Michigan disposed of Montana, 74-55. Here’s a lot of what we picked up on and off the record heading into Saturday’s game with Florida.
First off, many believed U-M would have been better off playing Nevada. At first glance Thursday night the Wolfpack looked like the more aggressive, athletic team against the Gators, but they proved to be extremely undisciplined. As some folks at Wells Fargo Arena, “Beilein would have X and O’d that team to death.”
They had no idea what to do when Florida zoned them. They were down seven or so with 47 seconds left and wasted 20 seconds before attacking the rim against it … just not a high IQ or well-coached team.
Florida, though, isn’t a world-beater. This is a team with a freshman point guard in Andrew Nembhard, a one-time Michigan recruit, that can spread you out, but the don’t shoot it particularly well. Zavier Simpson eats young guys like Nembhard alive, and U-M’s defense should be well prepared to deal with this team.
Assistant DeAndre Haynes said he isn’t ever worried about the point guard on the other team knowing Simpson is going to take the challenge personally, usually get the better of it.
At the same time, Florida’s defense is unpredictable and can make it tough. They like to run a press trap and shorten possessions. Beilein said Friday he wants the Wolverines to get into their offense with 22 seconds to go on the shot clock. He also noted that Florida will sometimes switch defenses in mid-possession, so guys have to be aware of what they’re seeing.
Two teams got U-M playing with a similar press this year.
“We saw it against Iowa and Penn State,” Beilein said. “We have gotten much better at dealing with those this year.”
Nembhard averaged 8.1 points and 5.3 assists per game, but he only made 41.8 percent of his shots, 34.3 percent of his triples. Only one Gator, in fact, averages double digits in points — KeVaughn Allen at 11.9.
Some were wondering how dialed-in the Wolverines would be in the opener with Montana. Many were pointing to the fact that the Grizzlies missed a lot of shots against the Wolverines, but there was a reason for it, assistant Luke Yaklich said today. U-M contested 90.4 percent of Montana’s shots, Michigan’s third or fourth best showing this year in that regard, and a team that was seventh nationally in offensive production this year made only 40 percent of its two-pointers.
In short they took the shots Michigan wanted them to take, and many of them were with a hand in the face. Those that weren’t were often low percentage shots (based on advanced metrics).
Another positive — sophomore Jordan Poole’s defense. He was outstanding on the defensive end despite being just okay offensively, and that’s been an issue for him in the recent past. He has a hard time concentrating on that end when shots don’t fall, but he was dialed in yesterday.
Redshirt junior Charles Matthews is back close to 100 percent, and he proved it in a 22-point, 10-rebound performance. Matthews didn’t want to talk Friday, though. He was deflecting all questions, tossing ice at his teammates in a playful way and in a goofy mood.
From the Florida locker room, Nembhard talked about his relationship with fellow Canadian Iggy Brazdeikis. The two used to play fifth and sixth grade AAU ball together and have played on national teams together north of the border, and they’re friends. Asked what he’d do if Brazdeikis flexed on him (as he’s been known to do), he responded, “I’m going to give it right back to him.”
Then the slender guard started to crack up.
Told of Nembhard’s response, Brazdeikis got a kick out of it, joking Nembhard wouldn’t be flexing on anyone.
Brazdeikis made it clear he had no nerves going into Saturday’s game, or any other potential match-up in the near future. There are three guys on this team who have that mentality — Matthews and Simpson are the other two.
Assistant DeAndre Haynes talked about how badly Simpson wants to hang a banner. He rallied the troops again and told them it wasn’t an option after they lost the Big Ten Tournament title late against MSU. This has been a great season, but it would be incomplete to him without a banner.
Florida assistant Darris Nichols played for John Beilein at West Virginia. He marveled at how much Beilein had changed, both offensively and defensively. There’s so much ball screen now, and he and other Gators hinted they’d have some surprises for the Wolverines to try to get them out of their rhythm offensively.
Nichols laughed when asked about the defense between now and when he played at WVU.
“We used to have to bring out different zones just to stay competitive,” he said with a laugh.
Finally, sophomore Isaiah Livers spent several minutes with an MSU writer asking him what he thought about Tom Izzo and Izzo’s rant on Aaron Henry. He said all the right things and noted Beilein was every bit of the motivator behind closed doors, albeit in a different way.
“He tells me I don’t even know how good I can be yet, and that he’s going to be the one to get it out of me,” Livers said.
He knows he has a chance to be a difference maker in this tournament, and he seems intent on making the most of his opportunity.
First off, many believed U-M would have been better off playing Nevada. At first glance Thursday night the Wolfpack looked like the more aggressive, athletic team against the Gators, but they proved to be extremely undisciplined. As some folks at Wells Fargo Arena, “Beilein would have X and O’d that team to death.”
They had no idea what to do when Florida zoned them. They were down seven or so with 47 seconds left and wasted 20 seconds before attacking the rim against it … just not a high IQ or well-coached team.
Florida, though, isn’t a world-beater. This is a team with a freshman point guard in Andrew Nembhard, a one-time Michigan recruit, that can spread you out, but the don’t shoot it particularly well. Zavier Simpson eats young guys like Nembhard alive, and U-M’s defense should be well prepared to deal with this team.
Assistant DeAndre Haynes said he isn’t ever worried about the point guard on the other team knowing Simpson is going to take the challenge personally, usually get the better of it.
At the same time, Florida’s defense is unpredictable and can make it tough. They like to run a press trap and shorten possessions. Beilein said Friday he wants the Wolverines to get into their offense with 22 seconds to go on the shot clock. He also noted that Florida will sometimes switch defenses in mid-possession, so guys have to be aware of what they’re seeing.
Two teams got U-M playing with a similar press this year.
“We saw it against Iowa and Penn State,” Beilein said. “We have gotten much better at dealing with those this year.”
Nembhard averaged 8.1 points and 5.3 assists per game, but he only made 41.8 percent of his shots, 34.3 percent of his triples. Only one Gator, in fact, averages double digits in points — KeVaughn Allen at 11.9.
Some were wondering how dialed-in the Wolverines would be in the opener with Montana. Many were pointing to the fact that the Grizzlies missed a lot of shots against the Wolverines, but there was a reason for it, assistant Luke Yaklich said today. U-M contested 90.4 percent of Montana’s shots, Michigan’s third or fourth best showing this year in that regard, and a team that was seventh nationally in offensive production this year made only 40 percent of its two-pointers.
In short they took the shots Michigan wanted them to take, and many of them were with a hand in the face. Those that weren’t were often low percentage shots (based on advanced metrics).
Another positive — sophomore Jordan Poole’s defense. He was outstanding on the defensive end despite being just okay offensively, and that’s been an issue for him in the recent past. He has a hard time concentrating on that end when shots don’t fall, but he was dialed in yesterday.
Redshirt junior Charles Matthews is back close to 100 percent, and he proved it in a 22-point, 10-rebound performance. Matthews didn’t want to talk Friday, though. He was deflecting all questions, tossing ice at his teammates in a playful way and in a goofy mood.
From the Florida locker room, Nembhard talked about his relationship with fellow Canadian Iggy Brazdeikis. The two used to play fifth and sixth grade AAU ball together and have played on national teams together north of the border, and they’re friends. Asked what he’d do if Brazdeikis flexed on him (as he’s been known to do), he responded, “I’m going to give it right back to him.”
Then the slender guard started to crack up.
Told of Nembhard’s response, Brazdeikis got a kick out of it, joking Nembhard wouldn’t be flexing on anyone.
Brazdeikis made it clear he had no nerves going into Saturday’s game, or any other potential match-up in the near future. There are three guys on this team who have that mentality — Matthews and Simpson are the other two.
Assistant DeAndre Haynes talked about how badly Simpson wants to hang a banner. He rallied the troops again and told them it wasn’t an option after they lost the Big Ten Tournament title late against MSU. This has been a great season, but it would be incomplete to him without a banner.
Florida assistant Darris Nichols played for John Beilein at West Virginia. He marveled at how much Beilein had changed, both offensively and defensively. There’s so much ball screen now, and he and other Gators hinted they’d have some surprises for the Wolverines to try to get them out of their rhythm offensively.
Nichols laughed when asked about the defense between now and when he played at WVU.
“We used to have to bring out different zones just to stay competitive,” he said with a laugh.
Finally, sophomore Isaiah Livers spent several minutes with an MSU writer asking him what he thought about Tom Izzo and Izzo’s rant on Aaron Henry. He said all the right things and noted Beilein was every bit of the motivator behind closed doors, albeit in a different way.
“He tells me I don’t even know how good I can be yet, and that he’s going to be the one to get it out of me,” Livers said.
He knows he has a chance to be a difference maker in this tournament, and he seems intent on making the most of his opportunity.