Trey Burke's disdain for losing is fueling and leading No. 2 Michigan

TreyBurkeDrivingBinghmaton.jpg Michigan sophomore Trey Burke has a natural competitive nature that seems to be rubbing off on his teammates this season.

ANN ARBOR -- When Trey Burke entered the media room at Crisler Center on Wednesday, he was a tad preoccupied.

No. 2 Michigan had just finished practice, but the team's star point guard had a bit of unfinished business left to take care of.

"I actually just lost to (freshman) Caris (LeVert) in one-on-one," Burke said. "I'm trying to get back out there and play him right now.

"I'm kind of mad about that."

True to his word, Burke immediately left the media room and went back onto the court to demand a rematch. And, not surprisingly, he got his revenge -- reporting later on Twitter that he paid LeVert back with a 15-13 win.

Part of the reason why Michigan remains unbeaten on the season and is still perceived as a contender for the Big Ten and national championship is the team's added talent level.

The other part might just come from Burke, who seems to view winning as important as breathing.

"That's just how I've been since I was little, I hate losing," said Burke, whose Michigan team will host Eastern Michigan on Thursday (8:30 p.m., Big Ten Network). "Whenever I lose in something ... I just feel much better when I win.

"That's just how it is."

According to teammates and coach John Beilein, Burke's competitiveness trickles down to even the most minute detail of practice -- whether it's a scrimmage, a shooting drill or a free throw competition, Burke wants to win.

Always.

"We were just scrimmaging, we had three different scrimmages," Beilein said. "Three different scoreboards ... and each one of them, he's the same. Competitive. He's the one telling our guys 'we're going to win this one, we're going to win this one.' That's his approach.

"It doesn't have anything to do with who we're playing, it's how he plays. There's personal challenges involved in some of those games, and you may want to let a sleeping dog lie a little bit -- the better the challenge, the more he responds individually."

One of the biggest question marks for Michigan entering this season was leadership. Who would take over the role as the team's heart and soul, a position previously held by three-time captain Zack Novak -- a player who was once quoted as saying he hated losing more than he enjoyed winning.

Thankfully for Michigan, Burke feels the same way. And just as the Wolverines followed Novak's example the past three years, they're following the one set by their point guard right now -- every single day.

"He's really competitive," junior Jordan Morgan said. "He hates losing, and we have a bunch of guys that hate losing.

"And that's what keeps driving us."

Eleven games into Burke's sophomore season, Beilein estimates that his point guard is playing as well as he has at any point of his short college career.

In terms of understanding of the offense, feel for the college game and confidence in just about everything he does, Michigan couldn't be happier.

"As far as the complete level of understanding college basketball, how to play the right way, our coaching staff, his teammates -- yeah," Beilein said. "Most sophomores at this time that have been starting for two years would be in a similar situation.

"But he's at maybe a higher level (right now)."

Every player that's worth a spit hates to lose. But it's the really good ones prove it.

And right now, Burke seems to be walking the walk.

"If I lose in something, I'm mad," Burke said. "I feel like the guy that beat me has an advantage over me, and I've got to beat him.

"I've got to beat you."

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