Michigan Basketball beats Michigan State: 3 takeaways for Wolverines

John Beilein made the right move starting Isaiah Livers

With his team facing potentially its toughest game of the season, on the road, against the fourth-ranked arch rival, John Beilein made a move many have clamored for — he started Livers over Duncan Robinson.

Robinson hasn’t shot the ball well this season, although he made a trey against the Spartans, but truthfully, it has more to do with Livers than Robinson. The freshman has just gotten too good to sit. He was in foul trouble Saturday, but when he played, he impacted the game on both ends.

Livers did a good job of being physical inside against the Michigan State bigs and his ability to show on a screen and handle guards was impressive. He also had two emphatic slam dunks.

To Robinson’s credit, he played well off the bench and held his own on defense. Part of the issue, is that he is just undersized as a power forward. And in the Big Ten, that can be a tough.

Next: Top 10 Michigan Running Backs of All Time

I expect Livers to keep starting going forward. He’s a dynamic player, but Robinson will continue to have his role, as long as he can consistently make the outside shot.