Kornacki: Wolverines Raise Banner, Get Rings, Want More

Nov. 15, 2014

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Members of the University of Michigan men's basketball team received their 2014 conference championship rings and raised the Big Ten regular-season title banner before Saturday's (Nov. 15) 92-68 win over Hillsdale College.

Caris LeVert, Derrick Walton Jr., Spike Albrecht and Zak Irvin -- four players instrumental in winning the Wolverines' first outright conference title in 28 years -- posed for a photo with the banner along with the other returning players. Coach John Beilein and his assistants were there along with the parents of three departed stars: Nik Stauskas, Jordan Morgan and Mitch McGary.

It was a nice moment for all involved before playing the season opener. But as the banner rose off the floor for placement in the Crisler Center rafters it was time to begin anew. And you had to wonder if there will be a similar ceremony at this time next year to celebrate another accomplishment.

Beilein has quite a run going. Michigan shared the Big Ten title in 2012, reached the Final Four in 2013 and made the Elite Eight in 2014 after winning the Big Ten title by three games with a 15-3 record and going 28-9 overall.

He had a message for his players before and after the ceremony.

"To the ones who got the rings," Beilein said, "I said, 'Let's do this again.' That's so important that we have this vision that we are going to compete for championships. At the same time, with the freshmen, I said, 'Look at what just happened, and know that that's what we're trying to do every day at the University of Michigan.'

"I counted 18 banners (at Crisler), and there are guys in that group right there that helped place three of them. So, it's important to stay together. What we do does work as long as you stay together."

Point guard Walton, who had a team-high 22 points with four assists, saw the ceremony as incentive for the five true freshmen: starting forward Kameron Chatman, Ricky Doyle, D.J. Wilson, Aubrey Dawkins and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman.

"It's more inspiration for our young guys to buy into the team policy," said Walton. "If you play for your brother, something special can happen."

Mark Donnal, a redshirt freshman who practiced with the team last year, started and was the most productive new player with nine points, four rebounds and two steals.

"That gives us the motivation to go out and go get another one this year," Donnal said. "We saw that happen, and that's an experience we want to see again."

Irvin was a big part of last year's team, supplying instant offense off the bench, but made his first college start Saturday and responded with 21 points. He also drew inspiration from the ring and banner.

"It's definitely a big motivation for us," said Irvin. "What we accomplished last year was great, but this is a whole new team. And this year, with Team 99, we are looking to improve everybody and do the same thing we did last year."

Irvin said he wants to be less "one-dimensional" and supply more in the way of all-around scoring and improved defense.

The fact that Michigan is ranked 24th in the Associated Press poll despite losing top scorers Stauskas and Glenn Robinson III to the NBA is a testament to the talent everyone knows is lurking in the wings.

LeVert having a chance to give the Wolverines the Big Ten Player of the Year once again -- and repeating the kind of breakout season Stauskas had -- heads the list.

He keyed the 14-2 spurt late in the first half that allowed Michigan to take control after a slow start. LeVert drained a three-pointer to get things going and hit another trey before making a mid-court steal and driving for a dunk to end the run that featured four baskets from beyond the arc.

LeVert flirted with a triple-double, scoring 20 points while leading the team with both nine assists and eight rebounds.

Beilein said: "That nine assists and zero turnovers. I mean that's just something that you can see. We got the ball in his hands a lot, and he can see the floor. He's very unselfish. I thought that was a really good performance."

LeVert laughed and said he'd have gotten one more assist and another two rebounds had he known he was that close to the statistical milestone. But he also knew tougher games were ahead.

"We know how hard we worked last season to get that ring," LeVert said. "Now we're ready for this season and want to get a repeat performance."

LeVert and guard Albrecht, both juniors, were announced as co-captains during the pre-game ceremony.

"We make a big deal of that inside the locker room," said Beilein, "but we don't make a big deal of it outside the locker room. We had a team vote that was practically unanimous, and then the coaches' vote was unanimous, too. So, we're really excited for those two guys.

"Neither one of them are holler guys, and that's something we're teaching them. We really pride ourselves in teaching that characteristic, but it's not as natural to some."

Albrecht, who scored four points with two assists and two rebounds off the bench, was asked about his leadership acknowledgement and challenge.

"I'm working on continuing to develop my role as a leader on this team," said Albrecht, "and want to help get the most out of every player. I am grateful to my teammates to pick us as captains, but I'm going to keep working to show them how I earned that and deserve that. Both Caris and me are more lead-by-example guys. And we have to take it upon ourselves to be more vocal and speak up.

"It wasn't just given to me. I worked hard this last season, me and Caris both. You've got to keep doing that if you want to maintain the title."

• Trio of 20-Point Scorers Leads U-M to Season-Opening Victory