Michigan Basketball: Weeks 3 and 4 in Review for the Wolverines

Sixth Man of the Week

Our Sixth Man of the Week is a first-time winner this season, freshman point guard Frankie Collins.

Collins averaged a solid six points, three rebounds, and 2.7 assists in just 17 minutes per game.

After a few more disappointing performances from senior transfer point guard Devante’ Jones, some, including yours truly, are clamoring for Collins to be elevated to the starting lineup.

While he may not be quite ready for that yet, don’t be surprised if head coach Juwan Howard makes the move at some point in the near future.

The ball just seems to move quicker and with more purpose when Collins is leading the offense compared to Jones.

Jones actually may be more comfortable off the bench, similar to how Brandon Johns Jr. has been moved to the second unit in favor of Moussa Diabate, and Michigan might be a better team with his veteran presence coming off the bench.

All this to say, Frankie Collins is rapidly improving, and once he gets fully acclimated to the college game, he will quickly become known across the conference.

Play of the Week(s)

Our Play of the Week(s) isn’t as “highlight reel” as you would expect, but I chose it because of what it represents.

As we just discussed above, Frankie Collins just knows how to create for others.

This type of athletic, creative pass is simply something that Devante’ Jones (or anyone else for that matter) has not shown the ability to do.

To top it off, Eli Brooks knocks down the three, a spot where the Wolverines have struggled this season, to effectively put the game out of reach.

Watching this play live reminded me a lot of last season’s offense where shooters would lay in wait on the outside and, by either dribble penetration or Hunter Dickinson attracting attention in the post, the Wolverines would find an easy shot.

That’s just beautiful basketball — something all Michigan fans hope to see more of as the season progresses.