Wolverine TV: Phil Martelli, Michigan players preview Memphis, Battle 4 Atlantis
Michigan Wolverines basketball interim head coach Phil Martelli, graduate forward Olivier Nkamhoua and senior forward Terrance Williams II met with the media ahead of their team’s game against Memphis and three-game stretch in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Watch video of the press conference in the player at the top of the screen or on our YouTube channel.
Michigan has had a short rotation so far this season, which could be an issue heading into this week with three games in as many days (Wednesday against Memphis, Thursday and Friday against undetermined opponents). At the last, U-M could change up their strategy. Martelli said it’s all about winning the next game, then going from there.
“First is a bigger picture item,” Martelli began. “This is very, very unusual. It only happens one other time all year, and that would be the Big Ten Tournament. Even the NCAA Tournament, you have a day off and they manage your hours. If you have 30 hours or 36 hours between games … so this really is a thought process for the Big Ten Tournament.
“Different than the Big Ten Tournament, if we were not successful on Wednesday, we have to play Thursday, and we have to get better because it’s November 21st. At the end of the year, there’s even more tension, because you could collect your uniforms if you lose in the Big Ten Tournament, early in that session.
Added the Michigan coach: “This is about winning on Wednesday. If that takes seven guys, then that’s what it’s going to take. If we stretch it out and you manage to maneuver minutes for a [freshman guard] George Washington III or Yo-Yo [sophomore forward Youssef Khayat], if [graduate guard] Jaelin Llewellyn is ever coming back. He is coming back, but if he was to come back this tournament, which he’s not. But those kind of guys are the next stretch of guys in the rotation.
“So, there’s not a thought process for tomorrow, to say, well, we really have to hold off Olivier’s minutes, because will he get back on Thursday? No, you have to have faith in [trainer] Chris Williams, you have to have also faith in the players. And there is an advantage, kind of, to playing at night, which we are if you follow the schedule out. There’s also a disadvantage, because it is as beautiful a day as you can imagine. And they’re looking outside at people sitting around pools and sitting on beaches and that kind of thing. They have to sacrifice now so that they can enjoy it later. But I’m not concerned.”
Martelli did say that Michigan head coach Juwan Howard, who’s still easing his way back after undergoing a Sept. 15 heart procedure, did make the trip, but he’s unsure if he will be on the bench this week.
The Wolverines are coming off a loss to Long Beach State in which they allowed 94 points for the game, 1.22 per possession and for The Beach to grab 32.4 percent of their own missed shots. Michigan also turned the ball over 16 times. Martelli said the group has not moved on from Friday’s loss — and that it’s “irked.”
Defense has been an emphasis — “guard someone,” Martelli said was a simple focus.
