Friday, November 11, 2016 // Tip Off
6B
Position-by-position breakdown: Youth,
experience come together for Wolverines

A summer and preseason where

all attention and focus could be
put on the court rather than on the
training table couldn’t have come
at a better time for the Michigan
men’s basketball team.

Michigan coach John Beilein, for

the first time in recent years, was
able to work with his entire squad
with little to no distractions from
injuries through the summer. With a
roster that a brings a mix of veteran
experience and youthful talent,
Beilein needed that health to bring
the Wolverines together as they
seek their sixth NCAA Tournament
appearance in seven years.

While
there
was
major

personnel
turnover
in
the

offseason — the Wolverines lost
Caris LeVert to graduation and
Spike
Albrecht,
Ricky
Doyle,

Aubrey Dawkins and Kameron
Chatman to transfers — Michigan
returns the starting five that fell
to Notre Dame in the round of
64 of the NCAA Tournament. In
addition, the Wolverines have
brought in four freshmen who will
be expected to contribute at high
levels early in their careers.

With many old faces and some

new, the Daily breaks down
Michigan’s roster:

Guards

Senior guard Derrick Walton

Jr.
will
undoubtedly
be
the

Wolverines’ vocal and emotional
leader. The 6-foot-1 point guard
is coming off his best season in
Ann Arbor, averaging 11.6 points
and 5.4 rebounds per game last
year while also tallying career
highs in assists and steals. Walton
will be expected to surpass those
numbers this season, especially in
scoring, as he will be sharing the
responsibilities at the point with
freshman Xavier Simpson and
playing at the ‘2’ more.

Junior guard Muhammad-Ali

Abdur-Rahkman,
Michigan’s

most improved player a season
ago, is hoping to build off the
momentum he found in conference
play. Abdur-Rahkman ended up
starting 25 games due to LeVert’s

injury, and grew more confident
in his role in every appearance.
The 6-foot-4 guard ended up
shooting 45 percent from the field
and 37 percent from behind the
arc, and may be heavily relied on
when Michigan needs points in
a hurry. As the Wolverines’ only
true shooting guard, if Abdur-
Rahkman finds himself in foul
trouble or out with an injury,
Beilein may need to call upon
Walton, senior guard Zak Irvin
or redshirt junior guard Duncan
Robinson to fill in temporarily at
the ‘2.’

Simpson will also be a boost for

Michigan’s guard rotation coming
off the bench. The 6-foot guard
won’t feature as a prominent
scorer but has the explosiveness
and vision that will open up other
options on the court. Beilein is
keen to play Simpson and Walton

together, with the freshman at
the point, when Michigan needs
to push tempo and be quicker on
defense. Look for Simpson to post
numbers similar to those Walton
contributed his freshman year —
averaging eight points and three
assists — while playing 20 minutes
each game.

Wings

Irvin is going to have to bounce

back from a disappointing junior
year in a big way. The 6-foot-6
senior shot just 30 percent from
deep and saw over a two-point
drop in his scoring average. Unlike
last year, when he underwent a
summer back procedure, Irvin
had the entire off-season to
prepare and train. The Wolverines
expect his 3-point percentage to
return to somewhere around his

career average of 36 percent along
with growth in other areas of his
game as well. The question still
persists if Irvin can live up to the
potential he’s shown in flashes
throughout his career. It’ll come
down to his final season to prove
than he can be the guy Beilein can
rely on to consistently find points
for Michigan.

After establishing himself in

his first season in Ann Arbor,
Robinson will aspire to become
more than a deep threat. Beilein
hopes the 6-foot-8 guard can not
only continue to shoot 45 percent
from behind the arc, but also drive
to the basket and be more physical
on offense. Of the 134 field goals
Robinson made last season, 95
of them were 3-pointers. The
Wolverines need that proportion
to shrink, or Beilein believes
Robinson will be too predictable

and guarded too heavily on the
perimeter. Michigan also expects
Robinson’s
defensive
abilities

to improve from a year ago.
The senior showed weaknesses
while guarding opponents and
rebounding, and the Wolverines
hope a summer in the weight
room will help Robinson out-
muscle opponents and improve
his quickness while guarding
perimeter players as well.

Freshman forward Ibi Watson

will give Michigan something
different off the bench. The 6-foot-
5 freshman looked sharp in the
Wolverines’
exhibition
against

Armstrong State, scoring seven
points on 3-for-8 shooting while
leading the team with three steals.
Irvin and Robinson have had issues
defensively in the past. If Watson
can prove to be less of a liability
than his teammates were, he could

BRANDON CARNEY

Daily Sports Writer

FILE PHOTO/Daily

The Michigan men’s basketball team will be looking for one of its many forwards to emerge as a difference maker in the post early in the 2016-17 season.