Michigan Basketball, Eli Brooks Update: Hope For A Quick Return
Michigan lost a huge contributor to its success early in Sunday's game when Eli Brooks went down with a left ankle injury. Without him, U-M was out of sorts on both ends in a 70-64 loss at Michigan State.
It looked bad when he Brooks had to be carried off the floor, but he was later walking gingerly on it in a walking boot.
Tuesday, Michigan Director of Player and Personnel Development Jay Smith said on a Michigan Alumni Zoom call with former Fab Fiver Jimmy King and SID Bruce Madej he was hopeful Brooks could return as soon as Friday.
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"He's working with trainer Alex Wong so he can return," Smith said, noting Brooks is officially "day to day” and they are "hoping and praying” he can be back for Friday's first round game with either Michigan State or Maryland.
Head coach Juwan Howard knows how badly he needs him. Brooks' contribution goes well beyond his 8.7 points and 2.9 assists per game; he's also one of the Big Ten's best defenders.
"I know how much he really wants to be out there for his team. 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.”
There have been positive rumblings that he'll be back sooner than later, and former head coach and current Big Ten analyst John Beilein said he's not surprised. Strength coach Jon Sanderson and trainer Alex Wong work incredibly well in concert together, he recalled, and Sanderson's "prehab" routine prepared them for potential ankle and knee injuries, he recalled.
"Charles Matthews had an ankle injury in 2019, and it was serious," Beilein recalled. "There's no doubt in my mind we don't get him back if not for Jon and the 'pre-hab.' and rehab. Between Jon and Alex, he's in good hands."
And they need him. Michigan State's Rocket Watts went off for 21 points and was the difference in the game with Brooks off the floor.
"People talk about flow on offense with him, but it's the flow on defense that is also huge," Belien said. "He's always in the right spot. We did stats on him back when he was struggling more offensively ... [assistant] Luke Yaklich did the stats on him, and we continued to come up with we were always better defensively when Eli was on the floor. Always.
"He can also shut down one guy. If you have someone who can shut down one guy ... I don't know if he normally guarded Rocket or not, but if he's on Rocket, he might not get 21."
He might get a chance to prove it Friday, and that would be a huge boost for the Big Ten's champion and No. 1 seed.
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