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thewolverines24
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Michigan and Florida face off in the opening game of this year?s Jumpman Invitational tonight (7:00 p.m., ESPN) in Charlotte. It?s a pivotal test for two programs eager for one final opportunity to shift the balance of their non-conference slate.
KEYS
McDaniel vs. Clayton: Florida goes as Clayton goes, and Michigan will need one of those games from Dug McDaniel. At his best, McDaniel can win a game by himself ? Iowa second half, Stanford, St. John?s ? but when he?s off his game ? Memphis, Texas Tech, Indiana ? then winning becomes an uphill battle for the Wolverines. There should be opportunities to attack in the ball screen game, especially against Handlogten?s lack of speed.
Transition defense: Michigan did an excellent job in transition at Iowa and will have to build on that in this one. Florida?s transition game is particularly interesting because the eagerness to push the tempo could lead to opportunities the other way, given how many live ball turnovers UF?s guards and wings commit. It wouldn?t be a surprise to see this game devolve into a track meet, but the goal should be holding Florida under 20 transition points. Virginia (6 transition points allowed) and Wake Forest (10) got that job done and won the game.
Rebound and don?t foul: Both teams are significantly better on the offensive than the defensive glass. Both fan bases probably think their teams should be better on the defensive glass, given what each roster looks like in layup lines. Florida has a bit more depth, which puts some extra pressure on Michigan to avoid foul trouble, and offensive boards seem to lead to fouls as often as any play in basketball. UF?s poor free-throw shooting makes its free-throw edge less significant, but Michigan needs to avoid fouling to keep its best players in the game.
BOTTOM LINE
A year ago, Michigan headed to Charlotte in a similar spot for the Jumpman Invitational. The Wolverines were lackluster in the non-conference and had one more chance at a quality win to jumpstart their season. They played a virtual road game against North Carolina, looked decent but fell short, came back after Christmas, and lost to Central Michigan. The damage was done.
This year?s game comes at a similar point in the season but should have a different energy. It won?t feel like a road game; it?ll be a sleepy game in front of a sparse Spectrum Center (a venue where Florida has already played once this year) where only lower bowl tickets appear to be sold.
KenPom pegs it as a near-toss up, predicting an 81-80 Florida win, but gives Michigan a 45% chance at the neutral floor victory. The opportunity is there to start stringing together some wins, but this game is a lifeline that the Wolverines must take.
GO BLUE!
KEYS
McDaniel vs. Clayton: Florida goes as Clayton goes, and Michigan will need one of those games from Dug McDaniel. At his best, McDaniel can win a game by himself ? Iowa second half, Stanford, St. John?s ? but when he?s off his game ? Memphis, Texas Tech, Indiana ? then winning becomes an uphill battle for the Wolverines. There should be opportunities to attack in the ball screen game, especially against Handlogten?s lack of speed.
Transition defense: Michigan did an excellent job in transition at Iowa and will have to build on that in this one. Florida?s transition game is particularly interesting because the eagerness to push the tempo could lead to opportunities the other way, given how many live ball turnovers UF?s guards and wings commit. It wouldn?t be a surprise to see this game devolve into a track meet, but the goal should be holding Florida under 20 transition points. Virginia (6 transition points allowed) and Wake Forest (10) got that job done and won the game.
Rebound and don?t foul: Both teams are significantly better on the offensive than the defensive glass. Both fan bases probably think their teams should be better on the defensive glass, given what each roster looks like in layup lines. Florida has a bit more depth, which puts some extra pressure on Michigan to avoid foul trouble, and offensive boards seem to lead to fouls as often as any play in basketball. UF?s poor free-throw shooting makes its free-throw edge less significant, but Michigan needs to avoid fouling to keep its best players in the game.
BOTTOM LINE
A year ago, Michigan headed to Charlotte in a similar spot for the Jumpman Invitational. The Wolverines were lackluster in the non-conference and had one more chance at a quality win to jumpstart their season. They played a virtual road game against North Carolina, looked decent but fell short, came back after Christmas, and lost to Central Michigan. The damage was done.
This year?s game comes at a similar point in the season but should have a different energy. It won?t feel like a road game; it?ll be a sleepy game in front of a sparse Spectrum Center (a venue where Florida has already played once this year) where only lower bowl tickets appear to be sold.
KenPom pegs it as a near-toss up, predicting an 81-80 Florida win, but gives Michigan a 45% chance at the neutral floor victory. The opportunity is there to start stringing together some wins, but this game is a lifeline that the Wolverines must take.
GO BLUE!
