It’s no secret Michigan Basketball’s backcourt has been struggling as of late. If the Wolverines are to make a deep run this March, they are going to need more out of Tre Donaldson, Roddy Gayle Jr. and company beginning at the Big Ten Tournament:
If you’re tuned into college basketball, you’re likely familiar with the narrative that elite guard play is essential to finding success in March.
Unfortunately for the Michigan Wolverines , the backcourt has been anything but elite in recent weeks.
With the Big Ten Tournament scheduled to get underway this week and the NCAA Tournament next week, Michigan is going to need much more production from guards Tre Donaldson, Nimari Burnett, Rubin Jones and Roddy Gayle Jr.
“We’re just letting (the guards) know that we believe in them and we need them,” head coach Dusty May told the media earlier this week. “Our success is dependent on them. I don’t want to put pressure on them that if we lose, it’s because of our guards. We need to play much better as a unit. If we keep advancing, it’s going to be because we had good guard play and good play up front.”
Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf have carried an overwhelming majority of the offensive load the last six games, and that’s allowed opposing defenses to overload the interior with the guards struggling so much lately.
In a blowout loss at Michigan State on Sunday, Goldin and Wolf accounted for 47 of Michigan’s 62 points on 14-of-27 shooting. Meanwhile, the rest of the team finished with just 15 points on 5-of-25 shooting.
Donaldson compiled 10+ points in 14 out of 16 games from Dec. 7 to Feb. 11 before falling into a major slump. Over the last seven games, he has averaged just 6.8 points per game; Michigan has gone 3-4 in that span.
“We need Tre to play like Tre if we’re going to be at our best,” May said. “When you look at our most productive games, it has been when Tre was running our team at a high level. Obviously, these aren’t his better games. He’s been in the film room and weight room. He’s trying to work his way out of it. I thought he had some good looks and we want him to take those.”
Gayle Jr. has been in a shooting drought for nearly six weeks, going 0-of-15 from three-point range since the start of February. He can’t seem to snap out of his recent slump, as he’s recorded 12 points the last four games combined.
“Roddy Gayle hasn’t been the same player that he was earlier in the year. I still believe in Roddy and I think there will be some really bright moments for him,” May said. “You’re going to go through tough stretches, and it’s part of being a basketball player. Just make a hustle play. There are so many ways to impact the game other than making shots.”
May also reflected on his run to the Final Four at Florida Atlantic when veteran guard Michael Forrest was in the midst of a frustrating season. All of a sudden, he broke out of his slump with a, 11-point performance — going 3-of-6 from three and 4-of-7 from the field — in a Sweet Sixteen win over Tennessee.
“(Forrest) had a tough senior year, but something happened before the Tennessee game. We don’t beat Tennessee and go to the Elite Eight if he doesn’t go off in the second half,” May said. “I believe that Roddy or one of those other guys will have a Michael Forrest moment if they continue to stay the course and find whatever it is that makes them special and unique.”
The guard play for Michigan will be key if it is to go on a run this March. Simply put, Michigan won’t go very far unless the backcourt starts to produce at a much higher rate.