Eli Brooks Helping Mike Smith Get Acclimated In Michigan's Backcourt

Fifth-year senior Mike Smith and senior Eli Brooks are proving to be a great match in Michigan basketball's backcourt just three games into their time together as the Wolverines' point guard and shooting guard, respectively.

As soon as Smith arrived in Ann Arbor after being a graduate transfer from Columbia, he gravitated towards Brooks, with the two becoming good friends off the floor in addition to having a good deal of chemistry on it.

"I think personality," Smith said when asked what drew him to Brooks. "We both like the same things. Country music — he likes country music; he likes hip hop and pop — I like hip hop and pop. And we both try to be like the funny guy.

"We’re both really competitive, too, and we also want to make each other better each and every day. It’s kind of like that brotherhood that Coach always wants to talk about, a family.

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"And it just clicks, like when you meet somebody, you walk into the first day of class and you don’t know anybody, and you look at that one person and he looks at you and you can kinda tell that that’s going to be your friend in that class. And that’s kinda like how Eli has been. He’s also just wanted me to be great every day, from day one. That’s kind of what our relationship is like."

Smith is averaging 9.3 points, five assists and 2.3 rebounds per game, while Brooks is posting eight points, four assists and 2.3 rebounds per outing. The skills each of them possess, coupled with the trust they have in each other makes things run smoothly on the floor, Smith said. Both can play on the ball or off of it, and that versatility adds a boost.

"I feel really comfortable," Smith said of playing with Brooks. "It’s nice to have a guard like him, because I don’t always have to have the ball in my hands, and Eli knows the offense like the back of his hand.

"I really enjoy playing in the backcourt with Eli. We’re both really fast and quick, we both like to get out and run and we both can shoot the ball well. Playing with Zay [senior forward Isaiah Livers] and [sophomore guard] Franz [Wagner] and them, too, it’s great. I really love this team, and we could do something really special this year, for sure."

After leading the Ivy League in scoring last season at 22.8 points per game, Smith is settling into his new role at Michigan, where he's not asked to do more than he's capable, and where winning trumps any stats. In a small sample size, Smith has attempted 12 two-pointers and only six three-pointers, while totaling 15 assists through three games.

"I think I’m getting real comfortable. It’s only been three games, but I feel comfortable out there," Smith said. "The second game was rocky, for sure. I got in foul trouble, but it happens. But I think that I’m really comfortable out there, playing out there with what Coach wants me to do.

"Just taking what the defense is giving me so far. There’s no need to force anything, especially with a talented team like this. But if the team gives me more threes, I’ll take more threes. But a lot of teams haven’t really been going under on ball screens and haven’t been leaving me open as much, so I’m just kinda going with the flow."

When asked what makes Brooks such a good defender, Smith almost didn't want to give away the secret to another team that may be scouring media sessions while trying to gain any sort of edge.

"Man, if I do that, then all the teams who may watch this or hear that, they may steal all the tricks of the trade," Smith said with a laugh.

Eventually, Smith decided to explain a bit and praise his backcourt mate.

"It’s weird, because he’s always in the right spot at the right time," said Smith. "Like I think I would be beating him off a ball screen, and somehow he just appears right next to me or in front of me.

"He’s quick; he’s like a cat. If I had to use an analogy or use an animal, I think he’s quick as a cat. He’s always there. It doesn’t matter, he’s always fighting. Coach is always talking about how his legs move consistently, even through a ball screen.

"And he always contests the shot. He has really long arms, so it’s like he’s 6-1 but his arms are like 6-4. He contests everything and it’s really hard to get by.

"He’s a competitor. I think that’s one thing that you can see out there in the game. He may be undersized, but he’s going to fight like he’s 6-5, 6-6 and guard a 6-5 player like he’s 6-5, 6-6. He’s going to go out there and compete every day, and he always talks about how his dad told him that defense wins games and defense keeps you on the floor — and you can see that out there in practice and in games for sure."

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