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thewolverines24
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- Aug 2, 2011
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1 Pm Eastern on BTN. Can't afford to blow a home game against the worst team in the B1G.
KEYS
A fast start: A fast start is crucial as a heavy home favorite. Ohio State let Minnesota get off to a 19-10 start and then found itself knotted in a back-and-forth game deep into the second half. In a flash, Minnesota rattled off a 14-2 run, and the Buckeyes were on upset alert. That?s a similar script to what Michigan saw last year against the Golden Gophers, and it is the type of situation it needs to avoid to sweep Minnesota this year.
Ball screen defense: Minnesota?s offense is built around the Cooper-Garcia two-man game, and Michigan?s loss at Maryland serves as a useful reminder of how much this team can struggle to defend ball screens. Garcia?s pick-and-pop threat is another element that could make the Gophers a particularly difficult cover, because it will be difficult for Hunter Dickinson to take that shot away fully.
Get the offense on track: Minnesota is 1-9 when it allows more than .95 points per possession. Michigan has failed to score .95 points per possession three times this year (CMU, ASU, MSU) and played a great offensive game in Minneapolis. Finding some of that offensive spark from the first meeting, where the ball screen offense clicked and Hunter Dickinson was getting natural touches within the flow of the offense. Minnesota defended ball screens fairly aggressively in that meeting and it will be interesting to see if they adjust their approach or even experiment with more zone given Michigan?s recent struggles.
BOTTOM LINE
Michigan has generally done a solid job of bouncing back from a down spot, whether it was the win at Minnesota in December or over Maryland in early January. Now, the Wolverines find themselves with their backs against the wall heading into a crucial two-game homestand. KenPom pegs the Wolverines as 76-62 favorites, giving Michigan an 89% chance of moving to 5-3 in league play.
GO BLUE!
KEYS
A fast start: A fast start is crucial as a heavy home favorite. Ohio State let Minnesota get off to a 19-10 start and then found itself knotted in a back-and-forth game deep into the second half. In a flash, Minnesota rattled off a 14-2 run, and the Buckeyes were on upset alert. That?s a similar script to what Michigan saw last year against the Golden Gophers, and it is the type of situation it needs to avoid to sweep Minnesota this year.
Ball screen defense: Minnesota?s offense is built around the Cooper-Garcia two-man game, and Michigan?s loss at Maryland serves as a useful reminder of how much this team can struggle to defend ball screens. Garcia?s pick-and-pop threat is another element that could make the Gophers a particularly difficult cover, because it will be difficult for Hunter Dickinson to take that shot away fully.
Get the offense on track: Minnesota is 1-9 when it allows more than .95 points per possession. Michigan has failed to score .95 points per possession three times this year (CMU, ASU, MSU) and played a great offensive game in Minneapolis. Finding some of that offensive spark from the first meeting, where the ball screen offense clicked and Hunter Dickinson was getting natural touches within the flow of the offense. Minnesota defended ball screens fairly aggressively in that meeting and it will be interesting to see if they adjust their approach or even experiment with more zone given Michigan?s recent struggles.
BOTTOM LINE
Michigan has generally done a solid job of bouncing back from a down spot, whether it was the win at Minnesota in December or over Maryland in early January. Now, the Wolverines find themselves with their backs against the wall heading into a crucial two-game homestand. KenPom pegs the Wolverines as 76-62 favorites, giving Michigan an 89% chance of moving to 5-3 in league play.
GO BLUE!
