The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/666058
season. He also dropped back in free throw percentage (69.7 to 65.8) and turnovers (47 to 65), although he posted a career-high 107 assists, more than twice as many as his 49 in 2014-15. Beilein acknowledged Irvin never got completely back up to speed following his back surgery, but the coach expects him to do so after a summer of conditioning. "I think he can get all the way back," Beilein said. "When he gets back to 100 percent, he's going to be a much better player. He'll be able to rise up on his jump shot better. He won't have the fatigue that he had. Under the circumstances, he really had a good year. "Getting crafty at the rim — that's the other thing. Muhammad is crafty at the rim. Derrick and Zak have to get craftier at the rim. Duncan has to be craftier." Walton averaged 11.6 points per game and, incredibly, led the Wolver- ines with an average of 5.4 rebounds per contest. The latter represents a strong effort by a 6-1 guard, and Wal- ton showed other flashes of brilliance in his game. At the same time, Beilein wants to see more aggressiveness out of his lead guard, such as on the play that made Chatman the talk of the Big Ten Tournament for a night. "One would be that last play against Indiana," Beilein said. "He was wide open, too. He's got to look at the basket more and improve his percentages from two. His foot had a lot to do with it last year, but his percentage from two is going to be Junior guard Derrick Walton averaged a team-high 33.6 minutes, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game, while ranking third with 11.6 points per contest. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN