‘Time tells a story’ of Michigan basketball’s shooters

Michigan basketball started the season strong before hitting a snag offensively in its biggest games. The Wolverines shot 4-for-29 combined from long range in loss to Seton Hall and Arizona, scored only 51 points at North Carolina and looked lost. 

RELATED

• Michigan basketball’s Zeb Jackson is showing signs of progress

• Wolverines in the NBA: Pacers considering trading Caris LeVert, Franz Wagner shining as a passer, more

But the game plan never changed, Michigan assistant Saddi Washington said Friday — nor will it, he added. The offense exploded for 102 points at Nebraska with the Wolverines staying the course and trusting their shooters. 

“Confidence is through the roof, especially once you see the ball go through the net a couple of times,” assistant coach Saddi Washington said. “Once you see the ball go through the net a time or two, then it really opens the rim up for you, from a psychological standpoint.”

They’d been seeing it a lot in practice. Players like Michigan freshman Caleb Houstan, who started slowly but has made eight of his last 12, have come on lately. The Wolverines shot 50 percent (26-for-50) in their last two games, wins over San Diego State and Nebraska. They accomplished it with their best shooter, Eli Brooks, going only 4-for-14 in those games. 

Washington said the coaches never had a doubt their shooters would pick it up.

“Time tells a story,” Washington said. “We’ve been with these guys since July. The time and the work that they put in tells us that we can make shots and make them at a high level. 

“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, watching film … we’re all about the growth mindset. It’s whatever we need to do as a staff to put our guys in a position to be successful from one game to the next. That’s what we’re committed to doing.” 

Lineups starting to jell

Houstan is now shooting 38.3 percent from three-point range after struggling with an 0-for-5 showing against Arizona. The Michigan frosh made 10 of his last 16, 12 of 21 in proving to be the shooter everyone knew he was. 

The Wolverines shined even with frosh Moussa Diabate out (illness). Senior Brandon Johns stepped up with 20 points, sophomore Terrance Williams 22 in replacing the talented freshman. 

Michigan head coach Juwan Howard has several bodies to choose from. That can sometimes be tougher than putting together a team with less depth.

“With a team of young guys and some new faces, sometimes it takes a little bit of time for that to jell,” Washington said. “Off the court, our guys are definitely connected in socially and how they deal with one another in the locker room. The goal is to speed up that learning curve so that also applies to on the court, which I think we’ve done a pretty good job of thus far this season.” 

Players like Michigan sophomore Zeb Jackson, out for six games with illness, and frosh Kobe Bufkin are still finding their way. All will be counted on at some point this year, Howard has said, and Washington agreed. 

“The mentality of the group individually and collectively is to stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready … whether you’re a starter, whether you’re coming off the bench,” he said. “One night you play five minutes a game, one night you might play 15 minutes a game.

“Being dialed into your role, being dialed into what we’re trying to get done on the floor is critical to our success as a program.”

And don’t get down if something goes wrong one night, the Michigan assistant added. There will be other games. But just as they aren’t too hard on them when they lose, they don’t celebrate too much when they win.

“It’s the ebb and the flow of the season,” Washington said. “If I sit here and say we solved it and then we come out and not have a great shooting night down the line, then everybody’s panicking again.”

Michigan basketball NOTES

• Diabate practiced yesterday after missing Tuesday’s game at Nebraska with his illness. Washington wouldn’t confirm the Michigan frosh would play Saturday vs. Minnesota.

“We try to do our best to manage and take care of our guys from a health perspective,” Washington said. “We just ask our guys to make good decisions when they’re away from the court. 

“We’re going to, like we do all the time, roll with who is available. We’ll do that on Saturday.”