The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Rookies Make Huge Impact In Early Going or two newcomers. His present squad features a quartet of significant contributors right from the opening tip, along with a diamond in the rough saved for the future. True freshman guard Caris LeVert has yet to see the court, despite getting considerable buzz in preseason palaver as a Jamal Crawford-type of performer. Michigan's coaching staff would love to be able to redshirt LeVert, let him fill out past his present 170, and get stronger. From the looks of U-M's early-season results, they should John Beilein's teams generally get a boost from at least one be able to pull that off. The combination of veterans and four of the five rookies has been very promising. Here's a rundown on U-M's frosh contributions through the win over NC State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. • Glenn Robinson III — The 6-6, 210-pound wing moved into the starting lineup from game one, and showed he be- longed right away as well. He's ranked fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 12.2 points per game. Robinson also led all U-M rebounders, with his 7.5 aver- of the first off the bench for the Wolverines, and he averaged 13.0 points per game through the first handful. He shot an eye-opening 59.5 percent from the floor and 58.3 percent (14 of 24) from three-point range. He also dropped 20 of his first 21 free throw attempts, including a 6-of-6 effort at the line in the NIT semifinal win over Pittsburgh. "The young man has got swag in everything he does," Beilein said. "It's a quiet swag. He just goes out there and gives you the look. You say, 'Great foul shooting there at the end, Nick, supposed to do?' That's his attitude. "He's got a basketball sense and a basketball poise. Not a lot of things bother him." • Mitch McGary — At 6-10, 250, McGary provides an ' and he gives you the look like: 'Isn't that what I'm instant presence any time he takes the court. He's been there a decent amount as well, averaging 14.3 minutes per game while continuing to recondition himself following a preseason foot injury. McGary is another early-off-the-bench weapon for Beilein, up big numbers, but his value was clearly on display dur- ing the title game of the NIT event. Albrecht stepped in for Burke and handled himself confidently, running Michigan's offense without a major falloff. It's clear Beilein trusts him to spell the starter. "Especially against Kansas State — you know they play great defense," Beilein said. "You can see their numbers com- averaging 5.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in the first handful of contests. He's been a little foul prone, leading the Wolverines in that department. At the same time, he con- nected on 60.9 percent of his shots (14 of 23) over the first six games and gives an inside threat Michigan has lacked, especially in a backup role. • Spike Albrecht — The 5-11, 170-pound guard hasn't put 44 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2012 Freshman sharpshooter Nik Stauskas ranked third on the team in scoring through Nov. 27, averaging 13.0 points per game, and he had made 14 of 24 three-point attempts (58.3 percent). PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN and he's out there playing in Madison Square Garden like he's done it his whole life. ful of contests, with five assists to one turnover. He made 2 of 5 three-pointers, and even grabbed seven rebounds in his time on the court. He's an insurance policy Beilein clearly intends to use. The good news for Michigan's noteworthy freshman class Albrecht averaged 7.7 minutes per game in the first hand- " age. Through Michigan's first half-dozen games, he shot 55.3 percent from the floor and 38.5 percent on threes, and he recorded eight assists and a team-high three blocks, all while returning the alley-oop dunk option to the Wolverines' arsenal. • Nik Stauskas — The 6-6, 190-pound sniper has been one is simply this: no individual needs to be a superstar, and the group as a whole won't be required to take over and shock the world. Instead, the parts of the puzzle can fit into a greater whole. The good news for Beilein and Michigan involves those ing in, how good they are. And now he's in there, and in that environment, and didn't blink … he looks like an altar boy, parts adding to the mix very significantly already. It's obvi- ous there's plenty more to come, as the freshmen get ad- justed to big-game environments, college-level defense and the speed and physicality of the game at this stage. — John Borton