Michigan basketball coach John Beilein previews the Big Ten tournament. Recorded Tuesday, Feb. 27. Nick Baumgardner, Detroit Free Press
Moritz Wagner was frustrated, which happens from time to time.
An emotional person by nature, Wagner often doesn't hide his feelings. Making just one of five shots and scoring two points in a lopsided loss at Nebraska in January sure felt like one of those moments.
"We didn't know what to do," Wagner recalled when speaking about that day recently.
But as emotional as he is, Michigan's 6-foot-11 German-born big man is also one of the more cerebral players you'll find in the Big Ten. He loves the game. He loves to learn. He's constantly trying to digest as much information as Michigan coach John Beilein throws his way.
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And after Michigan's offense hit the skids as Nebraska switched every screen as a counter to Wagner's unique skill set, he was ready to start the process.
The best shooting big man in America, Wagner has shot 41 percent from 3-point range this season. A week before taking on Nebraska in Lincoln, Wagner put the rest of his perimeter game on display, showing up every player Michigan State threw at him by scoring 27 points on just 13 field goal attempts in a critical road win in East Lansing.
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Teams were eventually going to adjust. Michigan had to find its response. And as the Big Ten tournament starts Wednesday, the Wolverines believe they have. And once again, it all revolves around Wagner.
"He's understanding (his impact). The other day (at Maryland), not on purpose, but he became a decoy because the other team was guarding him so much that other guys got open," Beilein said. "They pay a lot of attention to him and we were able to take the ball to the basket and when they took away the two we found the three.
"He's understanding the residual effect that comes from him being a fifth shooter out there."
It's a team situation, of course, but it all starts with Wagner. Teams have thrown just about every defensive look against Michigan this season in an effort to avoid getting into mismatches with Wagner in the pick-and-pop game.
If a team plays man-to-man and hedges a ball screen, Wagner — as he did at Michigan State — has the ability to carve people up. But if a switch comes and he sees himself rolling next to a guard, he understands he has to make sure everyone else maintains their role in the offense.
If a zone comes, it's the same concept. If they double Wagner, he's improved his vision enough to look elsewhere. Beilein has talked several times about how important Wagner is because of how many open looks Michigan finds just off his actions and the reaction defenses have to him.
He gets it, too.
"I feel a lot more comfortable in the post to make the right decision. When you feel like people are taking your stuff away, you sometimes feel like you have to counter that with some of your moves. That's not true," Wagner says. "You rely on your teammates. Rely on simple stuff. That's usually the most efficient way (to play).
"I'm just trying to play with what the opponents give me and see what happens."
His efficiency has shown it, as he ranked No. 7 among all Big Ten players in offensive rating through February.
And it's no accident that Michigan's overall offensive rating climbed through the month as well, with the Wolverines sitting all the way up to No. 35 nationally as postseason play begins.
"He really understands the game and understands there's certain times where him creating a mismatch opens things up for someone else," senior Duncan Robinson said. "That's been a big growth area for him, but also for us as a team with our understanding of how to attack. There's been a ton of different ways people have chose to guard us.
"We've got to continue to grow."
A great example of this came Saturday at Maryland, when the Terrapins had trimmed the Wolverines' 30-point halftime lead down to 19 early in the second half.
Wagner got a touch in the post, but was able to swing the ball out, which ultimately created an open look for Robinson from behind the arc. The big man didn't get an assist (Beilein calls the pass before the delivery a "hockey assist") but he started the play. The lead was back to 22 and the Wolverines never looked back.
He's the centerpiece and he knows it.
Now, he's also comfortable with it.
"There's a certain responsibility for sure that I've sensed and also embraced in the last couple weeks We run the pick-and-pop so much, the ball goes through my hands so much. That is a responsibility. Whether I want it or not.
"I get frustrated with the screens, but as coach Beilein says, they do it because you're playing well. ... Coach Beilein is never the type of guy to say 'OK, I'm quitting on Mo, he's frustrated so on to the next guy.' I'm very grateful for the positions he's put me in and the way I've been able to develop the last couple weeks."
Contact Nick Baumgardner: nbaumgardn@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickBaumgardner.
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