College Basketball

Michigan Basketball: Takeaways from Maryland Eastern Shore

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:32 a.m. ET

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December 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Duncan Robinson (22) shoots against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan basketball, a game after setting a season high for 3-pointers, set a season high for points with a 98-49 victory.

About a week ago, Michigan basketball traveled to UCLA to take on a Bruins team that averages around 97 points per game.

The Wolverines stuck with the home team for most of the game before Lonzo Ball and company pulled away late for a 102-84 victory. Despite the margin of defeat, Michigan shot the ball well enough to stay competitive for the majority of the game.

A few days later, Michigan headed back home for a cupcake game against Central Arkansas. Bolstered by their hot shooting against UCLA, the Wolverines let it fly all day for 19 field goals from 3-point range. They scored 97 points of their own. Four of the starters reached double digits, led by Moritz Wagner’s 18 and Zak Irvin’s 16. The one man who didn’t reach double figures, Derrick Walton Jr., recorded 6 of Michigan’s 22 assists.

It would be easy to think Michigan had reached its peak with the 44-point victory. That is, until Saturday night, as the Wolverines once again set their highest point total of the season.

The 98-49 drubbing saw three Michigan players (Walton, Duncan Robinson and DJ Wilson) equal the total output for the Hawks. Ball movement was paramount for the Wolverines, who set a season high in assists with 29. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman led the way with 10 dimes, a welcome development from Michigan’s best drive-and-dish man.

John Beilein is hoping his team continues the hot shooting through the end of the non-conference season, with one game remaining against Furman before Big Ten play.

Michigan’s next game is on Thursday at 7 p.m. EST on BTN.

Nov 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward D.J. Wilson (5) dunks during the second half against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Madison Square Garden. Michigan won, 79-61. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan basketball used to be a highlight farm. Anyone watching Glenn Robinson III during warm-ups would get to see windmills, tomahawks and more. Then the game would start, and GR3 would up the ante with like things like 360 dunks.

While not on the same level, Nik Stauskas was also known for highlight jams. Tim Hardaway Jr. threw down in championship games, regardless of who was in his way. 

D.J. Wilson is one such man who can turn around the Wolverines’ ground-bound fortune. The lanky California native has arms and hair that make him seem taller than he is, but that doesn’t take away from his bounce.  The man can dunk, especially if he’s wide open. 

However, he’s also not afraid to dunk it through people:

Or over them:

Wilson may be the most violent dunker on the team, but don’t count out freshman Ibi Watson. Watson, who has seen limited action this season, flushed two dunks with ease against the Hawks. He has the effortless bounce of a GR3 type, and he can’t be stopped on fast breaks. Look at him glide here: 

If his highlight tapes are any indication, Michigan fans can get their popcorn ready.

Finally, you can’t forget the big German. Mo Wagner also had a fast break dump, cocking the ball back before dropping the hammer. Safe to say Michigan can play above the rim. 

Dec 17, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks guard Thomas Rivera (2) dribbles defended by Michigan Wolverines guard Derrick Walton Jr. (10) in the first half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Walton has been in a month-long shooting slump. Since dropping 23 points on SMU, Walton has shot a dismal 19 of 59 from the field.

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Luckily, Walton is a contributor even when he doesn’t put the ball in the basket. He remains one of the best rebounding guards in the Big Ten, especially for being 6-foot. He also remains a valuable distributor, averaging 4 dimes a game. But Michigan needs Walton to score to fully open his offense. Once Walton gets going, the Wolverines are difficult to stop.

Walton displayed a near perfect game Saturday night. He was on fire from deep, shooting 5 of 7 from 3-point land. You could tell he was feeling it as he broke down a defender, stepped back, and hit a jumper with a hand in his face.

As per usual, his ability to score opened up his passing. He hit a variety of guys for 5 assists and pulled down 6 boards. He didn’t record a single turnover and even added a steal to the mix. As a senior leader, it’s good to see Walton rounding into form right before Big Ten play.

Sounds good.

Nov 23, 2016; Columbia, SC, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach John Beilein disputes a call against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Colonial Life Arena. The South Carolina Gamecocks won 61-46. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

It’s tough to take away too much from Saturday’s game. Michigan dispelled a 1-10 team from a weak conference with ease. Anything less than a 30-point victory would have been a concern, but Michigan literally doubled up its opponent.

So while it’s nice to see a return of dunks and Walton, there were a lot of other fun storylines throughout the game.

Is Beilein trying to follow in the footsteps of Jim Harbaugh? The Michigan basketball coach appeared in an ad for BTN2Go, the streaming service for the Big Ten Network. Beilein is obsessive about watching game footage, so this app is likely a must have for him. Check out this ESPN feature to learn just how dedicated Beilein is to watching tape.

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Fred Wright-Jones scored his first career points, pouring in a 3 for the game’s final bucket. Wright-Jones is a former manager who earned a walk-on spot this season. Wright-Jones was chosen partially for his hard-nosed defense, which even annoys teammates.

Says Walton: “I joke with him all the time like ‘Hey man, can you please just take this play off and relax?’” Follow the link to read a feature on him by 247’s Zach Shaw.

In addition to the walk-ons, freshman Xavier Simpson made the most of his minutes. The heir to Walton lived up to his teammate’s reputation, snagging 3 boards despite being shorter than his Detroit counterpart.

The former four-star also added 4 assists and 4 points for good measure. He will be a useful backup for Walton, allowing Abdur-Rahkman to play off the ball with the senior on the bench.

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