The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/95952
big when he plays big, and he did it in the game [in New York]. "His work is paying off. We're work- ing on all the perimeter stuff daily, both inside and outside, but it's walk before you run. It's like the say, you do addition and subtraction before the multiplication." The day will come when the offense runs through him, Beilein predicted. "We want to play through him more and more as the season progresses, but it's like an elephant — one bite at a time, getting him ready for all the things in college he has to be able do both offensively and defensively," Beilein said. "He's got enough to think about on defense, but he can do that. He can guard and help in defensive rotations, all those things, the more he knows. "We're trying to matriculate him into the offense little by little." be considered fabulous, there are no comparisons to the brash, early '90s Fab Five group for which documen- taries have been made and the phrase "freshmen against y'all" became well known around campus. Asked in the preseason what the group might like to be called, McGary responded, "teammates," echoing the sentiments of the freshmen and seniors alike. Hardaway and Burke have elevated their games, but more impressively have become outstanding mentors to Though the freshman class might UNDERSTANDING THEIR ROLES sure," Beilein said after watching Al- brecht in New York. "I'm sure he's go- ing to have issues at times with guys with length and when facing more and more speed, but he embraces the game, showed in the Garden what he could do when Trey got the second foul, and at the end of the game when Timmy went out and we needed a couple people in there. He handled it well." Though LeVert might end up red- "He plays pretty good against pres- Spike Albrecht has proven to be exactly the ball handler Michigan needed at backup point guard, suffering only one turnover while playing 7.7 minutes per game in his first six outings. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL their younger teammates. Robinson III credits Hardaway for taking him under his wing, while Burke is show- ing Albrecht the ropes. Beilein can't help but smile every shirting, he might be one of the best in terms of upside. Stauskas compared him to former Wolverine Jamal Craw- ford (now a 12-year NBA veteran) with the way he handles the ball and gets where he wants to on the floor. He, too, will be a staple in Michigan's future lineups. "He's really playing well," Beilein said. "He makes a difference on our scout team on defense, and on offense gets where he wants to get to. But he can really defend. "For example, he was great for time he talks about his freshman point guard, noting it's "uncanny" what he's able to accomplish in his 6-0, 165-pound body. He's proven to be exactly the ball handler the Wolverines needed to back up Burke, suffering only one turnover in six games played (7.7 minutes per contest). Michigan uniform was his coming-out party. He averaged 16.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 33.0 minutes per game, shot 81.7 percent from the free throw line and notched 45 steals in 32 games. Harris left after his third season to pursue an NBA career. Daniel Horton, 2002-03: Horton finished second on players in its storied basketball history, most notably the 1991-92 Fab Five of Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan How- ard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson that made the NCAA championship game before losing to Duke. Several have made impacts since. Here's a look at the top newcomers of the last decade. Manny Harris, 2007-08: Harris' first of three years in a Michigan has gotten contributions from many first-year [North Carolina State] week play- ing point guard. Their point guard is about 6-4, and that helps Trey play against length and guard length." LeVert seems patient to wait his turn, adding weight and learning each day. As a class, the 2012 group ranked No. 7 nationally. Given how they're playing and what kind of teammates they've proven to be, Beilein and his staff wouldn't trade the group for any- one. ❑ Michigan's Top Freshmen Of The Last 10 Years man season of anyone since the Fab Five in averaging 14.8 points and 4.6 assists per game. He earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors after leading Michigan to a share of the conference title. He played 36.1 minutes per game, shot 34.8 percent from three-point range and even rebounded at a clip of 3.5 per game. Tim Hardaway Jr., 2010-11: Hardaway Jr. averaged 13.9 the team in scoring with 457 points behind only LaVell Blanchard (482), earning team co-MVP honors in a year in which U-M went 17-13 overall and 10-6 in Big Ten play. He averaged 15.2 points, 4.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 36.1 minutes per game in emerging as one of the Big Ten's best young point guards. points and 3.8 assists per game, while shooting 36.7 percent from three-point range and 76.5 from the free throw line in helping lead the Wolverines to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 8 seed. U-M lost to Duke by two points in the third round. Lester Abram, 2002-03: Abram averaged 10.6 points per game (319 points total) and scored in double figures in 16 games, leading the team in scoring six times in his first year. He averaged 4.4 rebounds in 32.1 minutes per game and won the team's Iron Man Award and the Award for Out- standing Free Throw Shooting, making 85.6 percent. — Chris Balas DECEMBER 2012 THE WOLVERINE 49 Trey Burke, 2011-12: Burke had arguably the best fresh-