The Michigan Wolverines have been one of the most effective and efficient offenses in the Big Ten, and a big reason why has been point guard Elliot Cadeau’s elite passing ability and vision.
Following a
season-opening win over Oakland last month, I wrote that Cadeau was “the straw that stirred the drink ” for Michigan’s high-powered offense. Since then, he has only taken on more responsibility and is thriving in his role.
“He’s special,” head coach Dusty May told the media on Monday. “He has an ability to really manipulate the defense, and now he’s just learning his teammates better. I think he’s just getting used to who likes it here and who wants it there.
“He’s also more familiar with our system. We play differently than he has played the last couple of years (at North Carolina). Our system is just different, so I think a lot of it is that guys are getting used to playing with each other.”
Cadeau sees the floor in a very unique way and can make any pass there is — whether it’s with the left or right hand, across the court or a lob to the rim, and anything in between — and he’s been a catalyst in every sense of the word.
Cadeau ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 6.1 assists per game, while currently averaging career-highs in points per game (9.7), rebounds per game (3.2) and three-point percentage (41.5). He also has three games with 10 or more assists and three or fewer turnovers.
There’s no doubt Michigan’s offense is clicking on all cylinders right now, putting up multiple games of 100 points or more over the last few weeks. Cadeau’s innate ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates is paying off at a high rate, and his unselfish play style sets a tone for the entire team.
“If Elliot wasn’t so unselfish then other guys would be more unselfish because it’s about a shared sacrifice,” May said. “If a guy breaks that chain then they’re going to stand out, because there’s so much unselfishness and so much giving.”
Cadeau has strung together a series of great performances, including a season-high 18-point showing in the win over Villanova last week. He followed that up with 12 points and 10 assists in a win at Maryland on Saturday.
It’s become clear just how important Cadeau is to the success of the team. If he can continue to play at a high level, the sky is the limit for this team. No matter if he’s scoring or setting up teammates, his impact is shown every game.
