Michigan Basketball: 3 players who need to be healthy for March Madness

Franz Wagner

The German Sensation is peaking at the right time.

In December, he contributed 55 points for the month. In both January and February, he at nearly 100 points per month.

And his defense has been just as impactful since his rise to multiple Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.

“I told you guys, all year, that not only can Franz score the ball and is talented. The guy is a two-way player,” Howard said following the win over Michigan State. “It was huge, it’s been that way since he first started playing his first game in the Bahamas. Everyone talked about when were we gonna see Franz put up some numbers, big numbers. Franz was competing his tail off on the defensive end and affecting the game in a lot of ways by being active.”

Coach Howard specifically noted the effort plays Franz made against the Spartans.

“Michigan State game, he had his imprint on that game,” Howard remarked. “By taking that charge, that right there was huge. Sacrificing his body, hitting the floor for a loose ball, being the first on the floor for a loose ball. Not concerned with how many shots he’s getting, he’s just doing whatever it takes to do his job and help the team win. With that type of mindset, a player like that who is extremely positive, and he has been positive throughout the year, a coach’s dream, his teammates’ dream, to have a guy like that on their side to trust in trenches with you.”

Of course, no one was up to the task of preventing Wisconsin from putting the ball in the bucket. Although, that match can be viewed as an outlier for the defensive side of the ball and is direct evidence that if any of the three mentioned are unable to go, Michigan basketball’s chance for a victory plummets.

Each plays an integral part of the Wolverines on both sides of the court, and their ability to suit up will determine how deep into the tournament this team will go.

Matt’s musings

UM is generally listed as a 5-7 seed in the tournament by members of the media, but if Brooks, Livers, and Wagner can remain healthy, the Wolverines might be able to get as low as a four with a Big Ten Tournament championship or a solid performance as a runnerup; providing they win out in the next three games.

Most likely, though, Howard will coach in his first tournament as a six seed with one more regular-season loss and a second or third-place finish in conference tournament play.