The Redemption of Manny Harris: Michigan gains mammoth win over Purdue

Yes, DeShawn Sims played the game of his young life on Thursday night in Ann Arbor. Yes, Michigan's halfcourt offense exhibited precious few flaws against defense-minded Purdue, just four days after a miserable performance at Iowa. But with all that having been said, the foremost story of this night in Crisler Arena was the redemption of Manny Harris.
 
As huge as this game turned out to be for Michigan's postseason outlook, the ultimate headliner from UM's 87-78 win over the Boilermakers had to be the way in which Harris responded to last Sunday's overtime benching in Iowa City. Roughly 100 hours after melting down in extra time against the Hawkeyes, Harris--the man primarily responsible for his team's declining NCAA Tournament hopes--evidently received and absorbed the message coach John Beilein wanted to convey. The heartbeat of the Maize and Blue pulsed with purpose, energy and focus, and that's the main reason why Michigan has winning blood running through its veins right now.

It could be said that from a pure statistical standpoint, Harris's teammate--Sims--had the biggest night against Matt Painter's pupils. By destroying Boilermaker center JaJuan Johnson, Sims--on 13-of-16 shooting, an astonishing statistic against a defense of Purdue's caliber--gave Michigan and Beilein the scoring punch they so desperately needed. But when one looks at the flow of this contest, the center of the action (not to mention the drama that slowly built in the building) was indeed Harris.
 
Unlike the loss at Iowa, and other games in which the Wolverines have lacked tenacity at the offensive end of the floor, Harris attacked the basket with burning determination. By exploding to the rim with a powerful first step, and not going out of his way to draw contact, Harris allowed his speed to do the talking, and as a result, the guard got to the free throw line with regularity. As this contest unfolded, particularly in the second half, it was clear that Harris's ability to break down Purdue off the dribble had softened up the Boilers' normally stout defense. Because Harris shot the ball consistently (8-of-15 field goals, 8-of-11 free throws) while also having a solid floor game, everything about the Wolverines' halfcourt offense fit together perfectly, arguably for the only time in 2009.

When one considers how fully this Big Ten season has been dominated by defense, it's beyond impressive for any team to hang 87 (and that's with more than a dozen missed free throws) on Purdue. Sims had the particularly gaudy shooting stats, but it was Manny Harris who shrugged off his Beilein benching to max out in the biggest game of Michigan's season. Rare is the young man who can encounter such a profoundly public humiliation and bounce back under withering pressure.
 
Harris became that man, and as a result, the Wolverines made the league's best defensive team appear quite ordinary, if not inferior. (Harris and Sims alone combined for 56 points, more than a number of Minnesota and Illinois games this season.)
 
A young guard for the University of Michigan is a redeemed man tonight. If this transformed incarnation of Manny Harris can remain on the floor for the Maize and Blue in the next two weeks, a 10-year NCAA Tournament drought will finally end for a football school that's looking to roundball for a feel-good story.

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