3 Things Michigan Must Build Upon to Make a Run at the Tournament
Michigan basketball finally put together a complete performance at home against Maryland last week. After an abysmal first half of the season, the Wolverines intend to build upon the momentum created in the Maryland game. Here are 3 things Michigan must have to make a run at the NCAA tournament.
1. Caleb's Confidence
Caleb Houstan is the highest rated recruit Michigan has landed in over two decades. Of the 2021 class, he was thought of as the most polished player ready to make the leap into college ball. Things were going so well for him, in fact, that he chose to forgo his senior year in high school to join the Michigan Wolverines.
Unfortunately, Houstan’s performances up until this past Tuesday were mostly subpar. His struggles have been well documented. He has regularly turned the ball over with bad passes and traveling violations, he gets beat to the hoop by quicker players, and often gets caught in no man’s land when shots go up. The most notable struggle for a guy that was often referred to as a 3-pt sharp-shooter was his seeming inability to make wide open perimeter shots. Any freshman is expected to have an adjustment period, but Caleb Houstan has looked flat out unprepared and outmatched. That was until the Maryland game.
On Tuesday night against Maryland, Houston finally looked the part. He was quick to the ball, made wise decisions for the most part, and most importantly, he made shots. He finished the game with 16 points on 6-7 shooting. This is a trend that the Michigan basketball team must see more of if they are to have any shot at turning this season around.
2. Team Defense
Michigan’s defensive struggles this season have been a major contributor to their lackluster record. The Wolverines rank 118th in the nation in scoring defense, a figure that must improve to compete in the Big 10. Early in the season, Michigan could be seen letting quick guards easily get to the rack and closing out lazily on open shooters.
Against the Terrapins, Michigan seemed to have an extra pep in their step on defense(an adjustment that surely came from head coach Juwan Howard and his team of top tier assistants). Maryland struggled to get open shots and regularly needed to use the entire shot clock to work through their offense. If Michigan can continue to disrupt and slow down offenses against stiffer competition, they may find themselves playing in the postseason.
3. Ball Movement
A lot of one-on-one dribbling with few passes and cuts is usually easy to defend. Defenses tend to preserve their energy if they aren’t forced to move early and often in defensive possessions, which usually translates to better offense on the other end. This is exactly what Michigan has been allowing many of their opponents to do this season. The ball tends to stick when they work it around the perimeter, and much of the offensive action has been one-on-one dribbling.
On Tuesday, they made massive strides towards a more fluid and difficult to defend offensive game plan. Most notably when Hunter Dickenson was double-teamed in the post, he was easily able to find the open man, which often led to the ball swinging around the perimeter until it landed on an open shooter. Guards like Eli Brooks, Devante Jones, and Frankie Collins will benefit immeasurably from an intentional effort to create ball movement.
Next Up: Indiana
The Wolverines have their work cut out for them as they travel to Bloomington to face a 14-4 Indiana Hoosiers team that just knocked off Purdue. This game on Sunday will be an excellent opportunity to build upon their momentum and make a run at the postseason.
Excellent summary of what’s needed to progress to the tournament.