The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MEN'S BASKETBALL Most of his attention was focused on knocking off North Carolina State. At the same time, he appreciated as much as anyone the meaning of last year's Wolverines scrambling to a championship. "When you look at the long time it took us to raise a banner, it's a good feeling," Beilein said. "Having that in there, and our coaching staff and guys that were on that team all being part of that, it's a good thing. "I will enjoy looking at it another spect, because the talent the Wolver- ines put on the floor wasn't as highly regarded as that on the teams U-M battled at the top. "When you're all done coaching, and you look back at all your teams, you look back at the intangible teams a little bit differently, that they won because of some reasons that you really embrace," Beilein said. "That team certainly was a special group." He knows he potentially has an- day. It's a great thing. We worked really hard and long for that. You could have great teams, you could win national championships and not put that banner up. That's one we're always going to strive for." Beilein admitted this one might always mean a little more, in retro- ciated Press poll and No. 4 USA Today coaches poll Best Win — 67-62 over Pitts- Record: 6-0 National Ranking: No. 3 Asso- burgh: The Wolverines rolled into New York City for the semi- finals of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden, hav- ing won all three of their open- ing games by 30 or more points. That easy road might have hurt them early, when the competi- tion became real. The Panthers grabbed an other, and Beilein isn't spending any time looking back. WOLVERINES REVEAL MUCH IN EARLY-SEASON EFFORTS Michigan demonstrated plenty during its opening stretch of games, including a championship effort in Madison Square Garden at the NIT Season Tip-Off. What U-M head coach John Beilein witnessed when the competition got better involved something new for his teams — dom- inant rebounding. The Wolverines outrebounded each of their first five foes by 10 or more. They got the upper hand on a strong rebounding Kansas State squad in the title game, 42-30, and outrebounded Pittsburgh, 37-26, in the semifinal. "We proved we could rebound with two rebounding teams," Beilein noted. "We weren't playing a spread offense, four perimeter guys. Both teams had guys on the block that were there to do a lot of things, one of them rebound. "When you outrebound Pitt, and you outrebound Kansas State, that Michigan Basketball Rewind: Oct. 30-Nov. 28 eight-point first-half lead, threatening to usher the "over- rated" chant into MSG. Instead, the Wolverines fought back behind some gritty defensive effort, a 37-26 rebounding ad- vantage and clutch free throw shooting down the stretch. Sophomore point guard Trey away earned MVP honors in the NIT Season Tip-Off for a reason. He's become a force in the Mich- igan lineup in ways he had yet to tap. Not only did he lead the Wolverines in scoring (17.8 aver- age) through the first handful of games, he came out hitting the boards furiously, averaging 6.2 per game, second on the team. His ball handling has improved enough so that he can lead the fast break at times, and he's playing with confidence and more freedom, given the talent around him. Impact Freshman — Glenn Breakout Performer: Hard- Burke and freshman guard Nik Stauskas led that effort at the line, going a combined 13 of 14 on free throws in Michigan's 18-of-22 overall performance. That allowed U-M to win despite a 3-of-17 shooting effort from three-point range against a hard-defending Pittsburgh team. Burke led the Wolverines with 17 points and six as- sists, while the eventual tournament MVP, junior guard Tim Hardaway Jr., tackled on 16 points. Worst Loss: None. Michigan's 6-0 start to the season repre- sents its best since the 2006-07 group of Wolverines began that campaign at 7-0. Junior guard Tim Hardaway Jr. posted 16 points in Michigan's win over Pittsburgh in the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals, and he poured in 23 in the title-game win over Kansas State. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL John Beilein's new squad takes on his old one, now coached by Bob Huggins, at the Brooklyn Winter Hoops Festival at the Barclays Center in New York. If the Wolverines capture this one, they could conceivably advance into Big Ten play undefeated. — John Borton DECEMBER 2012 THE WOLVERINE 53 Game To Watch: Michigan vs. West Virginia, Dec. 15: Robinson III: Robinson eased right into Michigan's starting lineup, and the humble-sound- ing freshman has let his play do all the talking. It shouted success in Michigan's opening foray into the season, Robinson averaging 12.2 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game through the first six. What the numbers don't mention involves his defensive prowess, which far exceeds the efforts of typical freshmen.