The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys 92-91 on Friday to advance to the second round of NCAA Tournament. It was a thrilling back-and-forth contest all afternoon largely because it featured two of the best point guards in college basketball, Michigan’s Derrick Walton Jr. and Oklahoma State’s Jawun Evans.
Derrick Walton Jr. is channeling his inner Trey Burke during Michigan’s torrid March
Walton was all over the court and was a stat-sheet stuffer.
Both teams went on offensive barrages, but Walton stole the show, racking up 26 points, 11 assists , five rebounds, and two steals. This is nothing new for Walton, the senior point guard leading Michigan’s on an incredible run right now. He’s been as good as any player in the Big Ten over the last two months, Purdue superstar Caleb Swanigan included.
Walton is carrying Michigan right now. He powered the Wolverines to a Big Ten tournament title last week and now he has M thinking about the Sweet 16.
It wasn’t always easy for Walton. His career had been defined by injuries before this hot stretch. He was a solid point guard, but it felt like he left some potential unfulfilled. That was before this supernova turn that has Michigan fans thinking back to the days of Trey Burke’s dominant point guard play.
Walton has been every bit as good.
The matchup with Evans was an extremely tough test. Both teams struggled to hit shots in the early stages of the game. With a little under eight minutes to go in the first half, the Wolverines made six of their 20 shots and were two for nine from beyond the arc. However, their shots started to fall midway through the first quarter and went on an 8-point run.
With over five minutes remaining in the first half, Zak Irvin connected from beyond the arch to give Michigan a 28-27 lead. Then Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman converted on a 3-pointer and was fouled in the process. That four-point play gave Michigan a 34-32 lead.
Oklahoma State found its groove as the first half continued, going on a 7-0 run to increase its lead to 18-11. The Cowboys were down 41-40 at halftime.
In the second half, both teams shot well from the field, but the Wolverines began to pull away. They went on an 8-0 run to put them ahead at 70-64 with over nine minutes to go in the game.
Michigan took a 76-68 lead and staved off Oklahoma State’s comeback. There were 14 lead changes in this game, but Walton made sure his team was on the good side of the final score. He was the team’s swiss army knife during this game. He made difficult shots, got his teammates involved, crashed the broads, and played suffocating defense.
Speaking of difficult shots, Walton showcased his ball handling skills and foot work on this shot:
Walton began to drive down to the basket, put the ball behind his back, suddenly hit a step-back move, and shot the ball over Evans, who was draped all over him. Evans was terrific in this game as well, registering 23 points, 12 assists and seven boards. But Walton led his team to victory and a step closer to securing a national championship.
You could tell this game meant so much to Walton. He’s endured and overcome a lot of obstacles during his stint with the Wolverines. He is trying to lead his team to a championship before his college career expires. For now, though, you can’t help appreciate what Walton is doing for his team.
See More:
