Sports at the University of Michigan this year are all very different—they have different records, different goals, different ideas of how to succeed. But they also have one thing in common: underachievement.

Michigan football came into the year looking to forget last year’s 3-8 record, only to come back with another losing record of 5-7. The Wolverine hockey team has achieved a mediocre 14-10, after traditionally being one of the top teams in the nation. And now basketball for the Wolverines has begun to go south.

Michigan is currently sitting at 8-7, and there are serious doubts about whether the Wolverines will have a chance to go .500, much less make the NCAA tournament. After being ranked 15 in the preseason, Michigan’s season has been much of a disappointment this season.

After starting the season with three wins in a row, the Wolverines went on to drop the next three games to unranked opponents. From that point, it has been a roller coaster ride to see which Michigan team will show up each day—the team with two elite scorers and a number of players who can shoot the lights out, and where everyone works like their life depends on it, or the team with very little defense and discipline. Unfortunately, the latter has been more common the season.

Manny Harris has been the team’s only consistent threat, scoring in double figures in 14 of 15 games this season. He leads the team in points and assists, and is a close second in rebounds. Harris is clearly the Wolverines’ first option, but it is how the supporting cast performs each game that determines the outcome.

Deshawn Sims, for instance, has been a picture of inconsistency this year, and his play often dictates whether the Wolverines win or lose. In wins this season, Sims has averaged over 21 points and more than eight rebounds, while in losses, Sims has been close to 12 points and five rebounds. As well, all four of Sims’ double-doubles have come in wins this season.

The rest of the supporting cast has been a similar picture of inconsistency. Zach Novak, Stu Douglass and Laval Lucas-Perry have all been kept tame this season, without any flashy or particularly impressive performances. None have been able to provide a consistent scoring threat, and none have stepped it up on defense or on the boards yet this season.

Moving forward to the second half of the season, Michigan needs to start getting impressive performances every game from Harris and Sims, as well as big plays from the supporting cast. I look at Sims as the key to the Wolverines’ success in Big Ten play, in terms of both scoring and in rebounds.

The Wolverines need to pick up their intensity if they want a chance at the postseason. They need to get it done in the second half. Deshawn Sims and the supporting cast to Manny Harris need to improve and become consistent. I am hoping Sims will play better, considering it’s his his second time around several teams, and hoping Michigan will make a run in the Big Ten.

Photo is courtesy of mgoblue.com.
For questions or comments, contact Jesse Buchsbaum at jessebu@gmail.com.