Michigan Wolverines
Big Ten (26-7, 12-6)
The Wolverines lived up to the hype this season. Coach John Beilein has brought Michigan back to the national spotlight and now all that is left to do is make a serious NCAA Tournament run. Michigan has been knocked out of the tournament in the Round of 32 their last two appearances and that is not going to cut it this time around.
Big Wins: 11/23 vs Kansas State (71-57), 1/17 at Minnesota (83-75), 3/3 Michigan State (58-57)
Bad Losses: 2/9 at Wisconsin (62-65), 2/12 at Michigan State (52-75), 2/27 at Penn State (78-84)
Coach: John Beilein (6 seasons at Michigan)
Why They Can Surprise:
Coach Beilein always has shooters at his disposal, but this group may be his best ever. The team as a whole shoots nearly 49 percent from the floor. That is impressive for any team, but it is extremely impressive considering that this is not a team that scores in the paint very often. Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Nik Stauskas do the bulk of the scoring. While all three are very, very good shooters, Burke and Hardaway Jr. do so much more. Burke is the man who makes the offense tick and dishes out over six and a half assists per game on top of his 19.2 points per contest. Hardaway Jr. is right up there with Burke when it comes to scoring. At 6-6, Hardaway Jr. is a much more versatile scorer who can finish above the rim with ease. With his size and shooting ability, Hardaway Jr. is a nightmare to defend. Glenn Robinson III is yet another shooting threat. The 6-7 wing adds even more size to the Wolverine lineup, but he is often stuck playing the power forward position instead of his more natural small forward spot. Either way, Robinson III is a superb scorer and a quality rebounder.
Why They Can Disappoint:
The problems Michigan can have are a result of their size and experience. This is not a team that has a defensive stopper in the paint. The opposition may have trouble getting the ball into the paint in the first place, but once there, Michigan can have difficulties stopping a quality scoring big man. Jordan Morgan can do some good things on both ends of the floor, but a lot is asked of the 6-8, 250 pound junior. Mitch McGary is a tough freshman and one of the main reasons why Coach Beilein has a quality rebounding team, yet he too is not much of a shot blocking threat. The lack of experience is relevant everywhere on the floor. Hardaway Jr. is an experienced junior. However, of the six key players that spend most of the time on the floor, three are freshmen and none are seniors. Experience is important, but so is talent and Michigan certainly does not lack when it comes to pure talent.
Probable Starters:
Trey Burke, Sophomore, Guard, 19.2 ppg, 6.7 apg, 3.1 rpg, 1.6 spg
Nik Stauskas, Freshman, Guard, 11.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg
Tim Hardaway Jr., Junior, Guard, 14.8 ppg, 2.3 apg, 4.7 rpg
Glenn Robinson III, Freshman, Forward, 10.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Jordan Morgan, Junior, Forward, 5.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg
Key Roleplayers:
Jon Horford, Sophomore, Forward, 2.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg
Caris LeVert, Freshman, Guard, 2.5 ppg
Mitch McGary, Freshman, Forward, 6.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 75.4 (23rd in nation, 2nd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 62.6 (73, 6)
Field-Goal Percentage: 48.7 (8, 2)
Field-Goal Defense: 41.8 (127, 8)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.7 (46, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 38.8 (18, 2)
Free-Throw Percentage: 70.6 (130, 5)
Rebound Margin: 3.0 (89, 8)
Assists Per Game: 14.5 (69, 5)
Turnovers Per Game: 9.3 (1, 1)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
2011 NCAA Round of 64 win over Tennessee
2011 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Duke
2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over Clemson
2009 NCAA Round of 32 loss to Oklahoma
2007 NIT First Round win over Utah State
2007 NIT Second Round loss to Florida State
2006 NIT First Round win over UTEP
2006 NIT Second Round win over Notre Dame
2006 NIT Quarterly Final win over Miami
2006 NIT Semifinal win over Old Dominion
2006 NIT Final loss to South Carolina
2004 NIT First Round win over Missouri
2004 NIT Second Round win over Oklahoma
2004 NIT Quarterfinal win over Hawaii
2004 NIT Semifinal win over Oregon
2004 NIT Final win over Rutgers
*all team stats through 3/10
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
