Michigan Basketball News & Views: Beilein On Senior Day, OSU, Wagner & More
Michigan head coach John Beilein met the media to talk Senior Day, Ohio State, Moe Wagner’s future and more.
We tackle his comments in News & Views format.
NEWS: Michigan stands 21-7, 10-5 in Big Ten play with three conference games to go.
BEILEIN: “There are several games you could flip either way. They could have all gone for us, or all gone against us. Our record would be very different if you go back through the season.”
VIEWS: They’ve pulled a few out of their rear ends, including some that shouldn’t have been close in Maryland and Minnesota at home. At the same time, they could have another huge win on their resume with a better whistle down the stretch against Purdue.
This team still has work to do. It needs one more win, probably, to really solidify itself as an NCAA Tournament team, and OSU, at Penn State and at Maryland is a heck of a way to finish. U-M drew the short straw on schedule this year, having to play OSU and Purdue twice and only getting MSU on the road … yet this team has responded pretty well.
NEWS: Four seniors will be honored during a pregame ceremony … grad transfer Jaaron Simmons, Duncan Robinson, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Austin Hatch.
BEILEIN: “Jaaron was here a short time but has been an incredible good citizen on our roster, worked really hard to get any time he can. Austin Hatch, we all know that story. It will be a very emotional day for all of us.
“Duncan took a circuitous route to get to Michigan. He’s sixth in all time three-point shooting, close to 1000 points at Michigan in three years. Muhammad came out of nowhere … we were looking for warm bodies and find one at Allentown (Penn.) Catholic, Boy, he turned out to be more than just a warm body.”
VIEWS: Abdur-Rahkman scored 18 as a frosh at Michigan State in showing signs he could be pretty good, but he couldn't see the floor. Today, he leads the nation in assist to turnover ratio. Beilein is one of the nation’s best developers of talent, and here’s more proof.
But Hatch is the story … how he survived two plane crashes and the loss of all of his family members to graduate from Michigan.
“The biggest impact is perspective. I’ll talk to the team in the next two days … many didn’t know his story until they came here. It’s an incredible story,” Beilein said. “We’ve recommended him for the Wilma Rudolph award for working through adversity. He will graduate with a really good GPA in organizational studies, had to work really hard to get to this point. One of the greatest stories I think that I’ll associate with and I’m pleased to be a part of it.”
Hatch will likely dress Sunday.
“There’s not a range of emotions, just one. … he is a remarkable person,” Beilein said. “Most of his best friends already graduated. Kathleen and I have both grown close to him. His wedding in June, we’ll be in attendance and that will be another tearful day. I’ll probably get a little emotional like am now.”
Given Beilein’s ability to develop players … well, Hatch could have been really, really good on the court. He’ll still leave as one of the Wolverines’ greats in a difference way.
NEWS: Penn State blew out Ohio State Thursday night in Happy Valley.
BEILEIN: “That shows you just how good Penn State is, not who Ohio State is. With Josh Reeves back right now, he can take one guy out of a game … he did a great job yesterday.”
VIEWS: It means nothing about what to expect Sunday. Michigan needs this one, though, and should play well against the Buckeyes with something to prove after giving up a 20-point lead in losing at OSU.
“A 20-point lead in the first half is nothing,” Beilein said. “They played really well but given their record and what they’ve done, we don’t look back and say, ‘oh goodness, we blew that one.’ They were really good in the second half, we weren’t very good.”
It’s time U-M got that OSU monkey off its back, though, and took care of business. The Wolverines will probably be favored, and this one could punch their tourney ticket. It’s sold out, nationally televised … just win.
NEWS: Andrew Dakich, a former Wolverine, is now a grad transfer for Ohio State.
BEILEIN: “Isn’t that fun? It’s always great. This one, I’m really happy for the whole Dakich family. I think he’s got great loyalty to this university.
Once again, we did not give him a fifth year, so you can’t hold him back. Chris [Holtmann] was talking about giving him a scholarship (at Butler) and we basically convinced him at Butler, yes it’s worth it.”
VIEWS: Had he known he was going to OSU, Beilein quipped, he wouldn’t have recommended him.
Dakich has been a steadying influence for a first place team, and he wouldn’t have played for Michigan this year, even with their point guard struggles. But imagine if the shoe were on the other foot and U-M took an OSU grad transfer?
Wouldn’t happen. And yeah, it’s still tough to see him in scarlet and gray.
NEWS: Junior Moe Wagner still hasn’t made a decision on his future, but Michigan wants him back for his senior year.
BEILEIN: “We’ve got to wait and see. He’s a very bright young man and we want what’s best for him. If he wants to come back a fourth year, that’s wonderful for us. If he’s got other opportunities he wants to pursue, we want him to do that, too.”
VIEWS: It’s not out of the question that Wagner comes back … we’ve said it for a while now. But that means Michigan is at 14 for 13 spots next year, and somebody would have to transfer.
We should know shortly after the season which direction this is headed, but know this ... Wagner loves Michigan and he loves Ann Arbor.
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @BSB_Wolverine, @JB_ Wolverine, @AustinFox42, @AndrewVcourt and @Balas_Wolverine
• Like us on Facebook