This is both fun and a pretty solid draw. Fun game, good chance for a nice win, opponent is still beatable, etc.
Good stuff.
I know Memphis has at least two players with gun charge issues so if their lockeroom doesn’t implode and Penny can manage to not be coached circles around by Juwan, it should be a good game!
Stanford is a pretty decent backstop too (rather than being on Northern Iowa’s side of the bracket). Should hopefully get three high major games.
The game could end up being a shootout.
I expect both teams to be better on D than on O. I’ll take the under unless Memphis turns us over a ton and puts up a bunch of points that way
What about Standford?
Yeah as time goes on, the more seasoned I get as a college hoops fan (and the longer I’m subscribed to this site), the more Im in favor of playing as many quality opponents as possible.
I used to think Izzo was crazy for the scheduling he did. But I’ve realized over time that when building a March madness resume, you’re heavily rewarded for Q1 wins and heavily docked for bad losses. What happens with the in-between games doesn’t seem to be nearly as important.
Memphis should almost certainly be Q1 (someone correct me if I’m wrong, I think they were top 25 Kenpom last year). So I’ll take it. Idk how Michigan is gonna look this year, as none of us really do. But sneaking away with some Q1 wins would go a long way. And Memphis should be solid but beatable.
If we could come out of the B4A and the road/neutral games at 3-3, I’d be pretty happy. Is that a low bar?
Feels realistic to me. That’d be the bar I’d set for contentment as well.
Feels like that would be pretty solid.
Both road games should be Q1. Florida game should be Q1. Memphis.
Could go 2-1 in the Bahamas without a Q1 win probably if you lose to Memphis, though.
Should be a fair early-season litmus test for Michigan’s NCAA tournament prospects. Memphis, Arkansas, and Stanford are all in the same neighborhood on Torvik’s preseason rankings – #25-35 range. Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin are all in that range, too, fwiw.
You really want to go .500 or better in these Quad-1B games to at least get into the at-large conversation. It’s not a requirement, of course, but these wins usually form the backbone of a bubble team’s resume. Here’s the bubble from the 2023 tournament:
Last 4 in:
Nevada: 3-1 vs. Q1B
Arizona State: 4-3
Pitt: 5-1
Mississippi State: 2-2
First 4 out:
Oklahoma State: 5-1
Rutgers: 3-1
UNC: 1-4
Clemson: 4-3
Michigan: 1-5
Poor metrics, poor Q1A performance, and Q2-4 losses are also big pieces of the puzzle, but without a handful of Q1B wins, it’s hard to see this Michigan team finding a way in. Coming back from Nassau with one of these first two games would be huge, especially for a program that feels like it needs to build some momentum early in the year.
Hi Tony,
First time, long time. If the tournament was selected today, is Michigan in or out?
Thanks, I’ll hang up and listen.
Just limbering up, cracking the proverbial knuckles as the days get shorter and fall approaches. A month until we start our initial descent.
I think it’d be silly for the NCAA not to put an undefeated Michigan team into the tournament, but what do I know 
But no, I think Michigan definitely has to play their way in. I mean, I guess Purdue and Kansas do, too, but you know what I’m getting at. They’re squarely off the radar as it stands today. That said, the core of Nkamhoua, McDaniel, and Reed feels like it’s going to be super fun to watch (when it works, if they’re healthy, etc.), and I’m cautiously optimistic that they’ll surprise us. But why not be optimistic in August?
Just a heads up if you are making some sort of Thanksgiving Day plans…
The bracket was tweaked and the winner of Michigan/Memphis plays at 5:00 PM (not at 2:30 pm).
It was always one of the more insane things that the late game teams played earlier than the early game teams on Thursday 
Clearly they know Michigan is going to win and don’t want to compete with the Lions game and their run to the Super Bowl!
5pm east coast tip if we win is smack in the middle of most families’ dinner window. Already starting the push for the 330 table-set lol
Good, no longer any conflict with the Lions.
Really wish I could go. Much rather be in the Bahamas eating seafood than in the Midwest eating traditional Thanksgiving food. Newborn coming in 9 days will not allow the travel.