The Wolverine

March 2018

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/944586

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 82 of 99

MARCH 2018 THE WOLVERINE 83   MICHIGAN BASKETBALL like Duncan — one of the best in the country," Abdur-Rahkman said. "When he's hot it adds a different dynamic and different look for teams to try to guard. It opens up a lot of things for other people." Defeating the Buckeyes on Senior Day, while full of emotion, also came with a feeling of not being finished. "When you're a senior looking at your last games, you look at it like it's now or never," Robinson said. "You see the time ticking down on your career, and you have to have a heightened sense of urgency if you want to leave a mark. "That's not me individually, it's more as a team," he added. "If we want to do something this year and leave a mark, it falls on us the cap- tains and older guys to shoulder that responsibility. "I'd like to be remembered as a talented over-achiever. Somebody who worked his butt off and did ev- erything the right way and put his teammates first." Simmons feels that, too, and after an up-and-down season has finally turned a corner. He's taken away the backup point guard minutes from freshman Eli Brooks and turned him- self into an asset as the season winds down. He played crucial stretches against both Iowa and Ohio State, combining for seven points, five as- sists and three rebounds in 21 min- utes of action. "I've seen him growing. It's tough to come in here and take on a differ- ent role and learn a new offense," Abdur-Rahkman said. "The offense is pretty complex, and it takes a while to get the hang of things and get comfortable." Heading into the final week of the regular season, Michigan sat at 22-7 overall and 11-5 in the Big Ten. It had road games coming up against Penn State and Maryland — two challenging foes that would serve as nice résumé boosters. Then the team travels to New York City for the Big Ten Tournament Feb. 28 to March 4, where the Wolverines are defending champions. No player is denying the tough road ahead, but they all agree on one thing — they don't want last year's conference tournament to be the last one they win at Michigan. — Andrew Vailliencourt AUSTIN HATCH GETS HIS FITTING FAREWELL Michigan honored Austin Hatch — on medical scholarship the last three years while recovering from a plane crash that claimed the lives of his father and stepmother — in fitting fashion during Senior Day Feb. 18. Hatch dressed, was an honorary captain and was introduced with the rest of the seniors to a standing ovation with his grandparents and fiancée, former Michigan volleyball player Abby Cole. As if that weren't enough, Hatch's teammates mobbed him after he was introduced by the P.A. announcer, drawing tears from many in the crowd … and on the Michigan bench. "I was ready to cry. Somehow I choked it off, but I was ready to cry," head coach John Beilein admitted af- ter U-M's emotional 74-62 victory over the Buckeyes. The last time Beilein had seen him before his June 2011 accident, Hatch was one of the up-and-coming young players in the country, having re- cently accepted a scholarship offer to Michigan. He was involved in a second crash, this one in northern Michigan, of a small plane piloted by his father, having already survived a first one eight years earlier that claimed his mother and siblings. Hatch had to learn how to do the basics all over again, from eating to walking and reading. Though he'd Hatch — who has been on medical scholarship the last three years while recovering from injuries suffered in a plane crash — was mobbed by his teammates after he was introduced to a standing ovation on Senior Day Feb. 18. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN 2017-18 MICHIGAN MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Nov. 3 Grand Valley State^ W, 82-50 Nov. 11 North Florida* W, 86-66 Nov. 13 Central Michigan W, 72-65 Nov. 16 Southern Mississippi W, 61-47 Nov. 20 vs. LSU# L, 77-75 Nov. 21 vs. Chaminade# W, 102-64 Nov. 22 vs. VCU# W, 68-60 Nov. 26 UC Riverside W, 87-42 Nov. 29 at North Carolina& L, 86-71 Dec. 2 Indiana! W, 69-55 Dec. 4 at Ohio State! L, 71-62 Dec. 9 UCLA W, 78-69 (OT) Dec. 12 at Texas W, 59-52 Dec. 16 vs. Detroit@ W, 90-58 Dec. 21 Alabama A&M W, 97-47 Dec. 30 Jacksonville W, 76-51 Jan. 2 at Iowa! W, 75-68 Jan. 6 Illinois! W, 79-69 Jan. 9 Purdue! L, 70-69 Jan. 13 at Michigan State! W, 82-72 Jan. 15 Maryland! W, 68-67 Jan. 18 at Nebraska! L, 72-52 Jan. 21 Rutgers! W, 62-47 Jan. 25 at Purdue! L, 92-88 Jan. 29 Northwestern! W, 58-47 Feb. 3 Minnesota! W, 76-73 (OT) Feb. 6 at Northwestern! L, 61-52 Feb. 11 at Wisconsin! W, 83-72 Feb. 14 Iowa! W, 74-59 Feb. 18 Ohio State! W, 74-62 Feb. 21 at Penn State (BTN)! 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at Maryland (ESPN)! 12 p.m. Feb. 28-March 4 Big Ten Championship$ TBD March 13-April 2 NCAA Tournament% TBD ^ Exhibition; * Maui On The Mainland at Crisler Cen- ter; # Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawai'i; & ACC/Big Ten Challenge; ! Big Ten game; @ at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit; $ at Madison Square Garden in New York City; % at various sites

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Wolverine - March 2018