8A — Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
For Talcott, it’s about relationships with teammates
At 4:18 Monday afternoon, just
a few players remained at Yost Ice
Arena. Many of the members of
the Michigan hockey team had
departed. Their participation in
practice had ended. The ones who
remained did so because of their
in-game absence in Madison this
past weekend.
While some of these players
could be recognized by certain
fans of the Wolverines, such as
senior forward Alex Kile — who
was injured last weekend — or
junior forward Niko Porikos,
one player would likely leave
spectators wondering.
Alex Talcott spent that Monday
practice as one of the last athletes
on the ice.
Unlike Kile, Porikos and his
other peers, the junior forward
has yet to appear in a game during
this season. Michigan coach Red
Berenson has penciled Talcott in
the lineup just eight times in his
three years and just twice as a
sophomore.
But despite Talcott’s lack of
in-game
experience,
he
still
manages to impress Berenson
with his work ethic.
“He’s a depth player,” Berenson
said. “He knows that if we get a
couple guys hurt, he’s gotta be
ready. He hasn’t had a chance to
show what he can do this year
except in practice.”
While the active players dress
and
participate
in
pregame
skates, Talcott and the other
inactive players have different
roles. They still eat the pregame
meal with the team and practice
in the early afternoon, but once
the game begins they head to the
weight room and prepare for the
weekend’s second game.
It
might
be
difficult
to
seemingly prepare for nothing,
but
Talcott
has
found
his
niche.
He
spends
his
time
during practices and off the ice
developing relationships with his
teammates. It’s an area that he has
dedicated himself to improving
over his three-year career.
“To be a good teammate is a
really important part of what
I do,” Talcott said. “(To be)
someone
that
one of the other
guys can come to
and talk to about
things, to show
them
support.
That way they’re
confident
when
they’re playing.
“I try not to
have any negative
relationships.
I
don’t want to be
in a situation where I’m dragging
anybody down or dragging the
team down as a whole. I try to
be positive and upbeat, and if I’m
not playing then I reinforce that
behind the guys that are playing.”
For Berenson, it is likely
rewarding
to
see
Talcott
succeeding
in
this
role.
He
explained
that
Talcott
encountered
some
difficulties
during his first years in Ann
Arbor and that “some guys
would’ve maybe just quit.”
Berenson
praised
Talcott’s
determination to
thrive, something
he sees daily at
practice.
“Alex,
he’s
had a tough time
here,”
Berenson
said. “... The good
thing
is
we’ve
stuck with him
and the other part
of the good thing
is that he has stuck
with it. He’s in a much tougher
position than being (freshman
forward)
Will
Lockwood
or
(senior defenseman) Nolan de
Jong who are playing every night.
“He’s gotta say to himself ‘I’ve
got to play better than these guys
to be in the lineup. I’ve got to do
that every day in practice.’ So
there’s a challenge (for him.)”
One of the challenges for
Berenson is how best to motivate
Talcott when he will rarely see the
ice during games. It’s a dilemma
he faces not only with Talcott but
other players such as sophomore
goaltender Chad Catt, who rarely
crack the rotation. He urges them
to focus on their academics and
again emphasizes their time spent
in practice. While other players
have opportunities to impress
the coaching staff in games, for
Talcott, it is imperative that he
strives for excellence every other
day of the week.
But even then, it’s difficult to
find opportunities. Because of
his status on the depth chart,
Berenson will place Talcott on
defense if the Wolverines lack
a blueliner at practice, another
obstacle in his desires to make an
impression on the coaches.
That’s why Talcott remained at
practice that Monday afternoon
when most others moved on to
homework or other activities. It
was an opportunity for him to
play some offense, showcase his
shooting, passing and skating
skills.
For the near future though,
Talcott
will
continue
giving
assistance and motivating to his
teammates. It might not be on the
ice, or even during game time, but
Talcott has carved out a role for
himself.
“The relationships that I build
with my teammates are built
around respect and showing
them that I really care about them
and care about their success as if
it was my success,” Talcott said.
“And then in return it kind of is
contagious. (It leads to) a better
relationship with everyone on the
team and then it manifests itself
from there.
“I feel like that’s something I
can bring to the team to influence
it. Even if it’s in a small way, I’m
still happy with that.”
Michigan set to rebound against Rutgers
If not for a collapse in overtime
— which featured two turnovers,
an 0-for-2 trip to the free throw
line and just six total points — the
Michigan men’s basketball team
could have left
Williams Arena
on
Sunday
riding a four-
game winning
streak.
Instead, the
Wolverines
return to square
one, with their
first
chance
to
bounce
back from last
weekend’s loss
on Wednesday
night,
when
Michigan
will travel to
Piscataway
for a matchup
against Rutgers in what will be
the first of a three-game, 10-day
stretch.
The Wolverines couldn’t ask
for a much better team to face as
they aim to get back in the win
column. The Scarlet Knights (2-13
Big Ten, 13-15 overall) sit at dead
last in the Big Ten, and it’s easy to
see why.
Rutgers ranks last in the
conference in four categories
— scoring 66.1 points per game,
shooting just 41.2 and 29.4
percent from the field and beyond
the arc, respectively, and posting
a lowly free throw percentage of
61.2. Still, Michigan coach John
Beilein refuses to allow his team
to take the Scarlet Knights at face
value.
“This is going to be a difficult
one going to Rutgers,” Beilein
said. “I know you look at the
record, but look at the scores
instead of the record and you’ll
see, watching this team, they are
going to be the best rebounding
team that we’ve played all year.
“We are obviously not a great
rebounding team, and that’s a
tough matchup for us. … It is going
to be a great win if we can get it.
I know that sounds like ‘coach
speak’, (but) I’m telling you it’s
going to be a great win if we can
get it. We’re going to have to
play better than we did against
Minnesota.”
Rebounding
is
certainly
Rutgers’ one saving grace, as it
leads the Big Ten with 41.1 per
game — 15 of which come on the
offensive glass. And if there were
ever an advantage that Michigan
wouldn’t want its opponents to
have, it would be on the boards.
Unlike Rutgers, the Wolverines
(7-7,
17-10)
sit
last
in
the
conference with 29.3 rebounds
per game. Though sophomore
forward Moritz Wagner has
markedly improved — averaging
5.4 rebounds through the last five
contests — his emergence still
isn’t enough to offset one of the
biggest problems that Michigan
has faced all year.
While
rebounding
should
realistically be the only issue
the Wolverines face Wednesday
night, they are stepping onto
the court against a team that is
playing with house money. A
loss to the Scarlet Knights could
deal a serious blow to Michigan’s
tournament
resume,
as
the
Wolverines have an invitation to
the Big Dance to lose. Rutgers,
on the other hand, has nothing to
lose at all.
“We’ve been in that situation,”
Beilein said. “We were in that
two years ago, we were in that
certainly my first year … of just
trying to get a ‘W’ somewhere.
They’ve been on the road I think
the last two games, at their
place right now, in a storied
environment there at Rutgers
— they’ve had some great teams
back in the day.
“And they’re trying to grow
that. I think with a new coach,
it’s all fresh, a lot of enthusiasm.
Every day there’s a small victory
in that program right now, and
a huge victory would be beating
Michigan tomorrow.”
Regardless, there is no denying
that, on paper, Michigan should
win the matchup handily.
Though it stumbled against
Minnesota, Michigan is still
averaging 74.6 points over the last
five games while allowing just
66.2.
What’s more, all five of the
Wolverines’ starters scored in
double digits against the Golden
Gophers — an encouraging sign
of consistent production that they
have been searching for all season.
Michigan
holds
an
unimpressive 1-7 road record,
but given that Rutgers’ season
has been a consistent progression
from bad to worse, the Wolverines
should be able to bump that total
up to two.
“We’ve just got to realize how
close we are to reaching our
goals,” said senior forward Mark
Donnal. “Take it one game at a
time and just really be locked in
going into Rutgers, and make sure
that we play up to our potential
and not let anything beat us.”
KEVIN SANTO
Managing Sports Editor
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Senior forward Mark Donnal will need to contribute on the glass Wednesday in a matchup against Rutgers.
Michigan
at Rutgers
Matchup:
Michigan 7-7
Big Ten, 17-10
overall; Illinois
2-13, 13-15
When:
Wednesday
6:30 P.M. ET
Where: Louis
Brown Athletic
Center
TV/Radio:
BTN
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Junior forward Alex Talcott has played just eight games in his career, but he still values the contribution he can make by developing a rapport with his teammates.
AVI SHOLKOFF
Daily Sports Writer
“Even if it’s in a
small way, I’m
still happy with
that”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
‘M’ relying on seniors
Two regular season games
remain for the Michigan women’s
basketball team. Winning only
one would lock the Wolverines
(10-4 Big Ten, 21-7 overall) into
a top-four seed for the Big Ten
Tournament.
If it can manage that, it will be
No. 25 Michigan’s highest finish
under fifth-year coach Kim Barnes
Arico. This Monday marks the
team’s third week spent in the top
25 — already the longest stretch in
which the Wolverines have been
ranked in Barnes Arico’s tenure.
“This is a spot we’ve never been
in,” Barnes Arico said. “I think our
kids are getting incredibly tight,
and I think the teams that are
playing against us are coming out
like, ‘Hey, we’re beating a ranked
opponent, now that’s on our
resume in the NCAA Tournament.’
That’s something our team has
never faced before.”
In the past few seasons, the
Wolverines
have
consistently
been the underdogs. They have
never won more than 22 games in
a season, and have never made it
past the semifinal round of a Big
Ten Tournament — ever.
With two regular season games
left against unranked opponents
Nebraska
and
Penn
State,
Michigan has an opportunity
to make history by reaching the
23-win mark. And it has prepared
for this moment all year.
“I think we have the ability
to come out and play against top
teams,” said sophomore center
Hallie Thome on Inside Michigan
Basketball on Monday night. “In
the beginning of the season we
were in the Virgin Islands playing
against all the top teams, and we
were able to hold our own. I think
having that confidence under our
belt really helped us coming into
the Big Ten season.”
Yet, Michigan has lost its last
two matchups, including its first
home loss of the season against
Michigan
State
on
Saturday
afternoon.
A
record-breaking
season is far from guaranteed, but
the Wolverines have access to an
unprecedented opportunity.
Michigan’s ranking, along with
a streak of three 100-point games
earlier this season, has already
solidified the 2016-17 season as one
of firsts for the program. But while
the younger Wolverines relish this
run, for the two co-captains, it is
a bit bittersweet. Thursday night,
senior guards Danielle Williams
and Siera Thompson will play their
final regular season home game at
Crisler Center.
Thompson has started in every
game this season and leads the
team in assists with 140 — the only
current Michigan player to break
into triple digits in that category.
Thompson also ranks fourth in
points and third in rebounding.
Williams has started 15 of 28
games, and while she has just 53
points, she is an effective defensive
presence every time she steps on
the court.
Both seniors are known as stable
presences for the Wolverines,
which will be an important factor
in postseason play. With two of
their top three leading scorers—
junior guard Katelynn Flaherty
and
freshman
guard
Kysre
Gondrezick — having shooting
troubles recently, the seniors’
steadying focus will be necessary
to get the team back on track.
Michigan’s postseason might
even hinge on Williams and
Thompson’s ability to lead the
team during the next two games
because winning will give the
Wolverines a bye for the first round
of the Big Ten Tournament.
“We are at our best when we
have that time to prepare for our
opponent,” Barnes Arico said on
WTKA Radio. “So that would be a
position we would be really excited
about and I think it could definitely
be a difference maker moving into
the Big Ten Tournament.”
With a core group of five starters
that average over 25 minutes a
game, the rest afforded from a bye
could be crucial.
MAGGIE KOLCON
Daily Sports Writer