Rivalry aside, the Michigan State game provides Michigan with another opportunity to garner a resume-boosting win.
Max Marcovitch
Daily Sports Editor
Basketball
A far cry from precluding freshmen from playing in the second half, Beilein is now finding as many ways as possible to utilize his first-year players.
Led by a storm of energy from the freshman duo of Jordan Poole and Isaiah Livers, Michigan earned another conference win.
Just four weeks ago — 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.
Throughout the season, the point guard position has been a source of limited production for the Michigan men’s basketball team.
The freshman forward has worked on his outside shot. Tuesday night, that showed.
Though Jacksonville hardly presents a more pressing challenge than Alabama A&M did last Thursday, the matchup offers the Wolverines a chance to recalibrate, once more, before the stretch run.
Michigan’s starting center left the Wolverines’ win over Texas on Tuesday night with a “slight ankle sprain.”
As Beilein and his staff prepare to square off against Detroit Saturday at Little Caesar’s Arena, their former player’s name will be at the top of the scouting report.
Zavier Simpson has the pedigree. Now his game might be rounding into form. What if the answer to the season’s preeminent question is just that simple?