Game Day Essentials: Game #31 at Michigan

Michigan Info

Head Coach: Juwan Howard (5th Season)
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Wolverines

Point Spread: Nebraska by 5.5

Typical Rotation Depth: 8+

KenPom rank: 124

Nota bene:  

• Michigan has beaten Nebraska 16 out of the 18 times they've played since Nebraska joined the B1G
• Nebraska has never won at the Crisler Center
• With a win, this Nebraska team would tie for 2nd in all-time season wins at Nebraska
• It's a matchup of former NBA players who are also coaching their sons. Jace Howard plays for Juwan while Sam Hoiberg plays for Fred.  While Juwan wasn't a head coach in the NBA, he was an assistant for the Heat for 6 seasons.
• Forward Olivier Nkamhoua is out with an injury. Dug McDaniel is off his suspension so he'd be playing regardless of whether this was a home or away game

KenPom most used lineups

Player to watch: Dug McDaniels

Arguably Michigan's best player, the Wolverines' starting PG didn't play in Lincoln due to suspension. Averages 16.6 ppg, 4.6 apg, and 1.1 spg, which is best on the team.

Player to watch:    Will Tschetter

Super efficient offensive player, is shooting 56% from 3 and 62.2% from 2 for the season. Can be foul and turnover prone at times.

Player to watch: Terrance Williams 

In addition to his defensive prowess, Williams has stepped up his offensive game and is shooting 39.1% from 3. His shot distribution is split between the 2 and 3 so he's an opportunistic scorer

Player to watch: Tarris Reed

In some ways the starting center for the Wolverines might be the most important player on the court today as he very well might determine if Nebraska will double in the post like they have most of the season or play more straight up like vs Northwestern. Reed finishes at high percentage in the paint and is their one true rim protector. He's not a threat from outside and is a terrible FT shooter.

Others to watch

Formrer McDonald's All-American Nimari Burnett is an all around efficient player with the caveat that he's a shooting guard who isn't particularly good at shooting. This is his 3rd school after Texas Tech and Alabama. 6'10' 215# backup center and Seton Hall transfer Tray Jackson is traditional center depth for the Wolverines. 

UNL Game Notes

Out indefinitely 

5   Ahron Ulis     6-3    190 lbs    Junior - Likely out for the season

Questionable

15  Blaise Keita     6-11    257 lbs    Junior - Ongoing ankle injury recovery

11    Eli Rice                         6-8    213 lbs    Freshman - Ankle injury

Possible starters for Nebraska

10    Jamarques Lawrence  6-3    183 lbs    Sophomore

30   Keisei Tominaga           6-2    179 lbs    Senior

3     Brice Williams               6-7    213 lbs    Junior

53   Josiah Allick                 6-8    231 lbs    Senior

51    Rienk Mast                 6-10    248 lbs    Junior

Bench

4   Juwan Gary                   6-6    221 lbs    Junior

0    C.J. Wilcher                  6-5    214 lbs    Junior

9    Jarron Coleman            6-5    213 lbs    Senior
1    Sam Hoiberg                 6-0    183 lbs    Sophomore
21    Matar Diop                 6-10    213 lbs    Freshman

35    Henry Burt                  6-7    216 lbs    RS Freshman

2    Ramel Lloyd Jr.             6-6    210 lbs    RS Freshman

31    Cale Jacobsen            6-4    200 lbs    RS Freshman

24    Jeffrey Grace III         6-3    197 lbs    Sophomore 

Hoiberg Presser

The Skinny: 

Nebraska and Michigan will be well rested coming into this one as both teams have had the week off. Nebraska comes in needing this one to ensure a first round bye in the B1G tournament.  Michigan is playing for pride as they're already locked in as the last seed in the conference. The Wolverines do have the home court advantage though it remains to be seen what sort of crowd shows up in the am for this disappointing Michigan team.

Michigan will present a challenge to Nebraska in the sense that by default they are a team that runs you off the 3pt line and if they're not successful they're throw various zones and other junk at you. If Nebraska can come out firing right away, it might be enough to keep Michigan from caring enough to dip into their bag of tricks. While Dug McDaniels has led the Wolverines offensively, it's been through volume scoring in conference play. Expect Nebraska to keep double-teaming the posts and hoping that McDaniels is willing to take shots vs finding open teammates for 3. 

The science department thinks that Nebraska should have juice in their legs. Will they play like it?  Expect that Michigan isn't capable of pulling together 40 minutes like they might against higher pedigree teams or in better timeslots.

Prediction: Nebraska 75 - Michigan 67