‘Junkyard dog’ Morez Johnson Jr. dominates in efficient debut

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Michigan coach Dusty May was anything but brief when describing Morez Johnson Jr. after his debut.

“He’s such a hard worker and he’s so accountable,” May said postgame. “I can get on him for a mistake that maybe wasn’t his sole responsibility, because he’s so mature and he can take it, and so we’re still learning how to coach these guys better, but he’s a great teammate. He’s a junkyard dog, he’s a warrior, he’s competitive, he talks.”

Following Johnson’s debut for the Wolverines, ‘perfect’ could’ve been another descriptor. Or maybe ‘unstoppable.’

Whatever word fits best, Johnson was undeniably efficient. The sophomore forward went 10-for-10 from inside the arc, 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, and, despite missing two threes, set the tone offensively for what quickly became a lopsided contest. Playing his first game in a Michigan uniform, Johnson recorded 24 points, three rebounds, three assists, and one block in just 20 minutes — setting career highs in both points and assists.

Facing Oakland’s zone defense early in the season and with graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg out of the starting lineup due to a hand injury, everything was set for Johnson to dominate.