Big Ten champion Michigan looking for guards to step up without L.J. Cason

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — No. 3 Michigan lost the best backup point guard in college basketball, according to coach Dusty May, when L.J. Cason tore a knee ligament as the team clinched an outright Big Ten title with a win at No. 10 Illinois.

The Wolverines will certainly miss the smooth-shooting sophomore, who averaged 8.4 points and more than one 3-pointer per game, but May said the injury will give guards an opportunity to play larger roles.

Starting point guard Elliot Cadeau plays about 25 minutes a game, a number that may increase if he can avoid foul trouble.

“This will force Elliot to be much more solid with his defense and decision-making,” May said. “He doesn’t have that insurance anymore.

“L.J. came in and carried the load several games.”

Cason was injured on Saturday night in a 14-point win over the Fighting Illini on Friday night, and the team announced the next day that he needed season-ending surgery. He scored in double digits five times in February, including a career-high 18 points against Northwestern, and had at least seven points in every game last month.

Freshman Trey McKenney, sixth-year player Nimari Burnett and senior Roddy Gayle each average about 20 minutes a game — and all of them will have a chance to be on the court more without Cason.

“We look at this as another challenge that’s also an opportunity for guys to play a little bit more, to play longer periods, play through a mistake, play a little bit different role,” May said. “We do feel like these guys are a lot better than they were earlier in this year, and so we’re prepared to handle whatever.”

The Wolverines will close the regular season at Iowa on Thursday night and at home against rival Michigan State on Sunday. They they will play in the Big Ten tournament next week in Chicago, hoping to win it and perhaps secure a top seeding in the NCAA Tournament.

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