ATLANTA | Danny Wolf's stat line looks reasonably good. The Michigan center finished with 20 points and six rebounds with a block in 34 minutes in the Wolverines' Sweet 16 loss to Auburn.
But look at the details, and you will notice a stat that helped the Tigers advance to its second Elite Eight in six seasons: Wolf was held scoreless for the final 13 minutes as Auburn turned a nine-point deficit into a 13-point victory.
"That's Dylan Cardwell," Chaney Johnson said. "Dylan Cardwell was the best defensive big in the country. I mean, he guards one through five, and I mean, you saw what he did to Danny Wolf."
Cardwell made life difficult for Wolf and Michigan's other big man, Vladislav Goldin, in the second half, keeping the two centers from getting comfortable inside the block. The fifth-year senior had a little motivation heading into the game, thanks to a former Auburn player.
"Daymeon Fishback, he texted me last week and felt like I was snubbed for the National Defensive Player of the Year finalists," Cardwell said. "He just told me to go out there and prove it every single game. Prove it every single game."
Cardwell's production didn't just come on the defensive side of the floor. On Auburn's first possession of the game, he came down with an offensive board and found an open Denver Jones for a three. With the Tigers on an 8-0 run and down one in the second half, the Augusta, Ga., native rebounded a Johni Broome miss, tossed it out to Tahaad Pettiford who then hit a jumper to give the Tigers the lead for good.
Despite the two Michigan big guys getting the attention heading into the matchup, the Tigers outrebounded the Wolverines 48 to 33, including 19-to-10 on the offensive glass.
"I would say that we wanted it more," Cardwell said. "This team, overall, we're in the last year of college. The biggest thing we say in the team room and the locker room is we want to leave the court with no regrets."
"Our bigs, they took upon the challenge to challenge their bigs," Johnson said. "You know what I'm saying? I feel like we really got to see tonight who the best frontcourt was."
