It’s nearly impossible to see Michigan Guard Spike Albrecht (or hear his name) and not think of his completely-out-of-nowhere, insanely hot shooting stretch in the 2013 National Title game. And then also think of the next day when he made his Twitter pass at insanely hot swimsuit model Kate Upton.
The Game of War pitchwoman, also a big Michigan fan, attended the game.
For or better or worse, Spike Albrecht will always be connected to Kate Upton. However, this season the junior guard is starting to become known for something more than an episode from his freshman year. (which we discussed in an exclusive podcast here)
ย 
With Caris LeVert and Derrick Walton Jr going down with injury, Michigan is being forced to finish out the home stretch of the season without two of their best players. They still have Zak Irvin, but now Spike Albrecht has had to become the team’s alpha dog by default.
He hardly played at all around the time that he displayed the hot shooting stretch in the Final Four. Two years later, he’s a go-to-guy and a defensive stopper.
“He’s really upset right now, he’s playing with everything he’s got,” said Michigan John Beilein after the team’s 62-50 overtime loss at Illinois.
“He wasn’t brought here to be a play 39 minutes and get the ball to him kind of guy, and he’s fulfilled the role valiently at this point.
No offense to freshman Kameron Chatman or Ricky Doyle, who are talented enough in their own right, but they really shouldn’t be playing right now. Beilein shouldn’t be forced to start them.
“We don’t have that type of roster right now that’s going to be blowing people away,ย all these young kids are forced to into situations that they should not be in,” Beilein said.
Beilein on Spike Albrecht taking on this team as his own:
“He’s trying to, it’s not as natural to him as it might have been to some of our former players, but he’s embracing his role and doing everything that he can, but it’s really hard when he’s playing 35 minutes a game, but he’s getting better at it, and he’d be doing really well if he’d be playing 30.”
Said Andrew Dakich, who might someday grow into the Spike Albrecht role as an upperclassman? (It’s very unlikely that would happen, but so throwing it out there.):
“He’s so confident in himself and he has to be because we need someone to step up like him, and be a veteran and that’s whatย he’s doing.”
Paul M. Banksย owns, operates and writesย The Sports Bank.net, which isย partnered withย Fox Sports Digital, eBay, Google News and CBS Interactive Inc.
ย You can read Banksโ feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye newspaper and listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
Follow him onย Twitter (@paulmbanks)
