Game Day Essentials: Game #29 vs Michigan

[hhcmatt]

Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-13) at #9 Michigan Wolverines (24-4)

Date: Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019
Time: 6pm CST
Arena: Crisler Center

Broadcast:  ESPN

 

Courtesy of @HuskerHoops

Michigan Info

 

Head Coach: John Beilein
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Wolverines

Shirt not to wear: Yellow, Blue, Nike

Last time out: Lost to Michigan St.
Typical Rotation Depth: 7+
Line: Michigan by 12

Tempo: Slow and methodical

Fun Fact: Michigan plays less bench minutes than Nebraska

 

Player to watch: Ignas Brazdeikis

Losing Mo Wagner to the NBA was a big deal but Freshman sensation "Iggy" has taken a lot of those minutes at the 4 while Teske now starts at the 5. Brazdeikis is a 37% 3pt shooter and and the team's leading scorer. This Michigan team doesn't get to the line a lot but Iggy does at a decent clip would could be very bad for us trying to keep Roby on the court.

 

KenPom Helps explain the Roster

 

PG	SG	SF	PF	C	Pct
1	3 Zavier Simpson 6-0  190  Jr	2 Jordan Poole 6-5  195  So	1 Charles Matthews 6-6  205  Sr	13 Ignas Brazdeikis 6-7  215  Fr	15 Jon Teske 7-1  260  Jr	38.1

 

While they still shoot a lot of them, this is the least heavy 3pt shooting team Beilein has run since 2015

• Charles Matthews is the 5 star version of James Palmer that doesn't dominate the shots in the offense
• Poole is probably their most effective inside/outside scorer
• Teske is capable of making 3s, doesn't turn the ball over, good rim protector
• Simpson dominates the ball handling and Nebraska would be better off turning him into a scorer instead of a distrubutor
• 6'7" So Isaiah Livers is a talented inside/outside scorer who fills in at the post and would start for a lot of B1G teams
• So Eli Brooks is guard depth

 

The Skinny:

This is Michigan at home on senior night after losing to Michigan St at home. They might be hungover from the loss but more than likely they will be highly motivated.  Michigan's offense has struggled a bit lately but Nebraska's defense hasn't been there on the road for most of the conference.  The bigger concern for this Nebraska team is the elite defense of Michigan.  Probably the biggest difference between the Wolverines and teams like Mich St, Texas Tech, etc is that Michigan is taking away the 3, not running a pack.  They also do so without fouling so they'll give you all the mid-range 2s you care to miss.

 

Nebraska has had five days to prepare and zero expectations which works against a lot of teams but doubtful against this buzz saw. Look for the Huskers to struggle to score 50 tonight.

 

Prediction: Michigan 70 - Nebraska 54

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