The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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If Beilein has his way, he'll take a little bit more in stepping outside his comfort zone. He's learning, though, and has proven time and again he'll be there down the stretch when it matters most. ❏ U-M's Top Rebounding Point Guards Of The Last 35 Years Michigan has had a number of point guards who have been outstanding on the glass over the years, and junior Derrick Walton Jr. is proving to be one of the better ones. He was tied for the team lead with 5.4 caroms per game through 18 contests, having played in 15. "For him to grab 10 rebounds in that Maryland game was really an eye-opener for me," former U-M big man and current analyst Tim McCormick said. "Mary- land is big, and they're athletic and they're physical. Michigan was going to get pounded on the boards playing four guards. So that was a critical element of this game for Michigan." Our top five rebounding point guards of the last 35 years for the Wolverines: 1. Derrick Walton Jr. (2013-present): Walton has gotten better each year, from 3.7 rebounds per game as a freshman to 4.3 last year to 5.4 this season. "He's a tough, tough kid," redshirt sophomore wing Duncan Robinson said. "He has a nose for the ball, just the instincts, something you really can't teach." 2. Jalen Rose (1991-94): More point forward than point guard, Rose none- theless rebounded the position well when he was the team's primary ball han- dler in 1991-92 and 1992-93. He averaged 4.3 and 4.2 rebounds per game those two years and 5.7 as a junior, when he played more off the ball with Dugan Fife running the point. 3. Darius Morris (2009-11): Morris didn't play enough as a freshman to be a huge factor in his first year, averaging only 1.8 rebounds per game, but he excelled as a sophomore. He hauled in 139 rebounds (4.0 per game) and had 10 in one game, part of a 12-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist triple-double against Iowa. Who knows how good he'd have been if he'd stuck around for his junior and senior years rather than going to the NBA. 4. Gary Grant (1984-88): Grant needed to be more of a factor on the glass in 1986-87 simply because Michigan didn't have experienced big men. He averaged 5.0 per game, including 10 in a 24-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple- double during an NCAA Tournament loss to North Carolina. He averaged 3.2 boards per game as a sophomore and 3.4 as a senior. 5. Rumeal Robinson (1987-90): Robinson worked his way up to become a very good rebounder for the position by the end of his career. He was blessed with a huge body and ridiculous hops, and averaged 4.2 rebounds per game as a senior. — Chris Balas