Since the Michigan men’s basketball earned an at-large bid on Selection Sunday, Frankie Collins knew he’d be making his NCAA Tournament debut this week.
But when DeVante’ Jones sustained a concussion in practice earlier this week, Collins learned he’d be debuting as part of the starting lineup during the 11th-seeded Wolverines’ round of 64 contest against No. 6 seed Colorado State in Indianapolis on Thursday. Going into the game, Collins’ coaches and teammates had a specific message for him.
“They really just told me to be Frankie, so go out there, play with confidence and lead the team,” Collins said. “I felt great going into the game just from all the intel from the coaches and from DeVante’ from here, from the beginning of the season to now.”
The freshman rose to the occasion, scoring 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbing six rebounds in Michigan’s 75-63 win. He logged a career-high 31 minutes in the process. After a slow start that saw the Wolverines score just 13 points in the game’s first 13 minutes, Collins helped Michigan settle in. His fingerprints were all over the Wolverines’ come-from-behind victory, starting with the beginning of the comeback.
Down 15 in the first half, Collins finished an and-one layup to give Michigan a much-needed spark. Immediately after, he stole the ball from a Rams player at halfcourt and threw down a two-handed dunk at the other end. In mere seconds, Collins’ personal five-point spurt trimmed Colorado State’s lead to 10.
“Frankie was just being Frankie,” Hunter Dickinson said. “He’s an aggressive guard who is able to get downtown and finish. He was doing that out there. We have full confidence in him to do what he does. We’ve seen him practice throughout the year, and so we all have full confidence in Frank.”
Added Collins: “I just saw that we were kind of struggling getting the ball in the basket, so just being aggressive will help us, whether it was getting to the line or making a basket.”
In reality, that’s the type of guard Collins is. He’s at his best going full speed, and his combination of athleticism and ball skills makes him difficult to defend while he’s in full control. His poise as a passer in the Wolverines’ pick and roll offense has improved throughout the season, and his confidence was at an all-time high on Thursday afternoon.
Perhaps most importantly, Collins showed the maturity of a veteran. Even under the bright lights of March, he was as relaxed as he’s been all season.
“At the end of the day, it’s just basketball, so I mean, I’ve been working out, practicing, playing basketball my whole life,” Collins said. “So if you just go out there not thinking too much and just do the right things and do all the things you’ve learned, and then you’ll be OK.”
From an outside perspective, one may see today as a breakout game for Collins. But to those around him, especially Michigan coach Juwan Howard, it’s the culmination of the freshman’s growth and a testament to his competitive edge.
“Well, you get back to the recruiting,” Howard said. “When I had an opportunity to watch Frankie play, I’ve always been impressed with his skillset and I feel he fits our style of play. His performance today does not surprise me. … Today, to find a young man who he really is, because easily he could have come out and not played well but he stuck with it, stuck with it, made some plays when we needed. But it just shows you his mental stability and how wired he is.”
If Jones is unable to suit up in Saturday’s round of 32, the Wolverines are going to need Collins to deliver an encore.
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