Nimari Burnett's Sweet Shot Helped Turn Up the Crowd Volume in Crisler

Burnett's game-high 16 points got the Wolverines going in 76-64 win over TCU. Coach Dusty May on his talented guard: 'He’s a guy that we really believe in.'

Photo Courtesy of University of Michigan Photography

Nimari Burnett scored 10 of his team-high 16 points in the first half against the Horned Frogs.

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Nimari Burnett has as pretty shot.

When he casts it from behind the arc and that back-spin on the ball snaps the nets, it brings the Wolverine faithful to their feet and Crisler Center gets rocking.

Burnett led Michigan with 16 points in Friday night’s 76-64 win over TCU -- a quality opponent bringing a 3-0 mark into this game after making last season’s NCAA Tournament. He was 6-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 on the treys those fans loved.

“It was loud,” said Burnett, a graduate student who’s also played for Texas Tech and Alabama. “It was engaged. The fans were enjoying themselves.”

Wolverine coach Dusty May – who pushed for sellouts after a meager crowd attended the opening game win over Cleveland State – got that sellout crowd of 12,707 and he said they made all the difference down the stretch.

“In the last 4:51 of the game,” said May, of the point when his team had a 6-point lead, “we had a couple guys cramping [Burnett and guard Roddy Gayle, Jr.], we weren’t playing very good basketball for our standards, and when the place erupted, our guys had a jolt of energy.

“It was enough to push us over the top and we made incremental progress for the things we’re trying to fix. Obviously, we still have a long way to go. But we’re still figuring each other out. And that’s part of the fun of having a new group. We stay the course; we find solutions…Our guys did a nice job despite the [21] turnovers. They stayed together and stayed connected – which is most important.”

That connection is ever-present for a team that includes six transfer portal additions and three incoming freshmen. And that togetherness isn’t easy to achieve with so much change.

It was a highly visible cohesion between the trio of Wolverines seated at the post-game press conference. Forward Danny Wolf (14 points, 14 rebounds) and point guard Tre Donaldson (14 points, 3 assists) joined Burnett, who also contributed six rebounds.

When I asked Burnett about how much he enjoys playing with Donaldson, he said, “Playing with Tre, and Danny, is super fun. They look for us – each and every one of us and not just me. So, to contribute and knock down shots…It’s great to be a part of.”

Donaldson said, “Nimari’s a glue guy. He’s an older guy that’s been around for a long time, and he knows what it means to win. So, him being able to do the little things like rebounding and hitting the open shots, he always does.

“It came to him and he didn’t force anything, and he helped us get the win today.”

May played both defensive specialist Rubin Jones and Burnett 24 minutes in the game, and they will be a nice combo to wear down opponents. May said Burnett sat out down the stretch because he was cramping and had four fouls, and the combination on the court was clicking for Michigan.

The playing rotation and best combos for different situations will be determined as the season progresses, but it’s clear how much Donaldson and Burnett complement one another.

“Those guys have played well together,” noted May, “…Nimari is playing like a seasoned vet and with his efficiency, and staying out of foul trouble, he’ll be up for our team in minutes.”

Burnett was the only Wolverine to play in and start all 32 games last season, and averaged 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds for the Big Ten’s last-place team with an 8-24 overall record.

It was a surreal top-to-bottom experience for Burnett, who averaged 5.6 points in 2022-23 for an Alabama team that finished 31-6 and was the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

And after May replaced Juwan Howard as head coach and the dust settled, only Burnett, Will Tschetter and Jace Howard remained in Ann Arbor from last season’s roster.

May liked everything about the 6-foot-5 guard originally from Chicago. What does he like most about him?

“Shooting the basketball,” said May. “He’s a smart player. He stretches the defense, too, because he shoots with great range. So, in theory, it gives our bigs more space to operate. He’s just really sound. He’s a guy that we really believe in, and think when he’s in the right mind-set, then he can have these types of games more consistently.”

Burnett had 4 points against CSU and then 9 against Wake Forest.

“He’s played consistently well this year,” continued May. “It’s nice to see him rewarded making shots because he spends a lot of time working on his game. He’s in the gym every single day, shooting extra, working out. And he’s a great teammate. This is what we expect to see going forward.”

What’s the source of Burnett’s intense work ethic?

“I have wonderful family members that have instilled good habits with me,” said Burnett, whose parents are Brian and Nikki Burnett. “And my willingness and my passion to be the best version of myself, whatever that might entail. So, I’m grateful to those people who have helped me along the way as well.”

Burnett had a career-high 21 points last November against St. John’s, when he made all eight shots taken – including the four from behind the arc. He scored 18 against Jacksonville State while at Alabama.

Did this game feel like St. John’s all over again?

“I just felt good,” Burnett said. “Not similar, but it felt really good. And I did it in a team effort to get the win. So, we have many more of those collectively as a group. Different guys are going to have big-time games.”

Wolf added, “Nimari, like the [other] guys who have been here, bring so much value to the team outside of practice. And Nimari’s one of the hardest workers on the team. He’s always in the gym. When the ball leaves his hand, I have a good feeling it’s going in.”

He can fill it up, and was in double-figures in half of last season’s games.

Burnett played under the spotlight even as a prep star. He spent his last three high school seasons at Prolific Prep in Napa, Calif., where a teammate was Jalen Green – the No. 2 overall pick by the Houston Rockets in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Burnett was an ESPN five-star recruit and a McDonald’s All-American. He chose Texas Tech – a rising program back then – after averaging 25.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists as a senior. But he only stayed one semester before transferring to Tuscaloosa.

So, it’s been a crazy ride for Burnett. But his isn’t a unique story in these transfer portal and NIL-enticing times. His teammate during that freshman season in Lubbock, Tex., was current Wolverine teammate Vlad Goldin, who went to Florida Atlantic before reuniting with Burnett in Ann Arbor.

I asked Burnett, who will turn 23 on Dec. 20, to sum up his journey to this point.

“I’m just super grateful to be where I’m at,” he said with a smile, “and I just know it’s a testament to how hard I work and buying into have a good mind-set. So, I’m thankful for that and I’m thankful for the man upstairs getting me to the point where I’m at today.”

Turnover problem remedied at half time

Michigan had 16 turnovers in each of its first two games of the season – a 48-point win over Cleveland State and a 2-point loss to Wake Forest. Those are considered high totals of turnovers.

However, the Wolverines committed 16 turnovers in the first half alone against TCU. The Horned Frogs scored 17 of 31 first-half points off those turnovers.

It was hard to watch at times. TCU got a couple of steals by pressuring before Michigan could get the ball even close to half court after inbounds plays. Forward Trazarien White would come back from the other side of the court for sneak attacks that produced two easy buckets off turnovers.

The Wolverines also featured sloppy ballhandling and ill-timed passes to lose possessions.

Still, Michigan turned it over only five times in the second half to take control. Shooting 50 percent for the game also helped the Wolverines overcome the turnovers.

“The biggest thing is how we respond to it,” said Donaldson, “and we were able to come out with the win.”

May said ball protection might have been over-emphasized in practice this week, creating something of a mental block. But he was pleased with how the turnover problem was solved in the second half with smarter decisions and better execution.