6A — Thursday, January 4, 2018
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Winovich announces his return to Michigan

Chase Winovich didn’t dream 

of the NFL in high school.

Ask him if he always wanted 

to play professional football, and 
he’ll recount a memory from his 
junior year at Thomas Jefferson 
High 
School. 

Then-Florida 
State 
defensive 

coordinator 
Sal 
Sunseri 

approached 
him, asking if he 
wanted to play in 
the NFL.

Winovich 

told 
him 
yes, 

but admitted in 
November 
that 

he didn’t know what the future 
held. He was just three months 
removed from getting his first 
college offer, had just switched 
positions and was still “trying to 
make it” in high school.

But he made it there. He made 

it in college too, despite plenty of 
obstacles that stood in his way.

Now, despite the opportunity 

to 
declare 
for 
the 
NFL 

Draft, 
Winovich 
announced 

Wednesday, via Twitter, that he 
will be returning to Michigan for 
his final year of eligibility.

With the decision, Winovich 

will spend 2018 finishing out what 
has been a whirlwind career.

He 
came 
to 

Ann Arbor to play 
SAM linebacker 
under 
Brady 

Hoke, moved to 
tight end upon 
Jim Harbaugh’s 
arrival, hurt his 
PCL in a ensuing 
Spring 
Game 

and pulled his 
hamstring during 
the first week of 

camp.

He found himself as the sixth 

or 
seventh-string 
tight 
end, 

relegated to another year of scout 
team snaps, before eventually 
being moved back to defense 
during Michigan’s 2015 Citrus 
Bowl practices.

It was a move Winovich 

once equated to LeBron James’ 

Cleveland homecoming. More 
modestly, his teammates said 
he had finally found a home at 
defensive end.

It’s not an unheard of journey 

in college football, but that doesn’t 
make it any less difficult. How 
Winovich turned that journey 
into a potential 
NFL 
contract 

is perhaps best 
summarized 
by 

Matt 
Thompson 

— 
a 
former 

Michigan 
quarterback and 
one of Winovich’s 
best friends.

“I 
think 

the one of the 
funniest 
quotes 

that I ever heard about Chase 
was (when) I was talking to 
my mom,” Thompson said in 
November. “And she just met 
Chase, she loved Chase. And she 
said, ‘Too bad Chase wasn’t born 
in another era, he could’ve been 
the next Alexander the Great or 
something.’ ”

Hyperbole 
aside, 
it’s 
an 

accurate summary of Winovich.

That sort of drive is what 

prompted an honest, inward 
inspection 
from 
Winovich 

when he was asked what would 
motivate him to return to Ann 
Arbor on the Thursday prior to 
the Outback Bowl.

“As a Michigan 

football 
player 

there’s not a lot 
of things that I 
can really say we 
did,” 
Winovich 

said then. “We 
lost to Michigan 
State this year. 
Two 
years 

ago we lost to 
Michigan State. 
I could just go 

on and on about those losses. And 
we’ve just been so close. It’s just a 
matter of, I don’t know, hanging 
my hat on something.”

Hanging his hat on something, 

however, may not be as simple as 
wins and losses.

After all, Winovich watched 

firsthand 
as 
Brady 
Hoke’s 

final season unfolded, and the 
Wolverines finished 5-7.

He has been in Ann Arbor as 

Jim Harbaugh helped revive the 
program, even if this year’s 8-5 
finish is a marked regression — 
his role increasing all the way.

And it’s for those reasons that 

a prior admission may offer a 
more nuanced insight. Sitting on 
the second floor of Schembechler 
Hall 
in 
early 
November, 

pondering the question of what 
he wanted to do after college if 
the NFL wasn’t his primary focus 
in high school, Winovich reached 
one conclusion.

“I just wanted to be a Michigan 

man and help make this program 
great again,” he said then. “Even 
if I don’t personally win a national 
championship. I know damn 
well that when I leave, Michigan 
football is in a better state than 
when I left it. That’s something I 
can hang my hat on at the end of 
the day.”

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Redshirt junior defensive end Chase Winovich announced his decision to return for his final season Wednesday.

Redshirt junior could have entered the NFL Draft, but opted not to

“It’s just a matter 

of, I don’t know, 

hanging my hat 

on something.”

“Michigan 

football is in a 

better state than 

when I left it.”

KEVIN SANTO
Daily Sports Writer

Wagner struggling since return from foot injury

There’s never an opportune 

time for an injury.

That’s especially the case 

when the injury happens to a 
team’s second-leading scorer.

Yet, 
when 
junior 
center 

Moritz 
Wagner 
rolled 
his 

ankle Dec. 12 against Texas, it 
seemed like it was coming at as 
ideal a time as any. Michigan 
overcame the injury to beat 
the Longhorns, and then it 
had matchups against Detroit, 
Alabama A&M and Jacksonville 
— games the Wolverines were 
likely to win with or without a 
healthy Wagner.

And Wagner returned to 

action in a timely fashion — 
just over two weeks after being 
injured — against the Dolphins. 
Now, it seems the injury has had 
lingering effects. Wagner has 
shown signs of discomfort with 
a lack of production in his two 
games since his return. In his 
20 minutes against Jacksonville, 
Wagner scored a season-low 

seven points. Tuesday, against 
Iowa, he beat that by scoring just 
four points in his 16 minutes.

“He’s just not right after the 

injury. He’s just not right,” said 
Michigan coach John Beilein 
after the game against the 
Hawkeyes. “We’ve just got to 
get back, and he’s got to get, you 
know, when it’s your feet, he was 
really 
tender, 

and 
he 
was 

walking funny. 
Now he’s fine, 
but getting that 
back.

“If 
any 
of 

you have ever 
had an injury to 
your foot, and 
then, when you 
get that cast off, 
you don’t even 
know, it feels so funny. He’s just 
not himself with his feet. He’s 
way off balance. We’ve just got 
to get back to basics with him. 
And I’m concerned about it, 
because this is something, we 
need Moe Wagner.”

And the Wolverines will need 

Wagner soon. After Michigan 

hosts Illinois – one of the lesser 
Big Ten teams – it encounters 
Purdue and Michigan State, 
arguably the two best teams in 
the conference.

The 
Boilermakers 
and 

Spartans also get a majority of 
their production from their size. 
Both have skilled big men who, 
even with a healthy Wagner, 

will likely pose a 
problem for the 
Wolverines.

So 
there 
is 

a bit of a sense 
of 
urgency 

when 
it 
comes 

to 
Wagner’s 

recovery. Beilein 
says 
it 
is 
no 

longer a matter of 
time. Wagner is 
healthy, but now 

they just have to get him back 
into the shape he was in before 
the injury.

“I think we’re ready to dive 

in right now,” Beilein said. “I 
think he’s healthy, but it was 
like, okay, yesterday in practice, 
this was his first day that I felt 
we could really go at him, but 

we had a game the next day. So, 
we’ve got to get him, tomorrow’s 
a day off. Thursday, we’ve got to 
get his cardio up, and we’ve got 
to get his balance back. He’s off 
balance. We’ve just got to get 
him more fundamentally sound 
again.”

If Wagner can revert to his old 

form soon, then the point will be 
moot. The last two games will be 
looked back on as a blip on the 
radar of an otherwise successful 
season.

Sophomore center Jon Teske 

has been able to relieve any stress 
caused by Wagner’s slow return, 
as he had seven points and six 
rebounds against Iowa and has 
been a key defensive mainstay 
when he’s in the game. But as 
Beilein said, Michigan needs 
Wagner. It needs his 15.6 points 
per game and 7.8 rebounds per 
game he was averaging before 
the injury.

Not only do the Wolverines 

need Wagner to be himself 
again, but with tough games 
against the class of the Big Ten 
on the horizon, they will likely 
need it sooner rather than later. 

RYAN MCLOUGHLIN/Daily

Junior center Moritz Wagner has struggled in the two games since his return from a foot injury that he suffered in Michigan’s Dec. 12 game against Texas.

“I’m concerned 

about it, because 

... we need Moe 

Wagner.”

MIKE PERSAK

Managing Sports Editor

Wolverines favored to 
win against Wisconsin

Thursday, 
the 
Michigan 

women’s basketball team has 
another chance at history.

With 123 career victories, 

coach Kim Barnes Arico sits 
tied with Sue Guevara for the 
most in the program history. 
This will be the Wolverines’ (1-1 
Big Ten, 12-3 overall) second 
attempt to put their coach atop 
the all-time list after losing this 
past Sunday to No. 18 Iowa.

But No. 22 Michigan should 

feel confident to do so against a 
meager Wisconsin squad.

While the Badgers record 

(0-2, 
7-8) 
isn’t 
atrocious, 

statistically, they’re a mess.

Wisconsin ranks dead last in 

the Big Ten in points per game 
(63.3), blocked shots (45) and 
three-point percentage (.286). 
They 
also 
rank 
second-to-

last in free-throw percentage 
(.664) and steals (90). To make 
matters worse, they’re third 
worst in turnover margin (-2.1), 
scoring margin (0.1), field goal 
percentage (.405). and three-
pointers per game (4.9).

And 
despite 
being 
a 

conference 
matchup, 
don’t 

expect 
much 
support 
from 

the Badgers fans, who are as 
reliable as the team is on the 
court. Wisconsin is last in the 
Big Ten in attendance.

Unfortunately 
for 
the 

Badgers, the conference title 
isn’t decided based on defensive 
rebounding percentage, where 
they rank first at .734. But 
even this is nullified when 
considering 
that 
they 
rank 

10th in offensive rebounding; 
this deficiency should only be 
amplified by Michigan’s first 
ranked defensive rebounding.

These overall pitiful numbers 

only project to be even worse 
against a staunch Wolverine 
team.

Under 
the 
leadership 
of 

senior guard Katelynn Flaherty 
and 
senior 
forward 
Jillian 

Dunston, 
Michigan 
hasn’t 

just been beating teams – but 

dominating them.

The 
Wolverines 
have 

outscored their opponents by an 
astounding 17.5 points and have 
won by a double digit scoring 
margin in all but two victories. 
Expect more of the same on 
Thursday.

Look for scoring catalyst 

Flaherty – who averages 22.8 
points per game – to have a 
field day against a poor Wisco 
defense. Oh yeah, don’t forget 
Hallie Thome. The junior center 
has been tearing up defenses 
down low, averaging 16 points 
and 7.1 rebounds.

And 
don’t 
expect 
the 

deplorable Badgers’ offense to 
suddenly come alive. Michigan’s 
defense has been as good, if not 
better, than its offense. The 
Wolverines rank second in the 
Big Ten in defense, allowing 
just 58.7 points per game.

The 
defensive 
anchor 

this season (and last) has 
undoubtedly 
been 
Dunston. 

The forward is fourth in the 
conference with 9.9 rebounds 
and 12th in steals with 1.8. What 
makes 
Dunston 
particularly 

potent is her ability to guard 
multiple 
positions. 
Barnes 

Arico has often pointed out 
how Dunston usually defends 
the other team’s best player 
regardless of position.

So don’t be surprised to see 

Dunston matched up against 
guard Cayla McMorris. The 
senior received a nod as a All-
Big Ten Honorable Mention in 
2017 and is currently averaging 
14.6 points.

But it would realistically take 

a career day from McMorris 
for Wisconsin to come out 
triumphant.

Especially considering that 

despite Barnes Arico finding 
success in years prior, and 
holding the program’s highest 
winning percentage at .651, this 
may be her best squad yet.

So yes, even coming off a 

loss, the Wolverines should feel 
buoyant in their ability to get 
Barnes Arico that illustrious 
win.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

HUNTER SHARF
Daily Sports Writer

MEN’S BASKETBALL
Loss to Ohio State still 
on the mind of Michigan

After 
Iowa 
trimmed 

Michigan’s 18-point lead to 12 at 
halftime, nobody on the visiting 
bench was comfortable.

That 
discomfort 
grew 

exponentially 
when 
the 

Hawkeyes began the second 
half with a quick 5-0 run to 
trim the once expansive lead to 
just seven. Iowa forward Tyler 
Cook was having his way down 
low, the defense was beginning 
to feed off the crowd and after 
a blazing 8-for-11 start from 
beyond the arc, the Wolverines 
couldn’t buy a bucket.

It was déjà vu all over again.
Just four weeks prior — on 

the road against Ohio State — 
Michigan coughed up a 20-point 
first half lead, scored just 18 
second half points and left 
Columbus winless and with an 
identity crisis to repair.

“We couldn’t make a basket 

and we couldn’t make a bright 
play in that time,” said Michigan 
coach John Beilein. “When 
things got a little tough, we really 
had trouble stepping up. So it’s a 
big area we’ve got to work at. But 
also at other times in the game, 
when there are simple plays to 
be made, we make them.

“I called every number I could 

call, and it didn’t happen.”

This time, in need of a 

spark, he called number ‘4’ and 
freshman forward Isaiah Livers 
answered the bell. Combined 
with 
a 
commandeering 

performance from sophomore 
point guard Zavier Simpson 
and nine key second-half points 
from senior guard Muhammad-
Ali 
Abdur-Rahkman, 
the 

Wolverines escaped with a 75-68 
road win to push its conference 
record to 2-1.

But when asked after the 

game Tuesday about whether 
the loss to the Buckeyes ever 

came to mind during Iowa’s 
comeback effort, Livers hardly 
waited for the question to end.

Instead of shying away from 

the most embarrassing loss of 
the season, Livers and his team 
have embraced it.

“That’s all we talk about all 

season,” Livers said with clarity 
and vigor. “That we can’t come 
out here in the second half and 
let them come hit us. We’ve got 
to hit them before they hit us.”

A back-breaking loss like 

that can send a team in either 
direction. For some teams — 
especially young teams like this 
one — blowing a 20-point lead 
against a conference foe can 
send it into a downward spiral. 
For others, it can galvanize a 
response. Last season, after a 
16-point loss at Illinois, Illini 
forward 
Maverick 
Morgan 

called the Wolverines a “white-
collar 
team.” 
Michigan, 
of 

course, blew Illinois out in 
the first round of the Big Ten 
Tournament, en route to a Big 
Ten Tournament Title and a 
Sweet 16 appearance. A clear 
turning point in the season, 
the Wolverines even posted the 
quote throughout the locker 
room and referenced the dig 
several times throughout the 
season.

That loss changed Michigan’s 

season. Livers believes the loss 
at Ohio State could have the 
same effect.

The Wolverines have won 

each of their six games since 
that 
collapse 
in 
Columbus, 

and the win in Iowa was their 
staunchest evidence that the 
loss has been a motivator, not a 
deterrent.

“I think that’s going to help 

us going forward in the season a 
lot,” Livers said. “I’m pretty sure 
that’s a key point in our season, 
is that loss. I’m not happy we 
lost, but I’m kinda glad because 
we can learn from (it).”

MAX MARCOVITCH

Daily Sports Editor