Kornacki: Matthews, Teske Define 'Clutch' Play to Beat Wisconsin
2/9/2019 8:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Who is going to make the clutch plays?
The answer to that question decides big games, and the players who made No. 7 Michigan 61-52 winners over No. 19 Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 9) were "Big Nasty" Jon Teske and Charles Matthews.
I asked Wolverine head coach John Beilein what goes into becoming that clutch player, a go-to guy like Moritz Wagner, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Duncan Robinson were for last season's Final Four team?
"I think we learned that today," said Beilein. "Charles hasn't been in many of those situations. If this was last year at this time, I was dialing up Muhammad or Duncan or Moe. And we've had so many games this year that were comfortable that he hasn't had those opportunities.
"Now, the game's on the line with five minutes to go and he makes a (dunk) shot to get us up by three, and then more shots that get us up by more, and those were huge. This is what I envisioned for him when he came here (as a transfer from Kentucky)."
Matthews scored just two points in the first half, but made 8-of-11 shots for 16 points after that. He crammed 14 of them into a marvelous 11-minute show down the stretch run to finish off the Badgers.
"I came out more aggressive in the second half," said Matthews, who also helped defeat Minnesota with a buzzer-beater shot Jan. 22. "We came out pretty stagnant in that second half (but still had a 9-6 advantage over the first eight minutes). It was a low-scoring game in the first half as well (27-27 at halftime) and so I just wanted to be aggressive.
"I'm just getting the ball more this year. Coach is calling my play. I'm not standing in the corner; I'm moving around to get my shot."
Guard Jordan Poole, who beat Houston in last year's NCAA Tournament with a classic 32-foot shot on the final play, defined "clutch" thusly: "It's not something you can work your way into. There are guys who live for moments like this, and there are guys who know they can get a bucket when we need one. Charles definitely hit some huge shots today.
"And especially when we would play tough defense for 30 seconds and they'd come down and make a tough shot. Charles was able to come down and get to his spot, and hit his shot, which was huge down the stretch."
Teske (center) and Matthews (top)
Matthews was Mr. Clutch from the outside, while Teske was that man on the inside, equaling his career highs with both 17 points and 12 rebounds while battling one of the nation's top centers, Ethan Happ (18 points, 11 rebounds), to a statistical standoff.
Still, Teske was better because he was more efficient, making 6-of-10 shots with zero turnovers. Happ was 9-of-19 with five turnovers.
I asked the 7-foot-1 center about coming up big in the clutch, and he deflected most of his answer to Matthews, the silky smooth 6-foot-6 guard.
"I mean, at any one point it can be anyone's turn," said Teske. "You saw it offensively from Charles down the stretch, hitting all of those shots, making key stops defensively, getting key rebounds and trying to push. You saw it when some of his shots weren't falling (making only one of his first five), but then he carried us offensively.
"He gives us so much energy by going so hard offensively and defensively. He's a great player."
The game was on the line late and the ball in the hands of Matthews, who made his way to the right baseline, turned, pulled up and hit nothing but net. That made it 55-50 for the Wolverines with 1:28 to play and provided some cushion.
Zavier Simpson rebounded a missed shot by Wisconsin guard D'Mitrik Trice on the ensuing possession, and at the other end of the court Matthews had the ball again with the shot clock winding down. He dribbled into the paint, rose to take a mid-range jumper and drained it.
That was the dagger shot, giving the Wolverines a 57-50 lead with 23 seconds left. Afterward, while walking to the postgame press conference, Matthews got some hugs from his mother, Nichole Matthews, grandmother, Linda Dilworth, and uncle "and mentor," Curtis Dilworth. They'd either driven or taken the train from Chicago to take in Charles' big performance.
But while the dramatic, late-game moments mostly went to Matthews, Teske spread out his dominance after recovering from a slow start.
Happ had his way early, scoring eight points in the first five minutes. However, Beilein could see what was happening. Teske, worried about getting into early foul trouble and finding a quick seat on the bench as he had in last week's loss at Iowa, was uncharacteristically timid.
"You are playing not to foul!" Beilein told him. "Jon, you are better than that!"
Beilein drove home the point that he had to play more physical on defense. Ironically, Teske got Happ into foul trouble when Wisconsin's preseason All-American took a seat after getting his third foul less than two minutes into the second half. Teske was whistled for just two fouls in 34 minutes.
Happ was 2-for-9 with only four points after intermission, and failed in attempts to make those clutch shots that could've turned the outcome his team's way.
What was the difference in defending Happ in the first and second halves?
"Just keeping my motor running," said Teske. "In the first half, (Happ) got a couple easy touches and you can't let him get those. I mean, he's going to score around the rim."
Just then, Simpson walked past Teske in the locker room, slapped him on the back and shouted, "Hey, Mr. Double-Double! You were huuuge!"
The teammates laughed and slapped five.
"You just can't let him get on the block," continued Teske. "I mean, he's going to dribble down and get his touches. But you have to be ready for that and wall him up, and force tough twos (contested shots)."
Teske (left), Poole, (center) and Ignas Brazdeikis
Teske put on a real show of strength. He drove past two defenders in the paint to hit a short jumper, was fouled and converted the free throw for a three-point play. He had an alley-oop dunk from Simpson for emphasis. He blocked a shot by Happ and finished with three for the game. He stole the ball from Happ. He grabbed countless key rebounds. He got a slick pass from Matthews, scored down low and drew another foul for another three-point play.
In short, he was the man.
"Jon was our rim protector," said Matthews. "He really slowed Happ down in the second half, and that was huge."
Beilein pointed out that the nearly three inches in vertical jump that Teske added this summer while working with strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson has been critical to his improved rebounding and offensive abilities, while noting that his size 13 feet, small for a man that big, enable him to have better footwork.
The three-point shot Teske swished with 1:42 remaining in the first half unlocked him, according to Beilein. When I asked Teske what his favorite play was in this game, he said, "Probably the three and then the couple and-ones, just all the offense and defense that helped the team win. I guess, not just one thing."
When it was all over, and Poole had connected with roommate Isaiah Livers on a pass for an alley-oop dunk in the final seconds, Michigan (22-2, 11-2 Big Ten) was still atop the conference standings and an earlier loss in Madison had been avenged.
The Wolverines ran their Crisler win streak to 21 consecutive games, three shy of the program record set from 1985 to 1986.
Once the coaching staff finished their postgame discussions and raced into the locker room to address the team, assistant coach Saddi Washington sprinted in and shouted, "WHOSE HOUSE?"
The team shouted back in unison: "OUR HOUSE!"
Clutch play had seen to that.
"We take a lot of pride in protecting the home court," said Matthews. "We don't want to let anyone walk in and take it."
