Phil Martelli prefers not to mince words when talking to the media.
He's been around the block long enough to know that it's better to just leave it out in the open rather than keeping it close to the face.
For instance, regarding Eli Brooks' leadership capability.
The fifth-year senior brings a championship mentality to everything that he does, according to Michigan's acting head coach, but the lack of hell-raisers outside of Brooks in the locker room is what's been missing from the team in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament.
“At this point of the year, it’s well established that Eli is the leader," Martelli said. "But at this point of the year, you need some followers to step up. You can follow for a long time, but when somebody turns around and says, ‘I need you.’"
Brooks played one of his best games Tuesday in the 82-71 loss to Iowa on Senior Night, showcasing his consistency in facilitating and scoring as one-of-three Wolverines to notch double-digits with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Brooks sat down for a mere 20 minutes on Senior Night and helped Michigan scrap a minor comeback late in the second half.
“I’m always disappointed on senior night when you don’t get a win," Martelli said. "Because I think the frame photos, flowers, parents on the court, the applause that the people were so kind to give the players, is terrific and well deserved. But a senior would say ‘I want to go out feeling like a champion that particular night.’ So, I’m disappointed that I wasn’t able to deliver for those players.”
The term hell-raiser is quite assertive for a coach in search of better consistency from his club. How Michigan has been unable to stay the course of winning these past few weeks might be more impressive than building a winning streak before the Big Ten tournament.
A loss to Wisconsin, a win over Rutgers, a loss to Illinois, a win over Michigan State, a loss to Iowa. You get the picture. Play like a team that once ranked No. 4 in the country one night to being a perennial NIT contender the next. What needs to change is for a hell-raiser to enter the room and not lean so heavily on Brooks every night.
A player who can help get Michigan out the hole and put together a string of wins at a crucial point of the season. No names were dropped by Martelli in regards to who needs to give more emotional commitment to the game, but if that has to be himself or the assistant coaches leading up to Ohio State on Sunday, then that'll be the course of action.
“It means that they’re a group of nice young guys," Martelli said. "Nice being emphatic and young being emphatic. I’m not talking about age. There’s an emotional age that we need to increase across the board quickly.”
After Thursday's loss, the finale against the Buckeyes feels more like a must-win than anything, even if Martelli doesn't prefer to use that phrase. But with hopes of making the NCAA Tournament and a legitimate shot of doing so – albeit a couple more convincing wins - the mindset should be win or go home this weekend.
“I feel like you just have into that game with the same mentality," Caleb Houstan said. "We’re going over there to win that game feel like we can win that game. Obviously, excited to get another chance at it. Even thought they beat us earlier this year, we’re just really confident going into that one.”
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