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thewolverines24
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8:30 PM Eastern tip on BTN.
The Bulldogs made the NCAA Tournament last year and are picked to win the Big South again this season. They also have one of the best mid-major players in the country in 6-foot-11 do-it-all big man Drew Pember, who averaged 20.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game last season.
Everything that UNC Asheville does offensively is designed to run through Pember. The Bulldogs try to push the ball whenever possible, then play through Pember on the perimeter in the half-court, putting the ball in his hands and surrounding him with cutting and movement.
If he?s playing against any team other than your own, watching Pember is a ton of fun. He knocks down catch and shoot threes, faces up, draws fouls, and can play with his back to the basket. His shot is so quick and efficient that it demands attention ? he shot 38% on catch-and-shoot threes ? and if you close out too hard, he?ll pump fake to drive past you and drop an assist to a cutter. Pember is also an excellent shot-blocker who won Big South Defensive Player of the Year honors.
KEYS
Bully ball: When UNC Asheville lost last year, usually against high-major caliber teams, it was because of 2-point shooting and offensive rebounding. UCLA shot 62% on twos and rebounded 45% of its misses, Dayton shot 59% on twos and rebounded 46% of its misses, and Arkansas shot 57% on twos and rebounded 37% of its misses. Those are the targets for Michigan: shoot close to 60% on twos and rebound over a third of missed shots.
Fouls: Pember is a foul magnet, and UNC Asheville got to the line at an incredible rate last season. Tarris Reed Jr. has obviously been foul-prone in his short career and Michigan lacks the real depth to go deep in its bench due to foul trouble. Add in new block/charge points of emphasis and things can get messy quickly. Reed and Nkamhoua can be the best defensive frontcourt that Michigan has had in years, but they have to be on the floor to do it.
Ball screen passing: The Big Ten features more drop ball screen coverage, which forces guards to make scoring plays. In this matchup, Dug McDaniel must be strong with the ball against hedges and traps, making the right pass to find guys on the wing or rolling to the hoop. More importantly, those guys ? Tray Jackson, Terrance Williams II and Nimari Burnett ? have to make shots when the ball finds them.
Win in transition: Michigan has talked a lot about playing faster this year, but this is the kind of matchup where that gets a bit scary. UNC Asheville excels when games are chaotic and is at its best when it forces you to go from fast to too fast. The key for Michigan is to pick the right spots, make smart decisions, and benefit from UNCA?s frenetic style of play without losing control of the game. Transition defense is crucial, along with avoiding turnovers
BOTTOM LINE
KennPom pegs Michigan as 76-64 favorites, with an 88% chance of opening the season with a victory. Vegas is a little less bullish, slotting the Wolverines as 11-point favorites.
UNC Asheville has NCAA Tournament experience, a game-breaking talent and a roster loaded with seniors and fifth-year seniors. They are good enough to give the Wolverines a real test and at this point, we have no idea how this group will handle it.
GO BLUE!
The Bulldogs made the NCAA Tournament last year and are picked to win the Big South again this season. They also have one of the best mid-major players in the country in 6-foot-11 do-it-all big man Drew Pember, who averaged 20.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game last season.
Everything that UNC Asheville does offensively is designed to run through Pember. The Bulldogs try to push the ball whenever possible, then play through Pember on the perimeter in the half-court, putting the ball in his hands and surrounding him with cutting and movement.
If he?s playing against any team other than your own, watching Pember is a ton of fun. He knocks down catch and shoot threes, faces up, draws fouls, and can play with his back to the basket. His shot is so quick and efficient that it demands attention ? he shot 38% on catch-and-shoot threes ? and if you close out too hard, he?ll pump fake to drive past you and drop an assist to a cutter. Pember is also an excellent shot-blocker who won Big South Defensive Player of the Year honors.
KEYS
Bully ball: When UNC Asheville lost last year, usually against high-major caliber teams, it was because of 2-point shooting and offensive rebounding. UCLA shot 62% on twos and rebounded 45% of its misses, Dayton shot 59% on twos and rebounded 46% of its misses, and Arkansas shot 57% on twos and rebounded 37% of its misses. Those are the targets for Michigan: shoot close to 60% on twos and rebound over a third of missed shots.
Fouls: Pember is a foul magnet, and UNC Asheville got to the line at an incredible rate last season. Tarris Reed Jr. has obviously been foul-prone in his short career and Michigan lacks the real depth to go deep in its bench due to foul trouble. Add in new block/charge points of emphasis and things can get messy quickly. Reed and Nkamhoua can be the best defensive frontcourt that Michigan has had in years, but they have to be on the floor to do it.
Ball screen passing: The Big Ten features more drop ball screen coverage, which forces guards to make scoring plays. In this matchup, Dug McDaniel must be strong with the ball against hedges and traps, making the right pass to find guys on the wing or rolling to the hoop. More importantly, those guys ? Tray Jackson, Terrance Williams II and Nimari Burnett ? have to make shots when the ball finds them.
Win in transition: Michigan has talked a lot about playing faster this year, but this is the kind of matchup where that gets a bit scary. UNC Asheville excels when games are chaotic and is at its best when it forces you to go from fast to too fast. The key for Michigan is to pick the right spots, make smart decisions, and benefit from UNCA?s frenetic style of play without losing control of the game. Transition defense is crucial, along with avoiding turnovers
BOTTOM LINE
KennPom pegs Michigan as 76-64 favorites, with an 88% chance of opening the season with a victory. Vegas is a little less bullish, slotting the Wolverines as 11-point favorites.
UNC Asheville has NCAA Tournament experience, a game-breaking talent and a roster loaded with seniors and fifth-year seniors. They are good enough to give the Wolverines a real test and at this point, we have no idea how this group will handle it.
GO BLUE!
