One-on-One: Livers Discusses Wolverines' Rise
12/3/2019 9:41:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Features
By Steve Kornacki
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- This has been one wild, fun and unexpected ride for the University of Michigan men's basketball team.
The No. 4-ranked Wolverines (7-0) this week matched Kansas in 1989 for making the biggest jump in the Associated Press poll from being unranked the previous week after winning the Battle 4 Atlantis -- taking down previous No. 6 North Carolina and No. 8 Gonzaga as well as a solid Iowa State team.
The last two teams to win that tourney in the Bahamas -- Villanova in 2017 and Virginia in 2018 -- went on to win the NCAA national championship.
And as if all of that isn't enough to make Michigan the focus of the college basketball world, it plays here Tuesday night (Dec. 3) against No. 1 Louisville (7-0).
The hype machine is firing on all cylinders, and that presents a new challenge for the Wolverines. Now there are expectations, all eyes are on them, and they must put on the blinders and maintain the focus that enabled them to vault into the upper echelon of the polls.
Livers leads U-M with 17.0 points per game and 21 three-pointers.
Michigan practiced Tuesday night at Crisler Center, flew a charter here, and checked into the team hotel a short walk from the KFC Yum! Center, a 22,000-seat arena that will be packed and rocking.
Leading scorer Isaiah Livers, averaging 17.0 points and three three-pointers a game, took time in the team's snack room to discuss the challenges for his team.
I began by asking him about the reaction he received in classes during the first two days of the week.
"Coach (Juwan) Howard really emphasized that people are going to be all over you -- trying to hype your head up," said Livers. "It's always good, but he just kept telling us, 'It's one down and three more to go.'"
Michigan's goals are four championships: Battle 4 Atlantis and then the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles before pursuing a national championship.
"And that's how I'm looking at it," Livers said of his coach's emphasis. "I'm trying to avoid as much of it (hype) as possible. People are really all over me about it."
How does Livers, a junior from Kalamazoo Central High, where he was Michigan's Mr. Basketball, compartmentalize the attention for himself and teammates?
"You definitely use it as a boost of confidence and for motivation," said Livers. "But it's definitely not something that's going to define our season, and all we can do is use it as a reminder that we are that good team because we definitely deserve to have that title of being a good team after the way we played in Atlantis."
When it was mentioned that his team's been rewarded with a poll rise that puts them in a No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup, a smile quickly crossed Livers' face.
"But, honestly, rankings don't define a team," said Livers. "What it goes to show is that there are a lot of unranked teams that are just as good as the No. 1 team is. It's not about what rank you are, it's about how good your values, your culture, what kind of guys you have, the coaching staff you have, and the environment you have.
"You obviously want to have that motivation and confidence, though. It makes you proud to see your fans in the stands because you want to perform for them."
Livers scored 21 points against Gonzaga, making 5-of-8 treys. He's shooting .512 from behind the arc, .563 on all shots, and has more than doubled his 7.9-point scoring average from last season, when he embraced the sixth man role.
What's the biggest thing he's done to improve his game?
"I've definitely improved on moving without the ball," said Livers. "I watched a lot of NBA guys and how they moved without the ball, cut when they needed to cut, cut for easy layups. I watched a lot of Klay Thompson (of the Golden State Warriors). He can explode for 45 points with only seven dribbles. It just shows you don't have to dribble the air out of the ball. It's all about using your footwork, knowing when to shoot, and being smart.
"There are times when you've got to pass and let a teammate make a play. And you never know. Coach Howard talks about the basketball gods, just good karma -- pass the ball and it's going to come back to you once in a while."
Michigan also features two dynamic seniors.
Point guard Zavier Simpson leads the nation with 9.7 assists per game while averaging 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds. ESPN's Dan Dakich said he's playing like a first-team All-American.
Center Jon Teske is averaging 13.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.6 blocks while altering shots all over the court. He was the co-Big Ten Player of the Week and MVP of the Battle 4 Atlantis tourney after getting 19 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks against Gonzaga in the title game.
Michigan heads to No. 1 Louisville after winning the 2019 Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas with wins over Iowa State, No. 6 North Carolina and No. 8 Gonzaga.
Everyone is playing defense, and Howard has drawn attention by holding up a photo of P.J. Tucker when he wants better defensive communication on the court. Houston Rockets veteran forward Tucker impressed Howard with his very vocal calling out of defensive assignments while competing for a spot on the U.S. National Team last summer.
"When we see Coach hold up that photo," said Livers, "we know that we instantly have to talk on this possession right here. We don't want him holding it up for nothing. He wants us to talk, and that is a very important possession for us. It just encourages us."
What has most impressed Livers about Howard after seven games under his new coach, who replaced John Beilein after he became the Cleveland Cavaliers head coach?
"Shoot," said Livers. "He is the most poised, calm, intellectual coach I've ever played for. You know some coaches can lose it and blow their tops. Coach Howard hasn't blown his top once yet, and there have been a lot of moments when he could've blown his top. But he's just stayed calm and poised and understands that in the game of basketball you are going to make mistakes. It's about how you correct them.
"A player could easily look over and see his coach all mad or sad, pouting and sitting on the bench. I haven't seen Coach Howard sit on the bench more than four times in seven games. That just goes to show you what a competitor he is. He's in there with us."
Michigan's nine first-place votes in the AP poll are one more than the combined eight of Virginia and Kansas. Louisville has all the rest with 48 No. 1 votes and is led by 6-foot-8 junior forward Jordan Nwora (21.9 points, 6.9 rebounds).
Livers (6-foot-7) will match up much of the time on Nwora (WOR-uh).
"Jordan Nwora is a very skilled shooter," said Livers. "He can score on all three levels and is definitely a pro guy. He's hunting his shots as well, and so we've got to find guys like that (on defense). Those guys can hurt you."
Livers noted that there are other talented Cardinals. They have four double-figure scorers and four averaging at least 6.3 rebounds per game.
So, the stage is set for another classic battle with Louisville, which beat Michigan in the 2013 national championship game. The Wolverines won the last meeting in 2017, bouncing the Cardinals to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16.
These aren't postseason high stakes, but it is a game with plenty on the line where early-season momentum is concerned.
