Derrick Walton Jr., Zak Irvin Will Go Down as Michigan Basketball Greats
Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton Jr. will both go down as Michigan basketball greats after two outstanding careers filled with team and individual achievements.
When Derrick Walton Jr.’s 3-point attempt bounced off the front of the rim against Oregon in the Sweet 16, it was the end of an era for Michigan basketball.
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Not only was the missed shot the end of the Wolverines incredible run, it also signaled the end for Walton and Irvin with Michigan basketball.
While losing is always hard, when you see two guys who have done so much for the program fall short, it makes it even more heartbreaking.
However, it doesn’t change the amazing run that Walton has put together over the past month. His performance in the Big Ten tournament was mesmerizing.
Walton scored 29 points, had nine assists and six rebounds against Minnesota in the semis, followed by 22 points and seven assists against Wisconsin. Then, came the 26-point effort with 11 assists against Oklahoma State.
In the loss to Oregon, Walton again was outstanding. He scored 20 points and dished out eight assists. He did everything possible to see Michigan advance, except make one last step-back three.
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Walton was great down the stretch, but so was Irvin.
Starting in the Big Ten tournament and continuing through the NCAA’s, Irvin averaged 15 points a game. He shot close to 60 percent from the field and made big shot after big shot.
Irvin was the guy that got Michigan to overtime against Purdue. He also scored the winning bucket in overtime too.
Against Oklahoma State, he buried a key jumper late to help Michigan outpace the Cowboys. And in the loss to the Ducks, he scored 19 points and made 8-of-14 shots.
Irvin scored 1,610 points and averaged 11.3 a game throughout his career. Walton, who averaged 11.6 points a game, joined Irvin by grabbing more than 500 rebounds. He also scored 1,471 points and notched 498 assists.
In addition to filling up the stat sheets, Walton and Irvin won at Michigan.
As freshmen, they both played key roles on a team that won the Big Ten regular-season championship and went to the Elite 8.
As sophomores, the program took a step back. However, the Wolverines made the NCAA tournament and won a game when they were juniors, followed by the run this season, which saw UM win the Big Ten tournament championship and advance to the Sweet 16.
So, if you lost track, that is essentially two Big Ten titles (regular season and tournament), three NCAA berths, six NCAA-tournament wins and two trips to the Sweet 16.
With all they have done as individuals and with everything Michigan basketball achieved with them in the program, there is little doubt Walton and Irvin will be missed dearly.
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They both had ups and downs, but now that their careers are over, it’s easy to see both deserve to be mentioned among the greats in Michigan basketball history.