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November 11, 2016 - Image 14

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Text
Publication:
The Michigan Daily

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Friday, November 11, 2016 // Tip Off 2016
7B

see a rise in minutes.

Flying under the radar as a

potential major contributor at
the ‘4’ is redshirt sophomore
forward DJ Wilson. Averaging
six minutes per game, the 6-foot-
10 forward was used sparingly
last season and was often seen
as a rebounding liability. After
a healthy offseason, Wilson is
stronger than ever and more
willing to crash the boards
and get the Wolverines the
rebounds they may desperately
need.
Wilson
could
feature

prominently in Big Ten play as
he matches up better with some
of the taller teams in the league
and is a more traditional power
forward than anyone else on the
roster.

Post

Sophomore forward Moritz

Wagner’s summer in the gym
looks like it has won him
the starting role over senior
forward
Mark
Donnal.
The

work the 6-foot-10 sophomore
put in showed in his 15-point
performance over the Pirates
on Friday, as Wagner showed
off his improved offensive skills
and understanding of the system.
Wagner still may have issues on
the defensive end though. Last
season he wasn’t boxing out
and constantly found himself

in foul trouble. Beilein hopes
his improved strength will help
Wagner overcome his defensive
problems, but for now, Michigan
will be relying on the forward’s
offensive promise to make up for
his defensive liabilities.

The Wolverines hope that

Donnal can grow into a role
as a better defensive option to
Wagner. The 6-foot-9 forward
was Michigan’s most efficient
rebounder at the post, grabbing
four rebounds per game. But
Donnal struggled to make a
consistent
impact,
especially

when he came off the bench.
Having Wagner ahead of him
could potentially raise Donnal’s
game as he battles for minutes,
but it could also harm his
confidence as the season wears
on.

It won’t help Donnal that the

competition for third in the post
rotation has been intense as well.
Beilein is planning on asking
either freshman center Jon Teske
or freshman forward Austin
Davis to redshirt, while the
other will feature in his plans.
Based on minutes from Friday’s
exhibition, Teske seems to have
the edge on Davis. The 7-footer
has height that will immediately
help Michigan make up any size
deficit they may have at center,
while helping with shot blocking
as well.

FILE PHOTO/Daily

Senior forward Zak Irvin has one more season to lead the Wolverines.

Big Ten Breakdown: Crowded
race for the conference title

Caught in a precarious position

of transition, the Michigan men’s
basketball team is attempting
to take advantage of its roster
turnover both on the court and on
the sideline by finding the perfect
blend between old and new.

After flipping their conference

record from 8-10 in 2014 to 10-8
in 2015 (returning to the NCAA
Tournament in the process), the
Wolverines look to be trending
upward. Though the team lost
four players — Spike Albrecht,
Kameron
Chatman,
Aubrey

Dawkins and Ricky Doyle — to
transfers and one — Caris LeVert
— to the NBA, none of them
necessarily played major roles for
Michigan last season.

With five teams ranked in

the Associated Press preseason
standings, the Big Ten seems
poised to return to its familiar
position as one of the strongest
conferences
in
the
country.

While the Wolverines will likely
face an uphill climb on their road
back to the top, they have four
talented freshmen additions and
two respected new coaches to
help them find their way back
to competing for the conference
crown.

The Daily breaks down the

teams that will provide the
stiffest competition for Michigan
in the Big Ten this season.

No. 9 Wisconsin

The
Badgers
may
have

finished in a four-way tie for
third place in the Big Ten last
season, but they seem to be the
favorite to win the conference
outright this year. Wisconsin
returns
all
five
starters,

including Big Ten Preseason
Player of the Year and first team
All-American Nigel Hayes.

After
opting
out
of
the

NBA Draft in favor of one last
go-around in college, Hayes will
lead the Badgers with help from
senior guard Bronson Koenig
and sophomore forward Ethan

Happ, who were both selected to
the Preseason All-Big Ten team.
All three averaged over 12 points
per game last season, while
consensus Big Ten Freshman of
the Year Happ also earned Big
Ten All-Defensive Team honors.
Along with two experienced
seniors, forward Vitto Brown and
guard Zak Showalter, the quintet
started
every
game
together

except for one.

Chemistry
might
be
the

strongest suit in the cards for
Wisconsin this year, and with
the level of comfort these star
players have with one another,
the Badgers look to be the best
team in the Big Ten.

No. 11 Indiana

The
defending
conference

champions with a 15-3 record
last year, the Hoosiers have the
potential to continue their reign
atop the Big Ten this season.
Despite losing their strongest
offensive threat in Yogi Ferrell
and sturdiest role player in
former Wolverine Max Bielfeldt,
Indiana
has
enough
quality

returners to give Wisconsin a run
for its money.

After
a
highly
successful

freshman season in which he
averaged 11.9 points and 5.8
rebounds as the unquestioned
starter,
sophomore
center

Thomas Bryant decided to return
to Indiana and was subsequently
named to the preseason first team
All-America team as well as the
All-Big Ten team. He will anchor
the Hoosier frontcourt, while
the backcourt will be manned
by fellow Preseason All-Big Ten
selection junior guard James
Blackmon Jr., who has been
cleared to play after suffering a
torn anterior cruciate ligament
halfway through the season.

Though Indiana missed out on

the conference and tournament
championship
double
after

being upset by Michigan in the
tournament
quarterfinals,
the

Hoosiers played like the best team
in the Big Ten for the majority
of the year and could very well

repeat the feat this season.

No. 12 Michigan State

Finishing as the runner-up

in the conference with a 13-5
record despite having two more
wins and two fewer losses than
Indiana, the Spartans proved that
they could make a strong case for
the top spot by capturing the 2016
Big Ten Tournament title. Having
to replace AP National Player of
the Year Denzel Valentine will
be a tall order, but if there is any
team that can shoulder the blow,
it’s Michigan State.

Boasting a freshman class

made up of five-star recruits
Miles Bridges and Josh Langford
and four-star recruits Cassius
Winston and Nick Ward, the
Spartans seem eager to wrest
the conference crown from the
Hoosiers. Bridges and Langford
were ranked in the top five
nationally at their respective
positions, while Winston and
Ward were ranked in the top ten.

With head coach Tom Izzo —

who was recently inducted into
the Naismith Basketball Hall of
Fame — guiding these budding
stars, Michigan State looks to be
as dangerous as ever in the Big
Ten this season.

No. 15 Purdue

Another part of the four-way

tie for third place in the Big Ten
last season, the Boilermakers
have
jumped
back
into
the

conference
title
conversation

with back-to-back 12-6 records
after finishing in last place in
the 2013-14 season. In his 12th
season at his alma mater, coach
Matt Painter looks to guide the
program to even greater heights
after reaching its eighth NCAA
Tournament last year.

Though
the
Boilermakers

lost star player A.J. Hammons
to the NBA, they held onto
another in sophomore forward
Caleb
Swanigan.
Selected
to

the
Preseason
All-Big
Ten

Team, Swanigan led the team
in rebounds with 6.7 per game

Hayes, Koenig lead favorite Wisconsin; Indiana, Michigan
State and Purdue close behind in preseason conference outlook

BETELHEM ASHAME

Daily Sports Editor

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