Published Dec 10, 2021
Renewed energy helps Michigan feed off recent 3-point shooting success
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Daniel Dash  •  Maize&BlueReview
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Juwan Howard has a handful of mantras that define the Michigan men’s basketball team.

“Ball finds energy” is one of them. During Howard’s first two years at the helm of his alma mater, the Wolverines’ offensive success was evident. An NBA-style offense rooted in ball screens gave Michigan ample opportunities for open 3-pointers, but through its first seven games this season, that sort of prosperity was lacking.

After suffering a 21-point defeat in Chapel Hill to begin the month of December, the Wolverines found themselves unranked. Just three weeks earlier, they were a consensus top-five team. But after bidding farewell to pros like Isaiah Livers, Franz Wagner, Mike Smith and Chaundee Brown, Michigan’s outside shooting struggles were undeniable and a top-25 ranking could no longer be justified.

Over their first seven games, the Wolverines shot just 29% from beyond the arc. In the two games since, Michigan hasn’t changed anything about its offensive identity.

What has changed, however, is the Wolverines’ outside shooting success. Against San Diego State and Nebraska this past week, Michigan tallied 174 points while shooting 26-of-52 on 3-point attempts. The Wolverines have found their stroke and the effects are contagious.

“Our guys work extremely hard individually and collectively, and putting in extra time working on their craft and putting themselves in game-like positions of the shots we’re going to see,” Michigan assistant coach Saddi Washington said Friday. “Guys have been really locked in these last couple games. Confidence is through the roof, especially once you see the ball go through the net a couple times, whether it’s a three, whether it’s a layup, whether it’s one of your teammates.”

On an individual level, freshman wing Caleb Houstan has shaken off his coldspell. The five-star recruit arrived in Ann Arbor hailed as a sharpshooter, but after an encouraging first two games, he missed 13 of his next 14 attempts from beyond the arc. Over the Wolverines’ last four games, though, he’s made 12 of his 21 triples.

Houstan is a microcosm of Michigan’s roller coaster 3-point shooting season so far. But to Washington, it might’ve been unreasonable to expect anything else.

“It’s the ebb and flow of the season,” Washington said. “If I sit here and say, ‘Hey, we solved it,’ then we come out and have a not great shooting night sometime down the line, then everyone is panicking again. … At some point, the boat rises to your level. You’re able to see the ball go through the net. Whether it’s spending extra time getting in shots or watching film, we’re all about that growth mindset.”

That mindset, coupled with renewed energy, is driving the Wolverines’ improvement.

“I think we’ve been able to do a good job of creating our own energy that everyone is able to feed off,” Washington said.

And to Howard’s pleasure, the ball is finding it.

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