Limit the effectiveness of Zavier Simpson
Zavier Simpson does whatever it takes to win. He re-invents himself in so many ways. So, it’s fitting his 1000th point comes…
+ on a crafty hook shot.
+ in a game where he, the nation’s leading assist man, assumes a scoring role with a key player out.
+ in a victory.More… pic.twitter.com/cRnqyeBpMf
— Brian Boesch (@BrianBoesch) February 20, 2020
I know a guy or two that likes to question the role of Luther Muhammad on this team. It’s true he’s not a consistent scorer, but what he does isn’t often noticed in the box score. It’s a great weapon to have when you’ve got a defensive stopper, and that’s exactly what Muhammad is.
That’s where Michigan point guard Zavier Simpson comes in. There’s an underneath game, and guys like Isaiah Livers can score the ball in streaks, but it all starts with the guy bringing the ball up.
Simpson likes to break his man down, get around him and into the lane. That’s when things happen for the Michigan offense. He’ll take the shot if he gets in close to the hoop uncontested, but if not, he’ll distribute the ball back outside for an open look.
Maybe Chris Holtmann goes with C.J. Walker on Simpson, but my guess is we see a lot of Muhammad on him. He’s got the defensive ability to lock him down and frustrate him. If he can, and the Wolverines can’t get into their offense like they want, it’ll be a big advantage to the scarlet and gray.