The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2018 THE WOLVERINE 27 MICHIGAN BASKETBALL more center Jon Teske and fifth-year senior wing Duncan Robinson have taken huge strides and are now ca- pable rebounders and rim protectors (Teske especially with a team-high 26 blocked shots in only 12.8 minutes of action per game). Simpson himself may not be di- rectly responsible for those improve- ments, but he certainly has played a part in helping changes occur. "It's grown into something where the entire team and our entire staff has taken ownership of being a good defensive team," Yaklich told NBC Sports. "Zavier simply has a will that will not allow him to get outcom- peted, out-toughed. He just keeps hammering away every single day. "He earned the right to be the start- ing point guard." DUO JOINS THE 1,000-POINT CLUB Add Michigan fifth-year senior wing Duncan Robinson and junior forward Moritz Wagner to Michigan basketball's list of 1,000-point scor- ers. The two etched their name into U-M history during a March Big Ten Tournament title run, Robinson in a quarterfinal win over Nebraska and Wagner in a semifinal victory over Michigan State. Senior Muhammad-Ali Abdur- Rahkman also reached the milestone this year during a home win over Maryland, hitting two free throws with a second remaining to give U-M the one-point victory. Robinson accomplished the feat in less than three seasons, playing in every game since transferring from Division III Williams College, where he averaged 17.1 points and 6.5 re- bounds as a freshman. "It means a lot," Robinson said af- ter scoring 16 points in a 77-58 blow- out of Nebraska at New York's Madi- son Square Garden. "I never thought I'd be in this position or situation. I'm just really grateful for the oppor- tunity to be here." Robinson struggled through the middle of the season, losing his starting job to freshman forward Isa- iah Livers. Still, he'd had only two games in which he didn't hit at least one shot this year — a 72-52 loss at Nebraska Jan. 18, and a 74-62 win over Ohio State Feb. 18. He also made at least three triples in a trio of postseason games — 3 of 6 in a Big Ten Tournament win over Iowa, 4 of 7 against the Cornhuskers and 3 of 7 against Houston in the NCAA Tournament's round of 32. He was averaging 9.5 points per game heading into the Sweet 16 con- test with Texas A&M and shooting 39.0 percent from three-point range. "Trying to get on the floor, make an impact, have a role — that was what I really wanted to do," Robin- son remembered of his goals coming to Michigan. "I had to bet on myself." Robinson wasn't starting in the postseason, but he was playing the majority of the minutes at power for- ward. He'd played 25 or more min- utes in five of the first six postseason games. Wagner, meanwhile, scored his 999th and 1,000th points in proper fashion — on a Euro-step layup in transition that gave Michigan a 36-31 lead over the Spartans with 15:12 re- maining in the game. The Wolverines pulled away and handled MSU 75-64 en route to their second straight Big Ten Tournament crown. Robinson and Wagner are the 52nd and 53rd members of Michigan's prestigious millennial club. — Chris Balas 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! W, 72-63 Feb. 24 at Maryland! W, 85-61 Mar. 1 vs. Iowa$ W, 77-71 (OT) Mar. 2 vs. Nebraska$ W, 77-58 Mar. 3 vs. Michigan State$ W, 75-64 Mar. 4 vs. Purdue$ W, 75-66 Mar. 15 vs. Montana% W, 61-47 Mar. 17 vs. Houston% W, 64-63 Mar. 22 vs. Texas A&M+ (TBS) 7:37 p.m. Mar. 24 vs. Gonzaga/Florida State+ (TBS) TBD Mar. 31 NCAA Final Four~ (TBS) TBD Apr. 2 NCAA Championship Game~ (TBS) 9 p.m. ^ Exhibition; * Maui On The Mainland at Crisler Center; # Maui Jim Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawai'i; & ACC/Big Ten Challenge; ! Big Ten game; @ at Little Cae- sars Arena in Detroit; $ Big Ten Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City; % NCAA Tournament at Wichita, Kan.; + NCAA Tournament West Regional at Los Angeles; ~ at San Antonio Fifth-year senior wing Duncan Robinson eclipsed the 1,000-point mark in his U-M career with a 16-point effort in Michigan's 77-58 triumph over Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament March 2. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL