The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/629217
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Michigan is Living On The Edge By Michael Spath With the emergence of junior big man Mark Donnal (averaging 13.0 points in conference play through five games) and the slashing ability of sophomore guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (14 of 20 on two-point attempts in league action), Michigan is more than just a three-point shooting team. However, the Wolverines still over-rely on the three — made buckets behind the arc accounted for 42.9 percent of Michigan's scoring through Jan. 17. U-M connected on 26 threes in Big Ten victories over Penn State Jan. 2 and Maryland Jan. 12 without LeVert, and Michigan's three-point success accounted for 52.3 percent of 149 total points in those wins. The Maize and Blue hit 11 threes in a loss to Purdue Jan. 7 and 10 in a defeat at Iowa Jan. 17, but their inability to create two-point shots showed, with U-M going just 27 of 60 on two-point field goals in those losses. That is where LeVert is noticeably missing. Though Levert can drain the three, connecting on 40.1 percent of his 334 career attempts, he has made 232 of 508 two-point tries (45.7 percent) in his career, av- eraging 6.7 two-point field goal attempts per game over the past three seasons (and 6.9 per game this year). Among guards and wings, junior Zak Irvin was second in two-point field goal attempts this season with 4.9, while junior Derrick Walton Jr. was averaging 3.6, Abdur-Rahkman 3.0, sophomore Aubrey Dawkins 2.4 and redshirt sophomore Duncan Robinson only 1.2. With the exception of Walton (35.2 percent) the guards/wings make their two-point buckets consistently — Irvin at 56.0 percent, Abdur-Rahkman at 55.6, Dawkins at 65.1 and Robinson at 50.0 — but they need to create more of those opportunities. Michigan could always count on LeVert for keeping the Maize and Blue close when the threes weren't falling. A year ago, U-M went 5-9 without LeVert and while the Wolverines are 2-2 with- out him this season, they do not want to press their luck. They need his consistent scoring inside and outside the arc, his defense (Le- Vert's 15 steals through Jan. 18 ranked second on the team despite missing four games) his playmaking (a team-high 5.2 assists per game) and his leadership. Players like Irvin, Abdur-Rahkman and Walton have stepped up in LeVert's absence, but without their best player and the contribution he offers, Michigan cannot stay in the Big Ten race. POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT COULD THE WOLVERINES COMPETE FOR THE BIG TEN TITLE WITHOUT SENIOR CARIS LEVERT?