The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Sports
Wednesday, November 9, 2016 — 7A
Wagner seeks breakout year
The
Michigan
men’s
basketball team hopes it can look
back at summer 2016 as not only
one of the healthiest summers in
recent memory, but also as “The
Summer of Mo.”
By the end of the 2015-16
season,
sophomore
forward
Moritz Wagner was beginning
to break through and make
an impact for the Wolverines.
His eight-rebound, four-block
performance against Tulsa in
the NCAA First Four helped
Michigan into the next round of
the NCAA Tournament.
In the win over the Golden
Hurricane, Wagner displayed
he had the talent to lead the
Wolverines at the post for
seasons to come. But there was
still much he had to work on.
Wagner showed he was having
a tough time adjusting to the
physicality of college basketball
compared to what he experienced
playing in Germany. The forward
was getting into foul trouble too
often and knew he needed to be
stronger to find any sort of success
in the college game.
So, Wagner decided it was
essential for him to spend his
summer months in Ann Arbor,
focusing on strengthening himself
and all aspects of his game.
And on Friday, in Michigan’s
exhibition against Armstrong
State, Wagner began delivering
the fruits of his labor.
In 25 minutes, the sophomore
was 7-for-9 from the floor,
scoring 15 points while grabbing
two rebounds. It didn’t matter
that the Pirates were a lowly
Division II team — Wagner
was still making intelligent and
confident plays.
He wasn’t perfect in the
exhibition, still struggling in
some areas of rebounding, but it
seems Wagner has come out of
the summer as the Wolverines’
most improved player and will
likely open up Michigan to
more options offensively as the
season begins.
“(Wagner’s) going to have to
get out there,” said Michigan
coach
John
Beilein.
“His
defense is better, and he stayed
out of foul trouble. He really
understands
that.
The
big
thing is right now, we think he
can take a lot of guys his size
off the bounce. … You can play
through him.”
In past seasons, several of
Beilein’s most prolific players
have made huge leaps between
their freshman and sophomore
years. After spending hours
in the gym like Wagner, past
guards Trey Burke and Nik
Stauskas
went
from
above-
average Big Ten talents to NBA
lottery picks.
But Beilein’s greatest hits have
always been in the backcourt.
Former Michigan forwards
Glenn
Robinson
III
and
Jordan Morgan saw decreased
production in rebounds and
points per game, respectively,
between their first and second
seasons, while Mitch McGary’s
sophomore year was cut short
due to an injury.
But some changes may lead to
Wagner breaking the trend.
Changes on Beilein’s staff may
create the right conditions for a
frontcourt player to finally break
through. New assistant coaches
Saddi Washington and Billy
Donlon bring expertise in post
and defensive play that Michigan
hasn’t had in years past.
Wagner
also
brings
a
mentality completely different
from
the
Wolverines’
past
forward
talents.
Coming
from Germany, Wagner had
to simultaneously adjust to
playing
American
college
basketball
and
living
an
American college life. He also
had the extra hurdle last year of
overcoming cultural and even
language gaps that no other
player under Beilein has gone
through. For Wagner, spending
the summer in Ann Arbor was
as much about learning more
about Michigan culture as it
was about Michigan basketball.
“I didn’t realize it last year,”
Wagner said. “But now that I’m
here, I realize it’s easier to focus
if you know what to expect and
don’t ask yourself what’s coming
and what’s next.”
Despite his struggles last
season,
Wagner
still
had
flashes of his true ability that
broke through, including the
tournament game against Tulsa
and a 19-point outing versus
Charlotte. He’s hoping his work
over the summer can lead to
more consistency in being able
to perform at that level.
“I feel very good right now,”
Wagner said. “I wasn’t confident
there when I didn’t play a lot,
but in practice I always try and
keep it as high as possible. That
doesn’t really change a lot.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Freshmen adjust well
in first career game
A high school gym is much
different than Crisler Center.
Understandably,
the
TV
coverage, brighter lights and
sizable crowd induce nerves into
freshmen who are gearing up for
their first season.
But for seasoned players like
junior guard Jillian Dunston,
Crisler is the norm.
“I didn’t say anything to (the
freshmen)
before
the
game
because
their
nerves
were
inevitable,” Dunston said. “But
afterwards I just said, ‘Welcome
to college basketball.’ ”
The goal of the upperclassmen’s
relationship with the new players,
according to sophomore guard
Nicole Munger, is to keep them
positive. Especially for Munger
and the rest of the sophomore
class, they’re well aware of how
intimidating freshman year is.
When the freshmen on the
Michigan women’s basketball
team returned to their locker
room
after
the
Wolverines’
exhibition game against Wayne
State on Thursday, they were able
to finally know what it’s like to
play for the Wolverines.
The freshman class consists of
guards Kysre Gondrezick, Kayla
Robbins and Akienreh Johnson,
as well as forward KeAsja Peace.
In the 93-41 domination of the
Warriors, all four were able to see
some playing time, with Johnson
making a definite statement in
just eight minutes on the court.
Johnson, who committed to
Michigan almost four years ago
— a Wolverine longer than some
upperclassmen — scored a total of
three points and garnered three
rebounds. Her rebounds in the
second half helped her teammates
erase a somewhat disappointing
first half in which Wayne State
and Michigan were neck and neck.
Gondrezick, on the other hand,
didn’t perform her free throws
like she had been in practices, but
the Wolverines aren’t concerned.
“She’s played pretty consistently
up to this point,” said Michigan
coach Kim Barnes Arico. “I think
she pressed a bit (on Thursday) and
I think that’s probably a common
thing for a freshman when they
get an opportunity to get out on
the court.
“Kysre is going to be a special
player for us. But I think any
time you have a local kid that’s a
superstar, there’s a tremendous
amount of pressure. She’s a far
better player than everybody saw
(on Thursday). I’m not worried
about her. She just needs to let the
game come to her sometimes. I’m
confident that she will.”
Robbins scored two points for
Michigan in field goals, but like
Gondrezick,
underperformed
in her free throws. Peace went
1-for-4 in free throws to round
out the freshmen’s contributions.
Part of the nerves — and
excitement — for the freshmen
came from being able to put
on the Michigan uniform and
compete in it. In her pre-game
speech, Barnes Arico made sure
to emphasize the honor of being
able to defend the block ‘M’.
Though the freshmen may
not have played up to their own
expectations,
Barnes
Arico
wanted them to know that the
Wayne State exhibition game was
just the beginning.
“(Their
performance)
was
unbelievable,” Barnes Arico said.
“There are local kids and they
had their family and their fan
section here tonight and they’ve
been waiting to just get out there
to get on that court.
“They’ve been watching for
years other players come and play
before them. For them to get out
there was an exciting opportunity
to get in and contribute.”
WOMEN’S GOLF
Wolverines win rain-
shortened tournament
The
tournament
didn’t
play out exactly the way it
anticipated, but the Michigan
women’s golf team took home
the victory at the Trinity Forest
Invitational in Dallas in its last
tournament of the fall season.
The
14-team
tournament,
which was hosted by Southern
Methodist
University,
was
originally a 54-hole competition
set to be played on Monday and
Tuesday. But due to heavy rain,
the tournament ended up being
cut short after just 18 holes.
In Monday’s first round, the
Wolverines made it to the 11th
hole before the rain forced them
into the clubhouse. Two hours
later, they were back on the
course, and by the end of the
round, they found themselves
with a score of 304 and a one-
stroke lead over Texas A&M.
Rain canceled the second
round that was also scheduled
to be played that day, and in the
morning, the Wolverines found
out the final round would be
called off as well, giving them
their first team title since 2012.
While the Wolverines were
disappointed that they weren’t
able to play a full tournament,
coach Jan Dowling was quick
to point out the positives from
their performance.
“We put ourselves in a great
position going into the final
round,” Dowling said. “It would
have been a really fun and really
competitive
experience
for
our program, but at the same
time, we have to give credit to
our round that was played. We
played well in tough conditions,
and we beat a lot of good teams.”
Michigan was powered by
sophomore Elodie Van Dievoet
and junior Emily White, both of
whom posted scores of 75 (plus-
3) to finish tied for sixth place,
four strokes back of the winner.
Juniors Megan Kim and Kathy
Lim were two strokes behind
them, tying for 20th.
The weather wasn’t the only
factor that had a substantial
impact
on
the
Wolverines’
performance on Monday. Trinity
Forest Country Club, a newly
built seaside links-style course
with no trees, was already one
of the most challenging courses
the Wolverines had experienced
all year. In particular, Dowling
mentioned the greens, which
despite the rain remained hard
and fast.
“They’re huge greens, and
because it’s a very new course,
they were really, really firm,”
Dowling said. “You’re landing
your ball on a flat area or a
downslope, and the ball almost
100 percent of the time rolls to
the back of the green.”
However, Dowling believes
that this apparent disadvantage
actually
worked
in
the
Wolverines’ favor, as it allowed
them to strategize more and
rely more on mental attributes.
“You really had to plot your
way around the golf course,
almost like you had to think one
or two shots ahead,” Dowling
said. “It became a chess game,
which played into our favor.”
With the fall season over,
Michigan has a three-month
break before its next tournament,
the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in
February. During this time away
from competition, the Wolverines
will be motivated to build on the
momentum from their victory as
they prepare for the second half
of their campaign.
“The
players
have
some
individual things they need
to work on, and we’re excited
to attack them at the right
time,” Dowling said. “It’s a
great confidence booster and
motivator for us heading into
the spring.”
Marody putting in extra work during absence
He
may
not
be
making
an impact on the ice during
games because of an academic
suspension, but Cooper Marody
still manages to contribute for
the No. 17 Michigan hockey team.
While the stat sheet was once
filled with his own scores in the
goal column, the sophomore
center now keeps tabs of his
teammates’ chances as he sits
on the bench with the coaching
staff during games.
“Particularly
during
the
games, in the weekend, we’ll
give him something to do and
then he can get back to us in
between periods as to what he
sees,” said Michigan coach Red
Berenson. “Because he’s a center,
I want him to be dialed in on
faceoffs. We’ve had him critique
our power play as well. We try
to keep his head into the games,
especially the home games.”
This
weekend,
as
the
Wolverines take on No. 4
Boston University, Marody will
have the chance to spend time
with his teammates on game
day again — something he was
unable to do the past two weeks
because he is prohibited from
traveling. He will resume his
typical duties of stat-tracking at
Yost Ice Arena, though.
Last week, he took advantage of
the team’s early departure. While
his team prepared its gameplan
in Tempe, Ariz., Marody skated
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday mornings.
Six weeks remain before
Marody can put on the new
Nike maize-and-blue sweater
for the first time. For now,
though, he continues to push
himself in practices. Mornings
when he doesn’t have class,
he will work out in the weight
room, oftentimes by himself
— something that Berenson
and Marody’s fellow players
recognize.
“The only thing he can do
right now is work hard in
practice,” said senior goaltender
Zach Nagelvoort. “He can make
the guys better in practice by
playing his hardest, working
hard every single rep. That’s
where he’s going to be able to
make a difference to this team
right now.”
Added junior forward Tony
Calderone: “He knows he can’t
play. But, he’s in the gym every
day, being a positive influence,
trying to make everyone better.
Playing against a guy like that
in practice will make you better
(because) you’re playing against
guys like that all the time in
games. I think he’s making
everyone
better
out
there.
(Marody’s a) very skilled player,
and it’s very cool to watch him
out there.”
When Marody practices, his
physical skills on the ice become
obvious. He shows his ability to
shoot the puck from all across
the ice and continues to improve
his
skate
speed.
According
to
Berenson,
Marody’s
skills separate him from his
teammates, as he focuses on
developing his skating, puck
touches and strength.
“Certain
times,
he’ll
get
the puck and he’ll score from
anywhere,” Berenson said. “He
knows how to score. He can be
a special player with the puck.
We all wish he was playing, (but
he’s) taking advantage of the
practices, (and putting in) extra
work in the weight room.”
The time off the ice during
games
allowed
Marody
to
focus on becoming a mentor for
the younger players. He may
be just a sophomore, but on a
young Michigan
team, his year
of
experience
could
prove
invaluable.
Marody
endured
some
highs last year
— like scoring
a goal in four
straight games,
including
the
game-winner
against Niagara last November
— and some unfortunate lows,
like missing six games due to
mononucleosis.
“He played a big role last
year,” Calderone said. “He can
give all his advice to those guys,
the younger guys. Spreading
(his) knowledge and experience
that he had will be helpful to the
younger guys.”
Added Berenson: “(His role
is) to be a good teammate. To
be a good mentor for the young
players, especially. For our team
as a whole, push other guys
in
practice
so
that he’s trying
to make them
better
so
our
team
will
be
better.”
It is unclear
which
line
Marody
will
join
once
he
returns in late
December
for
the Great Lakes
Invitational.
In
practices,
Marody pairs up with players
who are not normally a part of
the regular line chart, like junior
forward Alex Talcott and —
before he returned from his own
suspension — freshman forward
Adam Winborg. Marody has
not yet played with first-line
players like senior Alex Kile
and freshman Will Lockwood,
or even his former line partner
Calderone. This will happen
in the week before he returns,
according to Berenson.
When Marody returns for
the puck drop against Michigan
Tech on Dec. 29, he is sure to
have an instant effect.
“He has a chance to make
an impact on our team when
he comes back,” Berenson said.
“He’s had a chance to watch
games, but he hasn’t played
them. It’s one thing to watch,
another thing to play, but I still
think he’s got the pulse of the
team and he knows what he has
to do to be an impact player.
He’ll get the chance, and all this
work should pay off the minute
that he plays his first game.”
And maybe the next time he
looks at a stat sheet, he’ll see his
name alongside his teammates
in the goal column again.
SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily
Cooper Marody has not played all season, but he has still proven to be an asset.
AVI SHOLKOFF
Daily Sports Writer
“He’s in the
gym every day,
being a positive
influence.”
SYLVANNA GROSS
Daily Sports Writer
AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily
Forward Moritz Wagner’s start Friday went a long way toward advancing his status as a breakout sophomore.
BRANDON CARNEY
Daily Sports Writer
JACOB SHAMES
For the Daily
Weather ends event in Dallas after one
round; Michigan paces 14-team field