Eli Brooks In The Starting Lineup For Michigan In Big Ten Tourney Opener
Michigan Wolverines basketball senior guard Eli Brooks is in the starting lineup for the Maize and Blue today, joining fifth-year senior guard Mike Smith, sophomore wing Franz Wagner, senior forward Isaiah Livers and freshman center Hunter Dickinson.
Brooks missed the final 35 minutes of Michigan's loss six-point at Michigan State Sunday after suffering an ankle injury early on. He also missed the Jan. 16 game at Minnesota, and 18-point loss, with a strained foot, making U-M 0-2 in games that he's missed the bulk of.
Brooks, who was a game-time decision, is averaging 8.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and three assists per outing, while shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from deep.
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Head coach Juwan Howard, in the lead-up to the Big Ten Tournament, stressed the importance of Brooks' presence to the Wolverines' success.
"I know how much he really wants to be out there for his team," he said Monday. "Being a senior and with the Big Ten Tournament coming up, every player want to be ready to play and compete in this tournament," Howard said. "I know Eli is, No. 1 — he’s one of the toughest competitors there is.”
Brooks scored 10 points in the first meeting at Maryland Dec. 31 and put up seven points in the returning meeting in Ann Arbor Jan. 19.
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