vote, go to www.the- wolverine.com. The poll is located on our premium message board, The Fort. Should Michigan schedule Rich Rodriguez-led Arizona for 2014 or beyond? Yes — 40 percent No — 59 percent Unsure — 1 percent 1,326 votes Staff of The Wolverine's consensus: No. 10 THE WOLVERINE JANUARY 2012 The Wolverines still practice primar- ily in Crisler Arena. That keeps them used to the baskets where they play their games. But the great advantage comes in when players want to get extra shooting or drill work in prior to practices, when the women's team might have a game or a workout scheduled. Now, members of either squad can work out on the practice courts while Crisler is tied up. "I'm very excited about it," sopho- more Tim Hardaway Jr. said. "I know I can get in there any time, any day of the week or weekend. I'm going to be in there a lot during the season. I'm just trying to work on different aspects of my game. "I'm working on ball handling, com- ing off screen and rolls, finding the right guy after coming off the screens. You've got a lot of guys now that are double-teaming after the pick and roll, so you want to find the open man. I'm working on my shot. I feel like my three-point game has slipped. If I keep in going in the gym and getting shots, it will be fine." Now, he and the rest of the Wolver- ines don't have to worry about when they can go there. "It just makes it better with timing," Novak said. "If the women have a game, if they've got practice the day before a game, we can go whenever we want to and just go in the practice facility. "It's especially good for guys being able to go and get up shots before prac- tice. The women would normally be out in Crisler, and the guys wouldn't be able to get up shots. We'd just have to wait, so it's good." Even getting over to the new facility to work out can equate to a bonding With U-M's new practice courts in the Player Development Center, senior swingman Zack Novak and the Wolverines can complete their shooting drills more efficiently. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN time, freshman point guard Trey Burke noted. He's fitting into a crew he insists has grown close in a hurry. "The chemistry is great," Burke said. "We bond together as a team very well. Coaches do a good job of keeping us together and making sure that we're around each other all the time. Every- one doesn't have cars, and we all have to have each other's numbers, and stay in contact when we have to get places. "I think that makes the chemistry on the team better. In my opinion, this is one of the best teams I've ever played with, as far as chemistry." The Player Development Center stands as one venue where that sort of togetherness can be built. That's happening, noted sophomore Evan Smotrycz, who likes where the Wol- verines are headed. "If we stay focused and take care of the ball, we can play any style," Smotrycz said. "We can run with guys, we can slow it down, pound it inside. We can play a lot of different ways. If we continue to shoot the ball, we can play with anyone."