There's really no way to sugarcoat things here - Michigan and Dusty May losing guard LJ Cason for the rest of the season is a massive blow. While he wasn't lighting up the scoreboard, Cason provided this team with valuable minutes and depth.
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Due to his serious knee injury, Cason will be forced to watch the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament from the bench for the No. 3 Wolverines. So, who will need to step their game up for the rest of the campaign? While it's not all on one guy, there's no question that there's now extra pressure on North Carolina transfer Elliot Cadeau.
The veteran guard has been a joy to watch, but there are times on defense when he's not quite getting the job done. Per May, Cadeau needs to not only play better, but a little bit smarter too moving forward to prevent himself from getting in foul trouble. The luxury of having Cason help out there if he needs a spell is no longer an option.
The pressure is on for Elliot Cadeau to deliver with LJ Cason out for the season
“This will force Elliot to be much more solid with his defensive decision-making when it comes to fouling,” May said via umhoops.com. “Because he doesn’t have that insurance policy of LJ behind him, because LJ has come in and carried the load several times for our group, and that’s not there anymore.”
On the season, Cadeau, a former 5-star prospect, is averaging 10.1 points and 5.5 assists per game. Cason had emerged as a serious threat off the bench for this team, posting more than 8 points per contest for May and the Wolverines.
With him no longer being an option moving forward, it makes Cadeau's role on the floor even more crucial for Michigan in its hopes of winning it all. The safety net is no longer there for Cadeau if he gets into foul trouble, which is something May is going to consistently remind him of.
For now, Michigan is expected to push for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and go on a deep run. Already, people are dreaming of the Wolverines and Duke Blue Devils facing off with the national title on the line. Everything will need to go perfectly for that to happen, including Cadeau playing at a high level and not putting his team at risk with some questionable fouls.