Michigan basketball: Role for young guards against MSU, being 'dangerous in the open floor,' Sam Walters update

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines basketball will take on Michigan State Friday night at Crisler Center (8 p.m. ET on FOX), and it figures to be an exciting, fast-paced ball game.

The Spartans rank in the 100th percentile nationally with 17.1 fast-break points per game, and they average just 17 seconds per offensive possession. Kenpom is projecting this will be a 70-possession game for each team, considering they both like to play fast offensively.

“We want to get up and down the floor, too,” Michigan assistant coach and general manager Kyle Church pointed out. “We have a bunch of good ball handlers, a bunch of good athletes in transition. So we’re great playing at that pace. Obviously, they are as well.”

Michigan has been increasingly better at winning in different ways this season. The Wolverines prefer to push the pace offensively but will slow it down when needed, even attempting to limit possessions by shortening the game with slower play in a win at Indiana.

“I think we’ve done a really nice job showing that we can adjust to the game, where if it gets bogged down in the half court, we have obviously two seven-foot options that are tremendous and some guards that can make plays,” Wolf said. “But also, in the open floor we’re really dangerous, as well.

“The biggest thing is just taking what the game gives us, and just making sure we get them in the half court.”

There’s a lot on Michigan’s plate as far as the scouting report goes. The Spartans use 10-plus players on a given night, and the Wolverines’ style of defense means there will be all sorts of different matchups.

They have 10 players playing 15 minutes or more a game. And so, it’s a lot. As a coach, I’ve been able to sit back and watch it and slow it down on film, and you probably get a pretty good feel for each of those 10 guys. But now we’ve gotta relay that to our team.

“We switch 1-4, so there are gonna be all sorts of things to figure out,” the Michigan coach said. “Each one of our guys is gonna be guarding eight, nine, 10 different guys, so they have to know tendencies, which isn’t easy, especially when you play that many guys. It’ll be a challenge, it’s something our guys have taken on all year. 

“But their depth allows them to be so persistent in transition and on the offensive glass.”

Michigan will likely be short-handed, with Church revealing that sophomore forward Sam Walters will likely miss his third-straight game. Walters is dealing with a back issue.

The Wolverines have turned to freshman guard L.J. Cason in addition to classmate Justin Pippen, who’s long been a back end of the rotation player, over the last two games. Cason created sparks in wins over Purdue and Ohio State, after not playing in the previous three contests.

Since both teams will push the pace and MSU will have fresh bodies in the game, Michigan may turn to its bench more.

“They’re bringing in 10 really good players, too. It’s not like they’re just running them out there just to run them out there,” Church said of Michigan State.

“With L.J., Pippen, [freshman guard] Phat [Phat Brooks] hasn’t gotten much opportunity … we have a lot of confidence in those guys, and all those guys need to be ready, because I think you’ll probably see more subbing. Just the amount of time you can stay on the court against Michigan State is not that long, just because they ask so much of you physically.

“We’re definitely gonna have to have really good depth. Obviously, with Sam being down, that’s a key body, but we’re excited for those young guys to hopefully get more of an opportunity and come in and be ready to take advantage of it.”

Michigan’s bench has been up and down all season long. The bench went from averaging 26.4 points per game in non-conference play to 14.9 in Big Ten games. However, it’s been more productive lately, with moving junior Roddy Gayle Jr. to a reserve role and inserting graduate Rubin Jones into the starting lineup being a fruitful move from the coaching staff.