Michigan beat Elon by 20 while UNC beat Elon by 14 for what it’s worth.
Cole Anthony did not play well that game to be fair.
On paper this seems like a pretty good matchup for Michigan to me. However, juwan wants to run and trying to run with unc is never a smart idea unless you have elite talent IMO.
UNC is very game plan-able in my opinion. I think that Michigan has the pieces to accomplish the plan. Will be interesting to watch.
Let’s put the Ken Pom projection to rest once again. M beat UNC last year and they can do it again. Go Blue!
If Michigan shoots like they did today while significantly cutting back the turnovers they’ll have a shot. Double digit turnovers vs UNC will equal a loss IMO
Double digits? There are only 9 teams in the entire country that average fewer than 10 turnovers per game. This isn’t Beilein’s system anymore. You’re going to be really disappointed if you’re hoping for less than 10.
Michigan had 22 turnovers while playing Iowa State, North Carolina had 20 against Alabama. The mismatch will possibly be on the free throw line. I took note in the North Carolina vs Alabama game, there was a discrepancy Alabama 4 of 9 while North Carolina 13 for 21. Hopefully the zebra doesn’t determine the outcome. In addition getting Wagner closer to game speed could chime into the equation today, the first game jitters are over for him.
Musing on an early Thanksgiving morning. Any chance Austin Davis returns next season? I hope he does.
Very unlikely unless recruiting becomes a disaster.
Crashing the offensive glass as hard as UNC does and getting putbacks directly leads to getting fouled a lot. Just because there’s a free throw discrepancy doesn’t mean the “zebras determined the outcome.”
Thanks for asking. To be honest I dislike these discussions of who will stay and who will go, but let me say this. Austin Davis is the kind of young man every team needs and every coach loves to have on his team. He LOVES Michigan. He comes to practice everyday and works his tail off making everyone better. And he is really quite selfless. He is a team player.
I truly believe any decision regarding AD’s future is between him and the coaching staff. If we get Hunter Dickinson then, in all likelihood, AD would once again be the number three big man, a great practice player and a great role player when needed. But, after four years as a Michigan Wolverine, he may want to move on, with a Michigan degree in his hand.
He may want an opportunity to start and to play 30 minutes a game. God Bless him if that’s what he wants, but the decision as to whether he stays at Michigan or moves on belongs to AD and Coach Howard. It is within their purview to make those decisions, not ours. It may be fun for some to speculate, but I hope, while we speculate, discuss, debate, we do that with an understanding of the value AD has provided to our team, and not just on the floor in games.
As fans we tend to only see, to only be concerned with the impact of a player on the floor in games. As a former coach I understand the impact a player can have in practice, in the locker room, on campus, and in the community. AD showed yesterday that there can still be a role for him on the floor when needed, but his value as a great team player and teammate should not be underestimated, nor should the notion that we reward those who deserve to be rewarded.
Once again, these are just the thoughts of a little old silver haired former coach. I certainly don’t expect everyone to agree with me, and I do honor that everyone on here loves Michigan Basketball, just as I do.
Oddly enough that was not the case last year when North Carolina outrebounded Michigan. That’s a stretch tying rebounds directly to fouls.
I think we are used, in the Beilein era, for teams that feast on the offensive glass (which Brooks and Bardot seem to do) to be massive red flags. Maybe that’s changed with Howard, but we have the same players, and have a tendency to play three-guard lineups that can get eaten up by teams as low as Elon on the glass (and yesterday!). I’m also not enthused with our minutes at the five outside Teske against that sort of physicality.
Anthony the two times I’ve seen him play seems like a kid who will take and can make enough tough threes that if he’s somewhat “on” he should get his 20. It’s not a complex scheme or very pleasant to watch, but combine a somewhat efficient hucker at guard with a front court effective at playing volleyball on the glass, and you can win a bunch of college basketball games - it’s basically Pitino’s utterly unwatchable Montrezl Harrell era.
When was the last time all the scholarships were used?
It won’t take some kind of a disaster for Howard to have room for him. Beilein always wanted 3 centers on the roster and Davis could be in line to be the 3rd next season even if recruiting went well.
I would just note that, just while silverblue is 100% right that players have value outside of tangible on-court, production, that a guy like Austin Davis is also more than a basketball player.
He’s graduating in May and, with all respect, does not have a professional future on the court. He seems to be a high-achieving student in Kinesiology - it’s entirely possible (likely?) that a fifth year doesn’t hold much interest to him.
UNC opens -3.5. Seems a little low, then again I was shocked KenPom had it at 2. Someone in Atlantis go to the breakfast room and tell Zavier we opened up as 15 point dogs though…
Another great essay by Silverblue. Go Blue!
Torvik (which I assume bears some resemblance to Kenpom) has the same margin - and UNC as the #15 team, lower than both the Zags and Ducks. It would seem UNC’s rank may be based more on brand-name than product right now.
I do think that he showed value yesterday as a veteran 3rd center who can come in and stabilize things when there are foul issues. If he can provide that and is comfortable with that role and there should be room then I can see where a 5th year makes sense.