TheWolverine.com - 'Tentative' Harris lights up Wayne State

November 6, 2009

Chris Balas
TheWolverine.com Senior Editor

If Friday night is any indication, the secret to Michigan's basketball success this year might be in limiting its injured starters in practice and unleashing them during games. Junior Manny Harris and sophomore Zack Novak had both missed practice time in recent weeks with injuries, but each looked plenty healthy in U-M's 73-54 exhibition win over Wayne State.

Harris, nursing a sore hamstring, scored 25 points on 8 of 14 shooting and Novak made five of eight triples, accounting for all 15 of his points.

If that was Harris at 85 percent, as some estimated, he's in for some big nights ahead.

"I felt all right," said Harris. "The adrenaline was rushing. I felt rust in my game because I haven't been practicing full go, but as a team we did good and I did all right.

"I was still hesitant to do stuff, like when I got on the dunk ? I was still scared to dunk, but I did it anyway. I think it's at the point now I'm just scared to do stuff though I probably can. I've just got to push everything."

Harris added five rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win. Novak, meanwhile, has had several nights in which he couldn't miss in warm-ups in his short time in Ann Arbor, but Friday night "wasn't one of those nights," he said. He just happened to be on when he was off.

"A couple of those didn't feel very good, but you just have nights like that where you throw it up there and it's just going to fall," said Novak, who was second on the team with 28 minutes played. Two of his triples extended well into NBA range.

"He's been banged up a bit and really hasn't gotten into his rhythm. That's why I left him out there, too," said head coach John Beilein. "The hustle plays ? he gives us so many things. For him to get five threes today was really big. I don't know if he's hit five threes each week."

The exhibition featured several other positives. Freshman Darius Morris looked comfortable at the point in providing four points, three assists and three rebounds in 25 minutes, while senior DeShawn Sims added nine points and five rebounds. Sophomore Stu Douglass registered six points on two triples and fifth-year senior Zack Gibson put up six of his own.

Harris, though, was the catalyst, proving he can be the best on the floor even when he's not at his best.

"There were a couple things that really stood out," said Beilein. "His demeanor the whole game was so positive, and the great leadership skills today he showed really was a positive influence on the team. I don't think he shot the ball great -- he just really did other things to help us win."

Harris played 29 minutes to lead the team. He scored 16 in 17 first half minutes to help the Wolverines open a 37-22 halftime lead with Sims on the bench late with two fouls.

"The last two days he had opened up and I was looking for some real good cardio for him," said Beilein. " He was really the one guy feeling comfortable out there when DeShawn was in foul trouble. I wanted to make sure he got enough touches and felt good before the real thing starts, because he hasn't had too much of it."

Michigan ripped off the first five points of the second half and was never threatened, though Wayne State did run off nine straight points to cut it to 48-37 with 12:47 to play. U-M countered with nine of their own to open it back up, getting a three-point play from Harris and another Novak triple to start the run.

"That was a good start," said Novak. "They were a good team, really quick, and they really got into us, but I think it was good for us to just get one under our belts. I think we played well."

Notes

? Harris said he's still not entirely confident on his sore hamstring, but the adrenaline helped him through.

"I can definitely feel it ? [but] that's our trainer's job," said Harris. "He's just going to make sure to get the soreness out, keep it iced and stuff like that. I definitely worry about it. That's why I stay and get treatment before practice, after practice. I do that a lot so it won't linger."

? Sims wasn't at his best, especially given how he'd played this fall. He'd been outstanding throughout the fall.

"DeShawn is better than he played today," said Beilein. "Foul trouble ? and I don't know if some of them were fouls or not early, but that's going to happen to him. He has really been practicing well. I'm sure he's disappointed, but it's an exhibition game we'll learn from."

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