Zak Irvin, Derrick Walton Stepping up for Michigan Basketball
If Michigan basketball is going to save its season, the effort will be led by Derrick Walton Jr. and Zak Irvin, who have upped their games in recent weeks.
One of the biggest problems for Michigan basketball might be the lack of a true star player. And it’s true, the Wolverines have no sure-fire NBA talent — no lottery picks.
But that doesn’t mean Michigan basketball doesn’t have good players. Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton Jr. have been two of the better players in the Big Ten for years.
But there were always issues. There were injuries and inconsistencies. Even this season, there have been times when Walton and Irvin have disappointed.
Yet, it has happened much less. Irvin has just two games with less than 10 points. Walton has seven and three of them came in Michigan losses, but he is also playing better.
Irvin especially is having a great season. He’s averaging 14.5 points per game and is also the second-leading rebounder at 4.8 per game. Walton is averaging 12.4 points, which is second on the team, as well as 4.3 rebounds, ranking him third.
Both players average 3.5 assists, tied for the team lead. Walton is shooting 42 percent from three and Irvin is shooting 45 overall.
Certainly, defense isn’t the strength of this team or either of these players, but ever since Michigan’s ugly loss to Illinois, Irvin and Walton have been on a roll.
Irvin scored 21 against Nebraska, 20 in the loss to Wisconsin and 17 in the rematch against the Fighting Illini. Walton has been almost as good. He scored 20, 15 and 13 in that same stretch and has made seven 3-pointers.
Between both players, they have averaged 34.6 points a night in this three-game stretch that was one late-game collapse against Wisconsin away from being really good.
At 13-7, 3-4 in the Big Ten, Michigan basketball is right in the thick of things. Joe Lunardi of ESPN even has the Wolverines listed among his last four teams in the NCAA tournament.
The Wolverines have Irvin and Walton largely to thank for that and if Michigan basketball is going to beat Indiana and get a resume-building win, Walton and Irvin will need to be at the forefront.
Michigan doesn’t have any stars, but it has Irvin and Walton, and as long as they keep up their recent level of play, the Wolverines have more than a fighting chance.
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