Michigan Wolverines Basketball Stock Report: January 19, 2020
Michigan has now lost three of its last four games and still hasn't won a true road game. A 2-4 mark in the conference is not very impressive but the Wolverines still have some marquee wins and look like a tournament team. With Isaiah Livers out, Michigan has struggled at times but it has allowed a couple of other guys to step up. Here's how we see the top six on the hardwood.
1. Senior point guard Zavier Simpson was at No. 1 about a month ago and he still is. He's never been a huge scorer, but he's averaging 15.5 points per game over his last four outings. He has been, however, an elite facilitator and remains so as evidenced by his nation-leading 8.7 assists per game. Despite dominating the ball for the majority of each game, Simpson only has nine turnovers over the last four contests. Simpson has been called the basketball team's "Tom Brady" by head coach Juwan Howard on multiple occasions, which seems like a pretty good endorsement for putting him in the top slot.
2. Senior center Jon Teske is averaging a team high 14.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He's been picked on a bit by opposing bigs, but he's clearly Michigan's top option down low on both ends of the floor. Iowa's Luka Garza has had two monstrous outings against Teske as did Purdue's Trevion Williams. Still, Teske is the man in the middle and really does a lot for Michigan, especially on the offensive end of the floor. There's still been some inconsistency out of Teske in terms of being a physical presence, but overall he's been reliable on offense and defense.
3. Junior guard Eli Brooks has been up and down this year but when he's up he's one of the best players on the team, especially with Isaiah Livers out with a groin injury. Brooks is averaging 11.2 points per game and has led the team in scoring four times including most recently against Iowa with a career-high 25 points. It wasn't enough for Michigan to win, but Brooks almost singlehandedly kept the Wolverines in the game during certain stretches at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. With Livers shelved, Brooks is Michigan's most dangerous weapon from three-point land even after hitting a few cold spots this year. He's still shooting the three at nearly a 40-percent clip and has also made some really big plays on defense because of his quickness and basketball IQ.
4. Freshman guard Franz Wagner has now started 13 games and is essentially back to full strength in terms of his feel for the game and overall endurance according to Juwan Howard. The lanky swingman still struggles occasionally but he's starting to hit three pointers more consistently and seems to be looking for his offense off the bounce more as well. Against Iowa, Wagner logged 31 minutes and scored 18 points. He hit some clutch three pointers, but was still a little inconsistent going 2-for-8 from distance. Wagner has a lot of skill for a young, 6-9 guard, and you can still see him getting better with each passing game.
5. Sophomore forward Brandon Johns Jr. hasn't been Isaiah Livers but he's filled in admirably while Livers is out with an injury. Johns has started the last five games but is only averaging 6.6 points and 2.8 rebounds per in those contests. That's not exactly the production you'd like to see from a starter but Johns is good for a few nice plays and some big time hustle moments each time out. Over those five games, Johns has committed 16 fouls, which is something he needs to rein in, but that aggressiveness and hustle, coupled with his athleticism, is what makes him effective in other situations. He's still a young player figuring out how to manage starter's minutes.
6. Sophomore guard David DeJulius isn't a starter but he's playing more than 22 minutes per game over the last five contests. DeJulius, along with Eli Brooks, helped keep Michigan in the game against Iowa at certain points, but it obviously wasn't enough when the final horn blew. Still, DeJulius is one of just a few guys who can create his own shot whenever he wants. That's been a blessing and a curse at times because DeJulius does have a tendency to force it at times. He's averaging 8.2 points per game and is shooting it from distance at a 38-percent clip despite going just 3-of-13 from three-point range over the last five games. He's not shy and won't quit shooting, which is how Juwan Howard wants it.
How would your top six look right now? How do you think it will evolve over time? Comment below!!!
