Weekend Tournament Report
Top Performer:
Derrick Walton Jr. (Sr) - Nobody is playing the point any better than Walton is right now. The Detroit native had a double-double with 26 points and 11 assists against the Cowboys in the first round, and he did it with complete confidence too. He really put on a show. The points did not come as easily for him against Louisville in the round of 32, but he still chipped in 10 more while recording seven rebounds and six more assists. Most importantly, they all got the win. His 8-9 shooting at the free throw line in the first two games was also big, and it proved just how comfortable he is in this situation. It also means that teams are better off not fouling him if they don't have to, so expect him to continue moving his game inside a little bit more. The strategy helped seal the deal at the end of the game against the Cardinals. And if he can continue to pressure teams up the lane then more guys should be clear to take shots from the perimeter. As long as they keep winning he will be in the conversation for the most valuable player in the tournament.
The Next Men Up:
D.J. Wilson (Jr) - A star is being born right in front of our eyes. Wilson, a forward, went from relative obscurity as a backup last year to being one of the nation's best players at the moment. When you consider all that he has done it is definitely hard to leave him out of the conversation for MVP. In the first two games of the NCAA he scored a combined total of 36 points while hitting on 48% of his shots from the field. He also blocked seven shots and has been a perfect 10-10 from the free-throw line, including four in a row he nailed to close the coffin on Louisville. Then for an encore he blocked the last shot on the Cardinal's final possession to officially end it. No sweat. This kid has ice running through his veins. There is no doubt the team will be looking to give him more chances to score against Oregon.
Mortiz Wagner (So) - The multi-faceted forward from Germany has proven himself to be quite a weapon for this offense. And, like the rest of his star teammates, he seems to show up whenever the team needs him the most. Such was the case against Louisville, where he exploded for a career-high 26 points. That's more than one third of the total points for the team. He is currently hitting on 64% of his shots for the tournament so he will get a lot of opportunities down low against Oregon too.
Strategy Against Oregon:
Coach Beilein (10th yr) - The crafty head coach, who loves to get his shooters open beyond the arc, will try to exploit the west coast team that is without it's best inside defender (F Chris Boucher). Look for them to test the paint with Wagner, Wilson, and Walton Jr. All three guys can get in quickly and score. Once that presence is established lower down against the Ducks, it will then be time to start looking for open shooters on the perimeter. On defense they need to spread out and cover their best players, who will be moving around out on the wings. Michigan doesn't match up too badly here but the Ducks can and will score, averaging 79 points per game on the season.
Derrick Walton Jr. (Sr) - Nobody is playing the point any better than Walton is right now. The Detroit native had a double-double with 26 points and 11 assists against the Cowboys in the first round, and he did it with complete confidence too. He really put on a show. The points did not come as easily for him against Louisville in the round of 32, but he still chipped in 10 more while recording seven rebounds and six more assists. Most importantly, they all got the win. His 8-9 shooting at the free throw line in the first two games was also big, and it proved just how comfortable he is in this situation. It also means that teams are better off not fouling him if they don't have to, so expect him to continue moving his game inside a little bit more. The strategy helped seal the deal at the end of the game against the Cardinals. And if he can continue to pressure teams up the lane then more guys should be clear to take shots from the perimeter. As long as they keep winning he will be in the conversation for the most valuable player in the tournament.
The Next Men Up:
D.J. Wilson (Jr) - A star is being born right in front of our eyes. Wilson, a forward, went from relative obscurity as a backup last year to being one of the nation's best players at the moment. When you consider all that he has done it is definitely hard to leave him out of the conversation for MVP. In the first two games of the NCAA he scored a combined total of 36 points while hitting on 48% of his shots from the field. He also blocked seven shots and has been a perfect 10-10 from the free-throw line, including four in a row he nailed to close the coffin on Louisville. Then for an encore he blocked the last shot on the Cardinal's final possession to officially end it. No sweat. This kid has ice running through his veins. There is no doubt the team will be looking to give him more chances to score against Oregon.
Mortiz Wagner (So) - The multi-faceted forward from Germany has proven himself to be quite a weapon for this offense. And, like the rest of his star teammates, he seems to show up whenever the team needs him the most. Such was the case against Louisville, where he exploded for a career-high 26 points. That's more than one third of the total points for the team. He is currently hitting on 64% of his shots for the tournament so he will get a lot of opportunities down low against Oregon too.
Strategy Against Oregon:
Coach Beilein (10th yr) - The crafty head coach, who loves to get his shooters open beyond the arc, will try to exploit the west coast team that is without it's best inside defender (F Chris Boucher). Look for them to test the paint with Wagner, Wilson, and Walton Jr. All three guys can get in quickly and score. Once that presence is established lower down against the Ducks, it will then be time to start looking for open shooters on the perimeter. On defense they need to spread out and cover their best players, who will be moving around out on the wings. Michigan doesn't match up too badly here but the Ducks can and will score, averaging 79 points per game on the season.
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