Michigan Wolverines Basketball

Evidently, unknown and strange forces have something against Michigan.

For one reason or another, the basketball gods and powers that be just don’t want to see John Beilein’s Wolverines get ahead in 2014-15, nor do they want to see Caris LeVert complete his expected transformation from star to superstar.

Unexpectedly, that metamorphosis has been put on hold, as the 6’7”, 200-pound junior will miss the rest of the year due to a foot injury suffered Saturday during the Wolverines’ 56-54 win over Northwestern—a game in which he scored a team-high 18 points, dished seven assists, grabbed six boards and blocked a shot.

“Caris has been working so hard this season and for this to happen is very unfortunate," said Beilein, per a Michigan athletic department release. "If we know anything about Caris, he will do everything it takes to not only get better, but to help his teammates during this time. He is a tremendous young man who I will really miss coaching the remainder of the season. However, I am optimistic he will have a complete recovery."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSl32gO7omQ

Back in May, LeVert, who graced several preseason watch lists, had surgery on the same left foot—so he’s not entering uncharted territory, but the sudden change of events certainly puts a damper on what looked to be a promising season for the Wolverines’ leading scorer (14.9 points per game).

Since scoring just six during a 64-51 road loss to Purdue, LeVert’s erupted for at least 14 during the past four games, paving the way for three victories in that span.

"While this is obviously not what I wanted, I know this team will come together and be stronger because of it," LeVert said. "Now more than ever, it is important for all of us [to] support this team. For me, I am familiar with the recovery process and what work lies ahead for me. I am very confident that I will return 100 percent and have already begun work to ensure that happens."

Losing LeVert is devastating, and with Ricky Doyle and Spike Albrecht battling illness, not to mention team-wide inconsistencies, the road to contention just got a lot rougher.

Securing a spot in the tournament is now in serious jeopardy. 

LeVert was the linchpin of the deal—Michigan wasn’t going to reach to desired heights if he didn’t develop as planned. And as mentioned above, he was well on his way to doing so. He’s had his bad games, and he hadn’t necessarily looked like a projected first-rounder on a nightly basis, but he was certainly on the ascent.

Look back at the four-game losing streak—other than scoring a career-high 32 points versus NJIT, LeVert was largely ineffective, averaging just seven points points during the three other losses. His low output directly affected outcomes.

That stretch was proof positive of Michigan being a different team with a take-charge LeVert.

About two weeks ago, he was asked if he thought he and the team would grow stronger and more assertive as Big Ten play got rolling. He didn’t hesitate to compliment teammates’ work ethics. He was genuinely excited about the immediate future. Good things were on the horizon.

“Yeah, I definitely think so,” he said. “We’re a team that’s definitely gotten a lot better—just within the past couple of weeks, and I think it’ll really show in our play.”

In hindsight, it’s easy to see what LeVert meant. Freshmen Aubrey Dawkins and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman have given boosts from the bench. They’ve even started proving that they’re earning Beilein’s trust.

Doyle’s drawing loose comparisons to Mitch McGary, and that’s music to Wolverines fans ears. Michigan is in desperate need of a bullying big man who can score at the rim and from range. The 6’9”, 245-pound frosh is on track to be exactly what Beilein needs up front.

Sophomores Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton are now “it”—they’ll be tasked with running the show. But are they enough? More importantly: Can they up their levels to compensate for a catastrophic loss?

Walton, a 6’0”, 185-pound point guard, has battled a toe injury but appears to be on the mend. He’s scored at least 12 points during three of the past five games and continues to impress on the boards. Widely regarded as one of the best two-way players in the Big Ten, the Detroit native already had quite the load to shoulder.

It just got a lot heavier.

Irvin, a 6’6”, 215-pound shooting guard, will be equally important. An offensive threat from almost anywhere on the floor, Irvin now takes over the role of No. 1 scoring option, a post once held and/or shared by LeVert.

March wasn’t guaranteed for Michigan—not this year. But making the tournament was certainly expected. However, now that it's without LeVert, Michigan isn't only in danger of missing the dance, it's in danger of finishing below .500 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2009-10 (7-11). 

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer via press conference, press release or other media availability.

Caris LeVert is out for the season after a left foot injury that was diagnosed as a complete fracture.

Continue for updates.

---

LeVert Has Successful Surgery 

Wednesday, Jan. 21

Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press reports that Caris LeVert successfully underwent surgery today on his foot fracture: 

Caris LeVert had successful foot surgery today to repair the fracture in his left foot, Michigan basketball coach John Beilein said tonight.

"Everything went really well," Beilein said on his radio show, "Inside Michigan Basketball." "Pleased to report. Right afterwards I spoke with his mom and both doctors and they were really pleased with the operation itself."

Snyder previously reported the surgery would be completed today.

---

LeVert Diagnosed With Complete Fracture

Monday, Jan. 19

Brendan F. Quinn of MLive.com passed along comments from Michigan head coach John Beilein on Caris LeVert's injured foot, revealing it was a complete fracture and that he's expected to make a full recovery.

---

LeVert Out for Season With Foot Injury

Sunday, Jan. 18

Michigan Wolverines star Caris LeVert will miss the remainder of the season due to a left foot injury.   

The team announced the news via its website, noting that the junior guard is scheduled to have surgery this week after injuring his foot against Northwestern on Saturday.

Head coach John Beilein provided a statement:

Caris has been working so hard this season, and for this to happen is very unfortunate. If we know anything about Caris, he will do everything it takes to not only get better but to help his teammates during this time. He is a tremendous young man who I will really miss coaching the remainder of the season. However, I am optimistic he will have a complete recovery.

LeVert also shared his thoughts, and later posted a message on Twitter as well:

While this is obviously not what I wanted, I know this team will come together and be stronger because of it. Now more than ever, it is important for all of us support this team. For me, I am familiar with the recovery process and what work lies ahead for me. I am very confident that I will return 100 percent and have already begun work to ensure that happens.

Thanks everybody for the prayers and support! I'll be back better than ever God doesn't make mistakes🙏

— Caris LeVert (@CarisLeVert) January 18, 2015

LeVert had a near meteoric rise in his sophomore season.  

Coming out of high school, he wasn't highly regarded, with only Michigan, Dayton and Ohio registering interest, according to 247Sports. LeVert was largely an afterthought as a freshman, averaging 2.3 points in 10.8 minutes a night.

Then last year, his minutes tripled, and he averaged 12.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists. MLive.com's Nick Baumgardner couldn't believe how quickly LeVert emerged from unknown to one of the best players in the country:

Caris LeVert ranking as a top 10 player in America on any list, three years after braces, spaghetti arms and a near redshirt. Pretty wild

— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) October 28, 2014

Despite the Wolverines losing Mitch McGary, Nik Stauskas and Glenn Robinson III from last year's team, expectations were still high for Michigan in 2014-15, and LeVert was a big reason for that.

The team's leading scorer, he averaged 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

At this point of the season, John Beilein can’t be anything but Michigan’s basketball coach.

He’s not particularly interested in stepping away from being, well, himself. He’s not big on publicly analyzing, critiquing or chastising the Wolverines to the nth degree, either. 

Not right now. 

He’s simply interested in making sure they progress from their 1-1 start in the Big Ten (8-6 overall) and forge ahead. So, asking him to grade his team or set timetables for widespread and/or individual development, at least at this juncture, seems to be a lost cause.  

“That’s an impossible question to answer for a coach who’s with them every single day. I can’t step outside myself and give them a grade,” Beilein said during Monday’s teleconference. “I see them every day. We practice every day. We’re working hard every day. Our coaches know so much about the team that the average fan would not know, so there’s no grade to be given.

“The ‘grade’ is [based on], ‘Did we work hard in practice today? Did we try to get better? Yes.’ And we’re doing that pretty well. But we have a long way to go.”

Defeating Illinois in the conference opener provided at least a speck of energy for the Wolverines, who will face another 20 points waiting to happen in D.J. Newbill during Tuesday’s clash with Penn State in Happy Valley.

The Wolverines have only played 14 games, just two in their conference—it’s still early to truly judge. But it’s not too early to cast a few snap judgments based on a few numbers.

Michigan Really, Really Needs Spike

Everyone talks about Caris LeVert, Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton—the “big three” on Beilein’s roster.

However, Spike Albrecht will be as valuable as them, if not more, if he’s able to reach the next level.

After combining for nine points in his previous four games, the 5’11”, 175-pound junior point guard burst for 17 during Michigan’s 64-51 road loss this past Saturday to Purdue. The Wolverines lacked offense in the second half, which obviously contributed to their demise, but Beilein feels as if Albrecht is close to a breakthrough.

“We’ve been encouraging that all year for him to look at the basket more—that’s why the end of that second half [vs. Purdue] is so encouraging, when he made those three threes. So that’s big for us going forward, certainly,” Beilein said, later adding that Albrecht has “been more assertive” because he’s healthier than he was earlier in the season.

“He’s worked hard in his rehab and certainly played like it the other day.”

Michigan will go as LeVert, Irvin and Walton go—that’s pretty much ironclad. But Albrecht’s veteran leadership, drive and commitment to improvement is invaluable for a young team that’s having difficulties picking up basic tenets of college basketball.

The Wolverines would certainly be doomed if Albrecht were to fade into the distance. There is no avoiding that.

Rebounding is Killing UM

The absence of second-chance scoring opportunities has been nearly fatal for Michigan, which ranks dead last in the Big Ten in that department (31.9 per game); it’s also dead last in rebounding margin (-2.1 per game).

Defensively, the Wolverines have found a home in the middle of the pack, resting at No. 7 overall—not necessarily a good place to be, but better than the cellar.

However, as a whole, the lack of even decent rebounding has cost Michigan at least two games and has contributed to all but one loss—there was nothing it could do to beat Arizona.

Cases in point: SMU’s 44-27 dominance on the boards led to a 62-51 victory; the inability to overpower the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a supposed underdog, led to a 72-70 loss at the Crisler Center—it was NJIT’s first victory over a ranked opponent, which just threw salt on the wound; and falling 36-27 on the boards led to an embarrassing 45-42 loss to Eastern Michigan. 

Despite staying even with NJIT, 26-26, the Wolverines barely scraped 10 offensive boards and lost 22-16 on the defensive end. When coaches reference “a play here, a play there,” they’re most definitely talking about games such as the ones with the Highlanders and Mustangs.

At the very least, Michigan should have 10 wins. Instead, it’s two games above .500 and barely treading water in early January. 

Seeing Red

As a high schooler, Kam Chatman was miles ahead of the competition—so many miles ahead. However, that’s no longer true now that he’s in college. The easy days have gone by the wayside, which he probably realizes by now. He’s scored just 19 points in the past 88 minutes. He can’t get by in the Big Ten with such droughts.

In a perfect world, Chatman would have redshirted this year. He’s capable of evolving into a consistent contributor, but right now, he’s enduring trial by fire.

The upside to not redshirting is experience—the getting beat, pushed and pounded variety.

During media day, he explained how he’s worked to improve his physicality. He’s aware of the rigors in the Big Ten and plans to adjust accordingly.

At 6’9” and 220 pounds, D.J. Wilson would certainly help Michigan’s lack of size and personnel in the paint. Mark Donnal and Ricky Doyle, a pair of roughly 6’9”, 245-pound forwards, have made strides but still need help.

Wilson, who is beyond athletically gifted, would be welcome on the stat sheet and on the glass. But he suffered a knee injury in November. In early December, Beilein said that a medical redshirt could be possible for the freshman.

Michigan’s frontcourt, on paper, was supposed to be quick, tenacious and built for offense. But the complete opposite fortune has unfolded—and that’s the biggest shock of the year.

This season will be Beilein's most challenging at Michigan.

And it's pretty easy to see why. 

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer

John Beilein is a patient man.

The Michigan coach is used to seeing results, especially recently, but he’s not opposed to letting things take their course.

While talented, this year’s Wolverines may not have have enough to make a run at a national title or reach the Elite Eight. Their disappointing 8-5 record has all but proven that this isn’t 2012-13 or 2013-14.

But that's OK, because Beilein, an eight-year Ann Arbor veteran, isn’t worried. He subscribes to a simple theory: “You really can’t do much until they get into it,” or, in other words: Let’s just wait and see what his players do in the Big Ten.

That's what he did in years past, and the approach worked. 

“I think that as coaching staff you get spoiled when you have more experience in the past,” Beilein said Friday. “You get spoiled a little bit, then your expectations for what they’re going to do [increase]. Then it brings it back to light—say ‘Wait a minute. This is rare to have them perform at a veteran level [like past teams].’

I think if there were any expectations, we’ve reeled them all back and just said, ‘No, this is what we have, let’s really just work and improve daily. Win every day, win every day, win every day.’”

Beilein’s done everything to simulate tough environments, complete with loud music and situational drills. He knows his team needs work. He’s also aware that some furiously wrote off his Wolverines after their shocking losses to the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Eastern Michigan, not to mention their 80-53 drubbing at the hands of Arizona.

After a four-game losing streak, three of which came at home, Michigan was declared DOA by the general public.

But that didn’t rattle the coach. He’s patient and will continue being so throughout the developmental phases.

Starting with Saturday at Purdue, three of Michigan’s next four games are away from the friendly confines of the Crisler Center, the site of the team’s past two victories. The road tests will give a further glimpse into the makeup of the team, providing much more than a young group’s early-season woes ever could.

Beilein’s not pleading for fans to believe. He just wants them to pay attention to the process.

Michigan Wasn't/Isn't Dead

It’s been a broken record—“wait, don’t judge just yet,” and “give them one more chance…”

Now, that’s not to say that an 8-5 record and the aforementioned losses weren’t causes to worry, because they were. But they were in no shape or form enough to erase the Wolverines from the memory banks.

Sure, they’ve had some rather forgettable performances, but there is a lot of ball remaining on the schedule.

Some players come into their own once they square off against league opponents. At this time in 2013-14, Caris LeVert was just warming up his engine.

Unbeknownst to most, LeVert, then a sophomore, went on a tear during three of his first four Big Ten road games.

The following is a look back on the spree that helped facilitate a breakout year:

• He scored 10 points, dished five assists and grabbed three boards during a 71-70 win at Nebraska.
• Finishing with 20 points, seven boards and four assists, he was invaluable during a 77-70 win at then-No. 3-ranked Wisconsin.
• Bursting for 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists, he proved that he was a legitimate star during an 80-75 victory at then-No. 3-ranked Michigan State.

After those outings, it didn’t matter where he played. He found his comfort level and dominated. 

That can happen for others, too.

“Definitely, we know the Big Ten Conference is really what matters for us going into the season,” LeVert said. “We know road games are big as well, so we’ve got to get off to a good start.”

That said, a “good start” would ideally help silence some of the lingering criticism.

“Yeah, I definitely think so,” said LeVert, a 6’7”, 200-pound junior who averages a team-high 15.2 points per game. “We’re a team that’s definitely gotten a lot better—just within the past couple of weeks, and I think it’ll really show in our play.”

According to Beilein and LeVert, Ricky Doyle continues to impress during practices. He's fresh off two of his best games of his young career—16- and 13-point efforts—and consistently brings a hard-work attitude to the gym. 

The 6'9", 245-pound power forward has the tools, and players such as Spike Albrecht can't wait to see what the future holds for the freshman big man, as explained in the below video. 

DeCourcy Weighs in on UM

Like Beilein and other levelheaded folk, Mike DeCourcy is also patient.

The Sporting News analyst/writer has paid close to attention to what Beilein’s built in Ann Arbor and was among a select few who wanted to see more from Michigan before banishing it to the NIT back in December.

“I don’t ever write off a team that has talent and that is coached by a legend,” DeCourcy said during an interview with the Sports in the Mitten podcast. “It’s silly to do that…”

However, he went on to say that the Wolverines’ 73-65 overtime win over Illinois wasn’t reason to celebrate, either. The good thing, though, is that Michigan has more time to figure out and solve its problems.

Prematurely writing off teams such as Michigan—regardless of subpar nonconference play—can get tricky. We’re in the midst of an era of “being first”—the first to report or the first to state an opinion—and that often gets in the way of examining facts and meaningful information, which doesn’t do much good in the long haul.

“If you’re just trying to be right, you can flip a coin on whether or not things are going to turn out right for Michigan at that point,” DeCourcy said. “I mean, they’re already ‘dead,’ or ‘buried’ or ‘dying’ or whatever word you want to use. They’re already in that shape. So now you say they’re dead, so you’ve got about a 50/50 shot that you’re right.

So if you want to be the one that said, ‘Oh, I was the one who said they had no shot,’ well, then fine. But it’s not real analysis…”

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand by the writer.

Order isn’t restored by any means, but stopping a losing streak at four games is certainly better than discussing the fallout that accompanies a five-game slide—just ask Michigan, which bounced back from a quartet of setbacks by jumping all over Coppin State, 72-56, on Monday night at the Crisler Center.

Compared to past performances, the Wolverines were nearly unstoppable. Ricky Doyle, a true frosh, scored a career-high 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting and pulled down five boards in 22 minutes.

Mark Donnal, coach John Beilein’s other versatile, 6’9”, 245-pounder, scored eight points; the redshirt freshman split a pair of attempts from three-point land but has made five of his past six.

He and Doyle will come in handy down the road. 

Zak Irvin, the team’s new leading scorer (15.3 PPG), went on a tear with 13 points, including nine from long range. He’s still improving his jumper, but making five of 11 isn’t a bad way to shake the lulls of shooting 17 of 51 during the losing streak.

As a team, Michigan hit 47 percent of its shots from the field Monday night and did well in the paint. Sure beats 30 percent from the field and nada from the post.  

The ship isn’t sinking in Ann Arbor—but it’s not exactly back on course, either. Beilein’s working the wheel while players adjust the sails, looking to catch winds that will carry them past an ugly nonconference record of 7-5.

Or, in other words: The Wolverines are trying to tighten up on all fronts. It's either that or prepare for a long Big Ten schedule, which begins Dec. 30 versus Illinois at the Crisler Center.

Irvin Jumper

Irvin can get hot. Real hot.

During Monday’s postgame presser, Beilein said he gets a good feeling when he sees a true shooter make a three or hit a couple mid-rangers—he used to get that tingle while watching Tim Hardaway Jr.

This year, he’s caught the feeling a couple of times while watching Irvin, who’s dunked on a couple of poor souls en route to 30 points in the past two games. He’s on an upward trend. He just needs to work on getting correct arch on his jump shot.

Irvin had been getting too much upward arc over his right shoulder and had been suffering with a “flat” jumper. However, he appears to be close to regaining his former sweet stroke, said Beilein.

One thing is clear through 12 games: Michigan needs every bit of offense it can get from its 6’6”, 215-pound star sophomore shooter. After Monday night’s win, Irvin said he also plans to push harder on the glass.

Michigan’s lacked in that department, so he might as well put his strength and five-inch-improved vertical leap to good use.  

Care of Caris

There is only one way to describe Caris LeVert of late: The 6’7”, 200-pound junior has been slumping. He scored eight Monday night, but that was after scoring four of 10 shots from the field. He appeared to force a few; others were just poorly chosen.

Plagued by turnovers during the four-game downward spiral, LeVert must play up to his ability rather than playing down to competition. When at his finest, he's easily one of the Big Ten's elite. Many have viewed him as a potential first-round NBA draft pick. 

But he hasn't played anywhere close to that level. If he continues to submarine, the Wolverines won't compete with the upper half of the Big Ten and could miss the tournament. 

Up Front 

Conditioning and becoming more physical are Doyle's top priorities. The more he works to assert himself in the paint, the more he'll end nights with 16 points, like he did Monday. Despite the 80-53 loss to Arizona, the freshman appeared on his way to something with eight points. 

Then he scored three during a 62-51 loss Saturday to Southern Methodist.

The need for more Doyle, who can be dominant, has never been greater. He's not the most physical, but his mixture of touch around the rim and length can only benefit a team in desperate need of production from forwards/centers. 

Donnal has established himself as the "outside" part of the D-and-D equation. Prior to the season, Beilein said he couldn't label either player as the "inside" or "outside" force. They both did both, he said. Well, Donnal's emerged as the more lethal offensive option. He's shown some inside game, but he's probably more valuable away from the basket. 

Honestly, Doyle's probably the better choice down low, so it's a win-win just as long as they complement one another. The Wolverines can't afford for them to be out of sync. They're only giving 12.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per outing. Beilein needs them to combine for 20 and 10 on a regular basis. That's the bar moving forward. 

The Point—Walton and Albrecht

Spike Albrecht and Derrick Walton haven’t ran the point to its fullest extent this season. Albrecht’s undisclosed lower-body injury and Walton’s ankle need rest, as mentioned Monday by Beilein. The holiday break will serve them well.

Albrecht’s struggled to score. Michigan needs more than the 55 points it’s received from the 5’11”, 175-pound junior. However, Albrecht’s had several highlight reel assists thus far—his 41 helpers are tied for No. 2 on the team with Walton, who’s been much more of an offensive threat (as anticipated) than his counterpart. 

The 6’0”, 185-pound sophomore averages 11.3 points per night, which adds value to the offense. But he’s committed 12 turnovers during the past five games.

Turnover-to-assist ratios: Walton 3.7-1.5; Albrecht 3.4-1.1

Continuity

This past season, LeVert, Irvin, Walton and Albrecht could rely upon upperclassmen such as Jordan Morgan and Jon Horford when times got tough.

When the scoreboard needed a jump, they had stars Glenn Robinson III and Nik Stauskas to provide boosts and fill some buckets.

They don’t have any of that this year. They are now “that.” There have been moments, such as games versus Villanova and Oregon, in which Michigan has looked great. During other times, such as against the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Eastern Michigan, not to mention Arizona, it has looked vastly overmatched. 

Learning to lead takes time, but Beilein is confident that his sophomore class will team up with Albrecht and LeVert and gain control of the team and set the tone for the inconsistent freshmen. He doesn't mind their "quiet leadership," but Michigan is due for a vocal uprising. 

"We need more voices," Beilein said. "The more, the better." 

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer.

The wheels on the Michigan bus haven’t fallen off just yet—but they’re barely hanging on by the thinnest of threads.

Well, make that one thread, because Saturday’s 62-51 loss to Southern Methodist—the team's fourth straight—has the Wolverines quickly tumbling, sinking and doing other things that don’t describe a positive start to 2014-15.

A home loss Monday to Coppin State would essentially have John Beilein’s bus sitting on bricks.

During his postgame press conference, the Michigan coach pointed to “many” contributing factors to his team’s early demise. One of those obstacles during the four-game skid has been poor shooting from everywhere, not just beyond the arc.

Michigan made 17 of 54 field-goal attempts and just eight of 38 from three-point range Saturday; it made 19 of 54 from the field and seven of 26 from long range versus Arizona (L, 80-53); it made 14 of 43 from the field and four of 21 from beyond the perimeter versus Eastern Michigan (L, 45-42)…

Get the picture?

Teams aren’t going to have success hovering near 30-some percent.

But there is a larger issue: Public Enemy No. 1 isn’t missed shots—it’s the turnover bug, which continually sinks its teeth into the Wolverines at every available turn.

“That’s what we talked about in the locker room [after SMU loss],” said Beilein, whose club coughed up the ball 14 times versus the Mustangs. “That was my big point. I realized—I’ve been coaching a long time—I realized sometimes the ball just doesn’t go in the basket...

"[SMU] had some good looks too from three—except the flurry [of shots] at the beginning by [Nic] Moore, they didn’t make a lot of outside shots, either. They’re longer than us… but you’re going to have those games.

"We cannot go down and blow up fast breaks…we started the second half with a great stop on a fast break but we threw a bad pass… That’s not how you’re going to win, and our guys know it. So they’re upset about that as well.”

The line of “It’s only December, so wait…” is approaching its expiration date. Pretty soon, it’ll be January and time to dance in the Big Ten. The previous four losses have been alarming, but not enough to jump ship.

And while it may be difficult to imagine, things can get worse—much worse. With that said, wait until after Monday’s home stand before declaring a state of emergency.

What’s the Deal with Caris?

Caris LeVert is acting like Maverick after Goose died in Top Gun...he won't engage. #TalkToMeGoose

— Rod Beard (@ajcRodBeard) December 20, 2014

The 6’7”, 200-pound junior just hasn’t looked like himself lately.

Attacking the rim hasn’t exactly been his thing, and getting to the line hasn't either. Since scoring a career-high 32 points versus the New Jersey Institute of Technology, he’s combined for a meager 22 during the three games since that 72-70 loss at the Crisler Center.  

Needless to say, he wasn’t thrilled about scoring just four points versus SMU, and he wasn't too happy about making just one of eight attempts from the field. But that wasn’t the main problem.

“Turnovers—definitely,” he quickly said. “We turn the ball over way too much. We didn’t make shots, but that’s not the end-all, be-all. We turn the ball over way too much.”

Michigan has turned the ball over 51 times during its skid, and LeVert has 16 of them; he had a team-high five versus SMU and Arizona. He had 11 prior to the four-game dive. He didn’t commit his first one until the third game of the year—just something to think about.

Here is a little more to digest: Despite having zero turnovers against Arizona, Derrick Walton, the starting point guard, has gifted seven to the other guys in the past four games; Spike Albrecht, Walton's backup, had three versus SMU and four versus Eastern Michigan.

Michigan is No. 3 in the Big Ten with a turnover margin of +4.80 (14.3 TOPG). 

Can Irvin Revive the Offense?

With LeVert on a negative tilt, the Wolverines need more from everyone, especially Zak Irvin—the 6’6”, 215-pound sophomore scored a team-high 17 Saturday versus SMU and averages 15.3 per outing. He’s been in double digits all but once this season—he scored five versus NJIT—and has hit 20 twice.

But he’s not clicking on all cylinders; he’s shot 17 of 51 from the field during the past four contests. Throw that on top of Michigan’s scoring droughts—some of which have lasted 10 minutes—and you have more problems.

“It’s just tough—it’s like a lid is on the rim right now,” Irvin said. “But when shots aren’t falling, we’ve got to be able to do things in other areas [such as] get to the basket—we were in the double-bonus for awhile in the second half [vs. SMU]. We just have got to be able to get to the basket, get to the free-throw line and get back into rhythm.”

Part of finding rhythm coincides with finding a handle, which Irvin has—he’s committed just three turnovers during the losing streak. But his spotty shooting certainly isn’t doing the Wolverines any favors.

Establishing some sense of confidence prior to Big Ten play is a priority. But more of the same from Michigan will result in ruin before anything has a chance to get built. Granted, a win over Coppin State wouldn't magically cure what ails the Wolverines before they open league play Dec. 30 versus Illinois. 

But it’d help. 

So would one over the Illini. 

“[We need to] just learn from what just happened [during losing streak] and go out with a win—go into break with a win and come out as a new team going into the new year,” LeVert said.

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer.

After three losses in a row, it's clearly time for panic in Michigan.

The Wolverines aren't quite as bad as the 6-4 record seems to indicate, especially with the miserable losses to N.J.I.T. and Eastern Michigan. However, this is not a situation where you can just sit back and wait for things to turn around.

"It's a great reality check for everyone, knowing that we have a lot of work to do," head coach John Beilein said after the 80-53 loss to Arizona, per the Detroit Free Press' Mark Snyder. "We've been here before. Our great teams have been exactly in this spot before. This is part of the process. You've got to embrace it."

If this team doesn't work hard to reach its potential, the basketball season will go down in flames just as fast as the football season did.

The good news is there is talent on the roster, but in order to get the team back on track, it will need to take advantage of the team's strengths in a way that can cover up the weaknesses.

Like any sports team, there are negatives about Michigan that cannot be changed no matter how hard the players work. For one, the lack of size in the frontcourt is a major problem that will only be highlighted more in conference play.

While Mark Donnal and Ricky Doyle are improving quickly, they are not going to get any taller as the year continues. Against quality frontcourts like those of Wisconsin and Michigan State, this could lead to bad mismatches.

On the other hand, there are bigger problems on both ends of the court that can be fixed. One of the most notable problems comes on the defensive end with the poor effort guarding the perimeter.

Between Caris LeVert, Zak Irvin, Kameron Chatman and others, there is enough length and athleticism to be an elite defense. However, ESPN's Jeff Goodman noted how well a usually pedestrian offense fared against Michigan:

Arizona's offense clicking on all cylinders today. Michigan's defense certainly contributing.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) December 13, 2014

Through 10 games, the Wolverines are allowing opponents to shoot 37.7 percent from three-point range, which ranks just 293rd in the nation, according to TeamRankings.com, N.J.I.T. hit 11 of its 17 attempts from behind the arc.

Meanwhile, opponents don't even have to shoot three-point shots because they are able to penetrate into the lane with ease and make things happen from there.

When you see firsthand what someone like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson can do defensively, it's almost embarrassing to watch the perimeter defense on Michigan. This can be turned around with more effort and focus on each possession, but it will take a bigger commitment from every player on the court.

If the guards can't improve defensively, it won't matter if Anthony Davis is patrolling the paint because defenses will still find a way to score.

The problems are pretty much the opposite on the other end of the court as the players spend too much time outside the arc.

This is a quality outside shooting team, but few teams succeed by only taking long shots. Michigan gets 37.7 percent of its points from three-pointers, compared to 44.9 percent from two-point shots and 17.4 percent from free throws, according to KenPom.com (subscription required). The latter two numbers rank among the worst in the country, while the squad is 319th (out of 351) in free throws per shot attempt.

What this means is instead of driving and getting easier attempts, the Wolverines are settling on a strategy of chucking the ball up and hoping for the best.

Considering they shoot an impressive 75.8 percent from the charity stripe, it behooves them to try to draw more fouls. Even when they aren't getting contact, LeVert and Irvin are certainly capable of penetrating into the lane and finishing with easy layups at the rim.

The Wolverines have shot 11-of-47 from deep over the past two games and have totaled just 95 points. It might be time to change up the strategy.

Another problem on the offensive end is the lack of balance with LeVert and Irvin taking 46.4 percent of the team's shots for the season. These two are the stars of the team and the ones who need to step up when a play needs to be made, but there still needs to be more help over the course of the game.

Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com believes Derrick Walton Jr. is the one who needs to step up:

Not saying Walton needs to be the guy who came before him, but he's got to start doing some heavy lifting. UM's most important player.

— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) December 13, 2014

The guard has been dealing with injuries, but he certainly has to do a better job of creating opportunities for himself and others. 

Additionally, fans are waiting for highly touted freshman Kam Chatman to show what he can do on more consistent basis. After totaling 10 points and nine rebounds in a win over Syracuse, he only has 11 points and 10 rebounds over the last three games combined.

The 18-year-old player has appeared to be in over his head over the past two weeks. However, the team needs him to reach his potential in a hurry or else the squad can be in trouble.

Over the past few years, Michigan has had one of the best offenses in the nation to go with a solid-but-unspectacular defense. This season, the offense is inefficient and unable to mask a below-average defense.

Both of these can be changed with a better mindset, more effort and an overall commitment to individual improvement.

Beilein has turned teams around in the past, but it will be up to the players to work toward improvement and get back into the discussion for Big Ten and NCAA tournament contention.

Want to talk about anything college basketball? Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter.

There are a couple of ways to view Michigan’s “I give” during Saturday’s 80-53 loss to Arizona: 1. It’s the prelude of much worse things to come for coach John Beilein’s Wolverines—who have now lost three in a row for the first time since January 2011—or 2. Things can’t get any worse, so it’s probably best to just relax and see what unfolds.

Neither side of the fence is wrong. Some like the half-full perspective while some prefer the half-empty point of view.

Truth be told, the Wolverines are sliding into dangerous territory, but they’re not yet falling apart—“yet” being the keyword.

Losing on the road to the No. 3-ranked team in the land is one thing, but getting the doors blown off after dropping home stands to the New Jersey of Institute of Technology and Eastern Michigan is flat-out embarrassing for a program that’s been to the Elite Eight and Final Four in consecutive seasons.

Michigan peaked Dec. 2 against Syracuse. One could argue that it reached its height just days prior during a 60-55 loss to then No. 12-ranked Villanova. Either way, the team showed fight in both of those games.

Sadly, it hasn’t been remotely close since.

Finding a Comfort Zone

For the past eight years, Beilein has cultivated jump-shooting teams that rebound enough to win. This season, offensive rebounding—a weakness for the Wolverines—needs to be stressed.  

Michigan won’t stop shooting. Conversely, shots aren’t falling.

Michigan—which is No. 278 of 351 in offensive rebounding—needs a remedy, and that’s second-chance scoring.

And that starts with Ricky Doyle and Mark Donnal, who continue to baffle spectators. One moment they’re hot, the next they’re not. Donnal needs more work, but Doyle appears at least close to breaking some ground.

The 6’9”, 245-pound power forward scored eight points against the Wildcats, the most since dropping 12 on Dec. 2 versus the Orange. Granted, a little scoring mixed with three boards isn’t anything to write home about, but it’s a way for Doyle to get back on track. He combined for just six points and four rebounds during the prior two losses.

Saturday was something.

Doyle’s dual-threat skill set makes him all the more important to the big picture. He’s not a contortionist, but he can twist and turn for rebounds. He averages just three per game but is built to grab at least six or seven per night. That goes back to his lack of edge. Once that comes forth, he’ll be the inside-outside threat Beilein needs.

Everyone is looking for answers—fans, coaches, players and the rest. This is December basketball being played by a young team. Beilein did it a favor by assembling a tough schedule. The bouts with Villanova, Syracuse, Oregon and Arizona will serve as learning tools.

They’re Not Excuses…

During this past Thursday’s availability, Spike Albrecht revealed that he had been suffering from a lower-body injury for the past year. Of course, that’s not great news for the Wolverines—who need Albrecht—but it does shed some light on the scenario.

Albrecht hasn’t really been himself this year. If he says that he’s injured, he’s injured. But for better or worse, he’s playing. With Albrecht, energy is never a question. He was hustling for loose balls while trailing Arizona by 30—he’s always going.

During the past five games, Albrecht’s turned the ball over four times—all against Eastern Michigan. During that same span, he’s scored 41 points and dished 22 assists. Again, not rock-the-world numbers here, but they’re not bad stats from a guy who’s clearly not fully healthy.

And that’s a problem when that guy was supposed to be a top contributor.

Kam Chatman, Kam Chatman, Kam Chatman—oh how the freshman bug has bitten thee. For some reason, the 6’7”, 200-pound wing/forward has mightily struggled through the first 10 games of his career. He’s really not as bad as his recent shooting suggests, just 10 makes in 35 attempts from the floor.

He's not as bad as his recent defensive mistakes suggest, either. 

Chatman entered the mix set to take on big minutes. But he’s learned the hard way. Albrecht wasn’t exactly a hardened vet entering the season, either. Sure, he’s had his moments such as scoring 17 versus Syracuse in the 2013 Final Four but this season is his first as a true leading man.

Wait for Caris and Zak

In 2013, Michigan started 6-4—and then it ran to the Elite Eight with a “down” team. This year’s ensemble doesn’t have a Nik Stauskas or Glenn Robinson III; it has to develop those types of leaders. Beilein kept on Stauskas and Robinson III until they turned a corner; the Wolverines found their stride, landed in the Big Ten tournament final and had a good run through March.

Beilein has to jumpstart Caris Levert and Zak Irvin.

LeVert let loose for a career-high 32 points versus NJIT and scored more than 20 thrice this season. He topped the 20-point mark seven times in 2013, so it’s easy to forecast somewhere in the range of at least 10 games of 20 or more this year for the 6’7”, 200-pound junior.

Irvin has scoring prowess too. He put up 14 versus Arizona and scored 18 versus Syracuse. The 6’6”, 215-pound sophomore just hasn’t found the touch in 2014, that’s the only way to explain his 42 percent shooting average. If he continues to stumble, the Wolverines will be in trouble. He’s made just five of the past 21 attempts from three-point range. 

Long story short, it's easy to forecast doom and gloom as the Wolverines continue to learn the hard way. However, dismissing a team with LeVert and Irvin would be a mistake, regardless of circumstances.

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer

Michigan’s Ricky Doyle is one self-aware individual.

There’s really no reason to wonder if the freshman gets “it”—he made that quite clear Thursday after being asked to self-evaluate his progress.

“I feel like I definitely have improved since I got here—significantly since high school,” said the 6’9”, 245-pound power forward. “I still definitely need to improve just all around. I just need to be a better player just to help my team out.

“I need to work on my rebounding. Offensively, I need to work on better ways to find myself open and help my guys get easier passes in to me so I can get an easier shot. Conditioning-wise, I’m still working to be the best athlete I can be… and even just the knowledge—just mentality-wise, just working on that.”

If he does all of that—grabs offensive rebounds, plays a physical game and finds ways to bust loose from coverage—the Wolverines will have slightly better chances of knocking off No. 3-ranked Arizona in Tucson on Saturday.

If he doesn’t, it’ll be a tough return to Ann Arbor for Michigan (6-3), which just dropped consecutive home stands to the New Jersey Institute of Technology (72-70) and Eastern Michigan (45-42)—a pair of games in which he combined for six points and five boards during 39 total minutes.

Doyle knows that he’s capable of more.

And really, he’s proven that he can play at an advanced pace; look at his 12-point, six-rebound effort versus Syracuse (W, 68-65), a long team that features an effective 2-3 zone defense. And although he scored just four points and snagged two rebounds, Doyle held his own against veteran-led Villanova (L, 60-55).

While those were just appetizers and quick glimpses, they serve as entirely more accurate measures of one of John Beilein’s future mainstays. The losses to the Highlanders and Eagles were simply low points of the year, as they're all part of the gig when you're a freshman in the Big Ten. 

While somewhat quietly starring at Ft. Myers Bishop Verot in Florida, Doyle was lauded for his ability to do it all. Dominating at that level led to offers from Creighton, Penn State, Miami (Fla.) and Boston College. The former 3-star recruit, per 247Sports, perfectly fits Beilein's mold of long, athletic and quick. 

However, there is one looming concern: Doyle needs to develop an edge—maybe something similar to what Mitch McGary attained after a year (and prior to a back injury), or something close to what Jordan Morgan brought to the court. So far, he's appeared willing to take only what's given, but Michigan would be much better off if Doyle just took without asking. 

Playing the undefeated (9-0) Arizona Wildcats will be yet another personal challenge—and it’s not going to be fun and games when it comes to checking 6'7", 220-pound sophomore Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and 6'9", 230-pound junior Brandon Ashley.

And then there's the potential dose of freshman Stanley Johnson, a versatile 6'7", 245-pound wing/forward.

“It’s a big opportunity for us this weekend, you know. It’s a real big game, real good opponent,” he said. “So if we do come out with a win, it’s going to be a huge confidence boost for us. We’re going to be doing whatever we can to be prepared for it.

“For me, personally, this is going to be a good self-evaluation. I’ve been putting hard work in. Me and the bigs—you know, Mark [Donnal] and Max [Bielfeldt]—we’ve been working real hard with each other. So it’ll be real good. We’ll be playing against some good competition. Arizona is a very good team as well.”

A slow start isn’t cause to worry about Doyle or Michigan. Once he and his fellow forwards find level ground, the Wolverines should be fine. Beilein said that getting players, presumably Doyle and Donnal, to “recognize concepts” and distinguish different looks between different plays hasn’t been easy.

But again, it’s only December.

And it's a long, grueling season ahead. 

“I think Ricky and Mark are really learning at a great rate,” Beilein said. "It’s just that they were at ground zero…the retention of it is the biggest issues with most young players.”

Follow Bleacher Report's Michigan Wolverines basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer 

Every college basketball team goes through some rough patches throughout the course of the season, but losing home games to NJIT and Eastern Michigan is more than just a pair of bad games for the Michigan Wolverines.

It could be what keeps them from competing in the 2015 NCAA tournament.

Thanks to last Saturday's shocking upset, everyone is suddenly an expert on the NJIT Highlanders. As noted multiple times during the Big Ten Network's broadcast of the game, though, this wasn't just the first time NJIT has beaten a ranked opponent.

It was the first time the Highlanders had even played against one.

NJIT beats Michigan. In basketball, not US news academic rankings

— Dana O'Neil (@DanaONeilWriter) December 6, 2014

Michigan fans will be quick to note that any team could have lost to that team on that day, as NJIT—led by Damon Lynn's 20 points—shot 11 of 17 from three-point range. A good number of those were wide-open looks, but by the end of the game even contested 27-footers were hitting nothing but net.

However, that's a red herring. This loss was about way more than an underdog catching fire.

Michigan is an inexperienced team—particularly in the post—relying too heavily on the offensive firepower of a couple of guys to carry the load.

NJIT only played one player taller than 6'5" in this game—6'8" Daquan Holiday. Against most teams, that would put the Highlanders at a severe size disadvantage. On the opening day of the season, St. John's made 22 of its 24 field goals against the Highlanders from two-point range and attempted 36 free throws in a 19-point win.

Even undersized Marquette did most of its damage from inside the arc against NJIT, earning 34 free throws while scoring 15 of its 18 field goals from two-point range.

Michigan, on the other hand, attempted 44.4 percent of its shots from three-point range and was only awarded 14 free throws. And it's not like most of those three-pointers came while the Wolverines were desperately trying to stage a comeback. They never trailed by more than seven.

Despite the aforementioned lack of height for NJIT, both teams grabbed 26 rebounds on Saturday, and the Highlanders even blocked seven Michigan shots.

Moreover, NJIT had open layups whenever it wanted, as noted by Sam Vecenie of CBS Sports.

The TL;DR lesson to be learned from the NJIT game is one that gravely concerned us all offseason: Michigan has no reliable interior presence on either end of the court.

Ricky Doyle was a stud in previous games against Oregon and Syracuse, but he played 25 minutes on Saturday, attempting (and missing) just one field goal. He and Mark Donnal combined for just six rebounds in 40 minutes of action.

How's that going to work out in less than a month when Michigan is facing Purdue's A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas? Heck, how is Michigan going to grab a single rebound this Saturday against Arizona's front line?

How exactly did Michigan once upon a team beat Syracuse and nearly beat Villanova?

— Reid Forgrave (@ReidForgrave) December 10, 2014

Max Bielfeldt is the only player in Michigan's frontcourt who played a college game before this season, and the fact that 6'0" Derrick Walton Jr. is currently second on the team in rebounds per game should tell you about all you need to know about how well the inexperienced bigs are doing.

Had the NJIT loss not happened, we wouldn't be that concerned about Tuesday night's loss to Eastern Michigan. The Eagles are a quality team with just one loss on the season, and they gave Dayton about all it could handle in that game.

But what does it say about Michigan's sense of pride and urgency that it couldn't find a way to win this game?

Do you know how North Carolina responded to its disappointing loss to Iowa? The Tar Heels went out and thrashed East Carolina by a 44-point margin. After Kansas was embarrassed by Kentucky, the Jayhawks responded with a 27-point win over Rider. Two days after Miami was embarrassed by Green Bay, the Hurricanes held Savannah State to 39 points in a 31-point rout.

That's just what quality teams do.

Instead, Michigan lost while scoring just 42 points. The Wolverines grabbed a grand total of two offensive rebounds and committed 13 turnovers—though it felt like more than that, as each one seemed to come at the worst possible time.

As ESPN's Eamonn Brennan questioned/accused in his attempt to figure out what's the matter with Michigan:

Just four days after being torched by a program that lost 51 straight games as recently as 2008-09, you put up 42 points in a home loss to Eastern Michigan? In your big bounce-back confidence-builder before a weekend road trip to Arizona, you go without a field goal for 14 minutes of the first half? In the final three minutes of the second half, when high-major home teams in nonconference scares typically stack enough good possessions to see out a win, you go scoreless? You hold an opponent to 45 points on 59 possessions, and you lose?! At home?! Really?

Between fouls and turnovers, there were only five field goals attempted in the final three minutes of this game. Eastern Michigan was 1 of 1. Michigan was 0 of 4—all three-point attempts.

For the game, the Wolverines shot 4 of 21 behind the arc, and that's their other big problem.

Michigan has been extremely reliant on three-pointers since the moment John Beilein took over for Tommy Amaker. Including this year, the Wolverines have attempted at least 40 percent of their shots from three-point range in seven of Beilein's eight seasons, according to KenPom.com (subscription required).

However, without a Mitch McGary, Jordan Morgan or DeShawn Sims to worry about in the paint, teams are more aggressively defending the arc against Michigan, forcing shooters who aren't as good as Nik Stauskas or Trey Burke to take shots that are more contested than either of those NBA lottery picks had to deal with.

For much of the second half on Tuesday night, Eastern Michigan ran a 2-3 zone that looked more like a 4-1 umbrella defense, as the corner men were playing all the way out at the three-point line of the extended elbow. The Eagles were practically daring the Wolverines to go inside, and still they refused.

Not sure what to say about Michigan right now ... Except these words of Dick Enberg: Oh my.

— Dave Ommen (@BracketguyDave) December 10, 2014

Right when they're struggling the most, they have a huge game coming up on Saturday against Arizona that will likely move them to 6-4 on the season without any truly quality wins.

Whoa.

Did anyone else just get a serious case of déjà vu?

No interior presence, over-reliance on three-pointers from the two guards trying to replace crucial guys who left early for the NBA and a 6-3 record before a mid-December Saturday game against Arizona.

Pretty sure we've seen this before.

Michigan was in the exact same position last season before rattling off wins in 19 of its next 22 games, winning the outright Big Ten regular-season title and darn near earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

However, this roster isn't as talented, the bad losses are so much worse and—as we'll really dive into early next week—the Big Ten isn't as strong as it usually is.

As far as the roster goes, we may have been concerned about Michigan sans Mitch McGary last season, but Beilein had some other frontcourt gems in his pocket. In his career before the 2013-14 season, Jordan Morgan was averaging 13.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per 40 minutes. In fewer minutes, Jon Horford was similarly productive, good for 11.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per 40 minutes.

But this year, it's Doyle, Donnal, Bielfeldt or bust—and it's been option D more often than not.

Michigan's guards are fantastic. Zak Irvin has struggled mightily in the last two games (3-of-16 from three-point range), but he and Caris LeVert are capable of shooting this team to a lot of victories. Having a guy like Spike Albrecht come off the bench is a luxury that almost no coaches are afforded.

Whether the Wolverines are able to turn things around, though, depends on how much Beilein can get out of his big men.

It's not hard to draw comparisons between this year's Michigan team and last year's Duke team—the 26-9 squad that won plenty of games by getting hot from three-point range but was absolutely destroyed in the paint on a regular basis en route to a tournament upset at the hands of Mercer.

And at least those Blue Devils had Amile Jefferson and Jabari Parker in the paint.

Michigan's big men have a lot of improving to do and fast.

It's still too early to legitimately start asking if they'll miss the tournament altogether, but what if the Wolverines do lose to Arizona on Saturday?

What if they lose to SMU next Saturday?

Then we're talking about a five-loss team with "quality" wins over Syracuse and Oregon—both of which may miss the tournament—and a pair of terrible home losses.

At that point, they would need to go at least 11-7 in the Big Ten to feel remotely safe about their bid.

If Michigan keeps playing like it has in the past week against NJIT and Eastern Michigan, it would take more than a miracle to win 11 Big Ten games.

It might not be time to start hitting the panic button quite yet, but it might be wise to at least locate it for future reference.

Kerry Miller covers college basketball for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @kerrancejames.