mark donnal
derrick walton
caris levert
hoops game recaps
duncan robinson
2015-16 northern kentucky

Michigan 77, Northern Kentucky 62 Comment Count

Ace


Caris LeVert recorded the fourth triple-double in program history. [Fuller]

Caris LeVert's most memorable play of the evening didn't even count towards the fourth triple-double in Michigan basketball history.

LeVert finished with 13 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists, but his steal and Gumby-like save in the second half stood out as the highlight in a game Michigan controlled from start to finish. Duncan Robinson made a sizable contribution to that assist total, knocking down three of his six first-half triples off LeVert passes.  

Robinson scored all 18 of his game-high points in the first half. He also scored them all from the same location:

When Northern Kentucky reconfigured their defense to prevent Robinson from getting the ball in the second half, the rest of Michigan's offense benefited, especially LeVert and Derrick Walton. Walton returned from his ankle injury, got the start, and looked healthy—save for a brief scare after a hard foul in the second half—in a 16-point effort.

Outside of LeVert making history, Robinson raining threes, and Walton looking spry, the major intrigue from this game came from how John Beilein handled the rotation. (Alright, and the defense once again being not-so-good, but let's leave that for another day.) LeVert, Robinson, Walton, and Zak Irvin all played 34 minutes or more, while Ricky Doyle (23) and Mark Donnal (14) took up nearly all the minutes at the five; Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (11) was the only non-center backup to see anything approaching significant time. Donnal had easily his best performance of the year, netting his season-high 11th point on the pick-and-roll to give LeVert his triple-double.

Andrew Dakich entered in time to run out the clock, and he did so with aplomb.

Tonight's bad poetry:

Duncan made a three.
Duncan made another three.
I need four more lines.

Comments

Boner Stabone

December 15th, 2015 at 9:52 PM ^

Donnal and Doyle need to spend a practice or two working on catching the ball.  They fumbled away so many passes from Caris and Walton it was frustrating to watch,  I guess I have been spoiled with Jordan Morgan being able to catch and finish.

Joined: 01/06/2015

MGoPoints: 24219

CorkyCole

December 15th, 2015 at 10:44 PM ^

That vine doesn't even capture my favorite part of Dakich's escapade when he literally ran to the opposing bench (well ahead of Beilein) and I believe shook the coach's hand before he got up off his chair. He then proceeded to help each opposing player off their seats in attempt to lift their spirits.

At least that's what played in my head. (He most definitely was ten steps ahead of Beilein - that I can be certain).

Joined: 06/13/2011

MGoPoints: 4498

baileyb7

December 16th, 2015 at 7:18 AM ^

NKU "reconfigured" their defense to deny Robinson the ball in the second half?  Excuse me?  Like NBA teams reconfigure their defense to deny Curry the ball?  That is BS.  That is the fault of the Michigan coaching staff not to run plays to free Robinson to get shots.  He is the best shooter in the country.  He should be shooting 15+ times a game.  The offense must run through him as much as possible but the coaching staff is not committed to that.  Zero shots (not counting late, late long threeball) in the second half is inexcusible for a shooter like Robinson.

Joined: 03/04/2015

MGoPoints: 379

El Jeffe

December 16th, 2015 at 8:40 AM ^

I get your point--get Robinson shots--but this is one retina-searing hot take. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it's easier to limit shots for the relatively slow of foot Robinson than it would be for the once in a generation talent that is Steph Curry.

Beilein has always been a constraint-oriented coach--he'd like to get layups and open threes, so if you overload one side of the floor to stop a hot shooter (especially a 4), that opens up other opportunities. JB has never been one to pound rock just for the sake of it.

Joined: 07/07/2008

MGoPoints: 27334

Lanknows

December 16th, 2015 at 11:45 AM ^

If you're a one-dimensional player, you can be locked down.  Saw this with Stauskas too.  Coaches challenged him to expand his game and he did.  Bacari Alexander put the onus to get shots on the player -- and he's right. 

Player development -- our coaches know something about it.

Joined: 03/23/2012

MGoPoints: 5384

wahooverine

December 16th, 2015 at 10:14 AM ^

It's only inexcusable if we're playing a close game in the 2nd round of the tourny.  We controlled this game from started to finish.  You don't want to reveal your offensive wrinkles prior to Big 10 play on a game like this. It's not unlike Harbaugh pounding the rock once up 24 pts in the second half.  Beilien is a tinkerer, and right now we need to tinker with the lineup to find the right formula to beat better teams.

Joined: 11/14/2011

MGoPoints: 6799

Bertello NC

December 16th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^

I know we're saving D for another day but I just have to wonder with this team when JB will try more zone. We are absolutely horrendous at stopping dribble pen and do an equally bad job of losing guys and closing out on baseline 3's. Most times on the floor we have sub par on ball defenders who aren't fast, quick, or athletic enough to help then recover. I just wonder why a 2-3 wouldn't be something to play with. You put Levert/Walton/Maar at the top, Doyle/donnal/Wagner/Wilson in the middle, and Irvin/Robinson/Dawkins/Chatman on the wings. I feel like Irvin and Robinson wouldn't be as exposed in a situation like that. Mask some of the one on one defensive deficiencies we have. I know zone is susceptible to O rebounds but we give those up anyway.



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Joined: 09/13/2011

MGoPoints: 958

Lanknows

December 16th, 2015 at 12:20 PM ^

Another one where you have to consider the level of competition BUT, it was fascinating to see some significant rotation changes in this one.

  • Dakich, Chatman, Wagner all but disappeared after each having some positive moments thusfar.
  • Dawkins demotion seems firm.
  • Robinson's role elevated alongside Doyle and our Big 3.
  • Rotation tightening up, as expected.
  • Donnal over Wagner

Will they last?  I'm not sure I'm ready to buy Donnal over Wagner so I think the theory about 'going with the hot hand' at center is the best guess. I also think Dakich will steal some minutes from MAAR when Michigan needs an energy injection.

I'd be surprised if the starters changed again all year, though.  Tentatively behind them -  MAAR is your backup guard, Dawkins your backup wing, and Wagner/Donnal will continue to get opportunities behind Doyle.  Thats and 8 (and a half) man rotation and that's where Beilein was always going to end up.

I think Dakich and Chatman will be fringe contributors limited to situational use, particularly as foul-trouble mitigators.

Joined: 03/23/2012

MGoPoints: 5384