Michigan basketball freshman guard Matt Vogrich tries to expand on his good start

The start to Matt Vogrich’s college career couldn’t have gone any better really. He played a lot. The Michigan basketball team won.

He helped his teammate, Manny Harris, complete the second triple-double in Michigan history and along the way, made all five of the shots he took.

It did, however, lead to one awkward moment as Vogrich tried to buy a sandwich afterward.

“I was at Subway and someone said after the game, ‘You can only have a sub if you don’t miss it for the whole season,’” Vogrich said. “So, I mean, I set the bar kind of high.”

At least he knows his start was probably one of the better starts for any freshman.
He hit all five of his three-pointers and finished with 15 points, something he’s going to try and repeat again tonight at 7 p.m. when No. 15 Michigan plays Houston Baptist (WTKA-AM, 1050).

Even Vogrich, though, wasn’t sure how to rank that game. He’s made more than 5 three-pointers in a game before - he was recruited and highly coveted by other major programs because of his ability to shoot - but he couldn’t recall being perfect like that.

What he did last Saturday, though, wasn’t terribly surprising.

When he’s played on Michigan’s second team in practice, he’s often made shots at critical times to win a scrimmage situation or in the face of a first-teamer. Often, he’s the one keeping the second team in the game against the starters.

Part of it comes from his motion, which is smooth and allows for a quick release even if defenders are running at him with arms extended. He also has the confidence level needed for a good shooter.

Miss the first one? Didn’t happen. Just shoot it again.

“I’ve been seeing him shoot for the past four months now,” senior forward DeShawn Sims said. “I know his capabilities so I know the type of shooter he is and I’m glad he got a chance to showcase it so early in the season.”

It reached a point Saturday where Michigan’s players and coaches were running plays for the freshman. And despite the bigger stage than in high school in Illinois, he had no issues with it.

On Harris’ final assist, Vogrich went up to him and told the junior guard, the unquestioned star of the team, to find him and that he’d make the shot. Michigan coach John Beilein even started to call plays to target the freshman, realizing he was having one of those nights right off the top of his career.

It’s kind of how Michigan plays - identify the hot shooter and go with him until he’s not hot anymore. So Harris started driving toward Vogrich’s side of the court. Freshman point guard Darius Morris also kept an eye for where Vogrich was and if he had the smallest of spaces.

“I’m hoping he’ll be the first guy to ever go through his career never missing a three,” Beilein said. “Just keep shooting.”

Beilein, obviously, was joking. Vogrich knows that while he had a start like this not every game will be as easy. After all, the opener was against a Division II school. Even tonight should be a step up in competition and then next week is against some of the better teams in the country.

“It’s a long season,” Vogrich said. “There are going to be ups and downs and I’m going to just try and provide whatever I can. It might not be 5 three’s next game. It might be taking a charge or doing the little things.”

Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.