Michigan’s ‘angry Vlad’ Goldin dominates UCLA with career performance

LOS ANGELES – Vladislav Goldin made a promise to a teammate he wasn’t about to break.

Before Michigan played UCLA on Tuesday night, freshman guard Phat Phat Brooks requested that Goldin, a 7-foot-1 fifth-year center, show his aggressiveness early instead of waiting until later in the game. .

“People keep telling me they like angry Vlad,” Goldin said. Brooks was among them, and Goldin said he would deliver against No. 22 UCLA. “I can’t just say it and not do it.”

Goldin did it. He scored a career-high 36 points (10 more than his previous best) in Michigan’s 94-75 victory.

Afterwards, he was asked if it was just “one of those days” when everything works out. “One of those days,” Goldin said. “He day. Greetings to all those who helped me, who passed it on to me. “I just try to turn passes into baskets.”

He did it from start to finish on Tuesday, making 13 of 18 shots and 9 of 11 free throws and grabbing seven rebounds in 32 minutes.

With eight minutes left in the first half, Goldin led UCLA 17-15. On consecutive possessions early in the game, Goldin dunked on his counterpart, Tyler Bilodeau.

“I just tried my best to start strong because we knew how tough this team is,” Goldin said.

He scored a pair of early baskets thanks to Danny Wolf’s fascinating passes. “He’s an unbelievable passer,” Goldin said of his 7-foot teammate. “I told him he never ceases to amaze me with how well he finds passes,” some of which Goldin barely sees coming. “He has the gift of being able to see something that not many people can see. “It’s amazing.”

Wolf finished with six assists and 12 points.

“When we hired Danny and had Vlad in the fold, we thought we might have the best frontcourt in the country,” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “And it’s taken a while, but I think those guys are playing as well as any duo, at the forefront of college basketball.

“And we still have a long way to go, but they’re certainly going in that direction and figuring out different ways that they can both be extremely effective and at the same time get good shots for our other guys.”

Michigan shot 15 of 38 from 3 against UCLA (Goldin made one, Wolf made two). Tre Donaldson made six 3-pointers and finished with 20 points. Michigan’s offense was a fluid masterpiece.

“When Vlad got down to business, everyone was looking to examine him and feed him,” May said. “And then when (Goldin and Wolf) came out of the game, we started running some off-ball screens for Trey and he stepped up and made some big plays. We showed a high basketball IQ by analyzing who was doing it and what worked.”

May coached Goldin the last three seasons at Florida Atlantic, meaning he has witnessed all of his big performances. Tuesday’s was the best.

“You ask about any player and the first thing that comes to mind is maybe two or three mistakes he made,” May said with a laugh. “It’s hard to think of the many things he did tonight. “I thought I did a little bit of everything.”

Goldin defended at a high level, grabbed strong rebounds in traffic and converted at the rim and at the foul line. May said: “Just a phenomenal (performance).”

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