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thewolverines24
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4 PM Eastern on BTN+. Have to subscribe to stream this one.
KEYS
Post-up defense: It?s rare to talk about post-up defense in a preview for a buy game, but Lipscomb is a unique team. The Bisons will challenge Michigan?s frontcourt defense at multiple spots with their ability to play with their backs to the basket. That might be a welcome reprieve for the ball screen defense, but it will provide a nice tune-up for the Wolverines ahead of league play (and a difficult test with North Carolina).
Next step for Dug McDaniel: Every live rep for Dug McDaniel is critical because he needs seasoning, and there will be new tests facing him every night. He mastered Minnesota?s hard hedge and shot the ball well in his first start, but now he?ll have to face a team that prefers to switch ball screens or play drop coverage. That presents an entirely different set of challenges and could make it harder for McDaniel to get his teammates involved versus looking for his own offense. Keep an eye on how patient McDaniel is within the offense and how early in possessions he looks for his shot against a sagging defense.
Keep honing the bench: Michigan is running out of time to experiment with its second unit. Does Youssef Khayat play rotation minutes again? Can Tarris Reeed Jr. put in a solid shift? Can the Wolverines get Joey Baker involved? How does Kobe Bufkin look running point guard with the second group? These are questions that we?ll probably still be asking when Big Ten play resumes, but Michigan needs to start figuring out what it has with league play looming.
MATCHUPS
Pruitt ? McDaniel
Boyd ? Bufkin
Benham ? Howard
Ognacevic ? Williams
Asadullah ? Dickinson
I?m most interested in watching how Terrance Williams II fares against a post-up four-man. Ognacevic is the best offensive player on the roster, slightly bigger than Williams, and a tough matchup all around. He?s also not as talented as most power forwards that Williams will check in Big Ten play. This is a great test for Williams, given that he will face Pete Nance, Donta Scott, Seth Lundy, Joey Hauser and Kris Murray over the next month.
BOTTOM LINE
Michigan?s best games this season have been against mediocre high-major teams. It hasn?t had a strong 40-minute performance in a buy game yet, and this would be a nice spot to find one. Final exams are in the books, and there?s a big game in Charlotte looming on Wednesday, but a sharp performance to cover the KenPom line would be a nice way to reset things ahead of the holidays.
KenPom pegs the Wolverines as 83-67 favorites, giving Lipscomb an eight percent shot at the road upset.
GO BLUE!
KEYS
Post-up defense: It?s rare to talk about post-up defense in a preview for a buy game, but Lipscomb is a unique team. The Bisons will challenge Michigan?s frontcourt defense at multiple spots with their ability to play with their backs to the basket. That might be a welcome reprieve for the ball screen defense, but it will provide a nice tune-up for the Wolverines ahead of league play (and a difficult test with North Carolina).
Next step for Dug McDaniel: Every live rep for Dug McDaniel is critical because he needs seasoning, and there will be new tests facing him every night. He mastered Minnesota?s hard hedge and shot the ball well in his first start, but now he?ll have to face a team that prefers to switch ball screens or play drop coverage. That presents an entirely different set of challenges and could make it harder for McDaniel to get his teammates involved versus looking for his own offense. Keep an eye on how patient McDaniel is within the offense and how early in possessions he looks for his shot against a sagging defense.
Keep honing the bench: Michigan is running out of time to experiment with its second unit. Does Youssef Khayat play rotation minutes again? Can Tarris Reeed Jr. put in a solid shift? Can the Wolverines get Joey Baker involved? How does Kobe Bufkin look running point guard with the second group? These are questions that we?ll probably still be asking when Big Ten play resumes, but Michigan needs to start figuring out what it has with league play looming.
MATCHUPS
Pruitt ? McDaniel
Boyd ? Bufkin
Benham ? Howard
Ognacevic ? Williams
Asadullah ? Dickinson
I?m most interested in watching how Terrance Williams II fares against a post-up four-man. Ognacevic is the best offensive player on the roster, slightly bigger than Williams, and a tough matchup all around. He?s also not as talented as most power forwards that Williams will check in Big Ten play. This is a great test for Williams, given that he will face Pete Nance, Donta Scott, Seth Lundy, Joey Hauser and Kris Murray over the next month.
BOTTOM LINE
Michigan?s best games this season have been against mediocre high-major teams. It hasn?t had a strong 40-minute performance in a buy game yet, and this would be a nice spot to find one. Final exams are in the books, and there?s a big game in Charlotte looming on Wednesday, but a sharp performance to cover the KenPom line would be a nice way to reset things ahead of the holidays.
KenPom pegs the Wolverines as 83-67 favorites, giving Lipscomb an eight percent shot at the road upset.
GO BLUE!
