WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana – Coming into the tournament, not many No. 1 seed teams have a ton to prove. To earn a top seed, teams must prove themselves as legit contenders before they play a tournament game. However, the Michigan Wolverines (21-4) are a different story; following an injury to senior Isaiah Livers, experts have questioned their ability to make a deep run.
On Saturday, they took a step in the right direction without their senior leader; they jumped out to a 7-0 lead and never looked back, defeating No. 16 Texas Southern (17-9), 82-66. They led by as many as 24 points and never trailed. Here are 3 points we are taking away from Michigan’s double-digit win.
Michigan has the scoring to offset losing Livers
Rightfully so, many people have questioned whether this Michigan team could afford to lose Livers’ offense. He was the Wolverines’ 2nd highest scorer in 2021 (13.1 PPG) and had the second-best three-point shooting percentage (43.1%). Without Livers against Ohio State, they were held to their 5th lowest total on the season in the 68-67 loss.
However, this team has more than enough firepower to score in bunches. Against Texas Southern, four different players scored in double-figures to boost the Wolverines’ total to 82; they scored 80+ points for the first time since February 21 against OSU. Individually, point guard Mike Smith was the leader. He scored a team-high 18 points while picking up 5 assists. Freshman Hunter Dickinson also had an efficient game, scoring 16 points on 6 of 7 shooting.
Moving forward, this team has to feel confident breaking 80 points without an outstanding game from sophomore Franz Wagner. Their third-leading scorer on the season, he scored just 9 points while adding 6 assists. An NBA draft prospect, Wagner’s length adds an extra dimension to both sides of the ball for the Wolverines.
Freshmen add depth off the bench
Entering the tournament, Michigan had to find some depth to help bolster their rotation. Livers averaged 31.6 minutes per game, the most on the team. In his place, Brandon Johns Jr. has entered the starting lineup, leaving a gap of 11 minutes off the bench for their rotation.
Against Texas Southern, coach Juwan Howard turned to freshmen Zeb Jackson and Terrance Williams to fill in the bench minutes. Both have seen minimal playing time this year, averaging just 5.6 minutes and 7.7 minutes per game, respectively. Together, they combined to play over 18 minutes in the opening round game.
Overall, they both played respectable minutes. Jackson dropped in 2 three-pointers for 6 points, while Williams finished with 4 points and 2 assists. Coach Juwan Howard spoke on their effort following the game.
“It’s all hands on deck. If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready, and the young guys gave us a big lift because we had guys that was in foul trouble. Austin, unfortunately for him in the first half, as well as Chaundee, they picked up two quick fouls. And Zeb and Terrance was ready to go, and they gave us a really big spark coming off the bench,” said Howard.
Scoring guards have their way with Michigan
As a team, Michigan is as good defensively as any team in the country. Even after their Saturday win, they rank 6th in adjusted defensive efficiency according to kenpom.com. However, they have struggled to keep scoring guards under wraps. Against Ohio State, Duane Washington Jr. put up 30 points and 24 points in his two matchups with Michigan.
On Saturday, it was senior Michael Weathers’s turn to have a big scoring game. He led both teams with 24 points on 8 of 18 shooting. His aggressiveness allowed him to draw a bunch of fouls, getting to the foul line to shoot 8 of 8. Moving forward, Michigan will need to find an answer for the opposition’s scoring guards. Later in the tournament, teams such as Baylor or Gonzaga could have similar results if the defense is not adjusted.
Up Next
No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 8 LSU, Monday, March 22, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
