Indiana returns to action on Saturday following a loss to Rutgers on Wednesday, 74-63, to take on No. 3 Michigan in Bloomington.
Michigan comes in at 17-1 (12-1) on the season and has won seven in a row, including the past four since returning from a 23-day pause due to COVID.
The Wolverines are led by freshman big man Hunter Dickinson. The 7-footer is averaging a team-best 14.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He is very much a back-to-the-basket big who uses his great hands, footwork and size to connect on 62.6 percent of his shots. He also shoots 76 percent from the free throw line. He is also very effective on ball screen action and reading his teammates on drives, creating great passing lanes. He ranks 11th nationally with a 30.5 player efficiency rating.
On the wing, Isaiah Livers paces Michigan at 14.4 points per game. A good playmaker, Livers can shoot and create plays for himself and teammates off of the bounce. He is shooting 45 percent from deep on 5.3 attempts per game. He is effective in catch and shoot opportunities or off of the dribble. He has dished out at least three assists in seven of the last 11 games, and grabbed at least five rebounds in all but four games this season. At 6-foot-7, his versatility is extremely effective as a stretch-4.
Franz Wagner is another extremely versatile wing at 6-foot-9. He is the most effective player in the Big Ten, with a conference-leading offensive rating of 128.4. Much like Livers, he can create off of the bounce as a slasher, or from the perimeter. He is shooting 38 percent from three on three attempts per game and 53 percent overall. He also averages 3.1 assists per game.
In the backcourt, Michigan is led by Columbia grad transfer Mike Smith and another senior in Eli Brooks. Smith went from averaging 18 points on over 15 shots per game in his Columbia career to 8.4 points per game on 6.6 shots per game this season. He leads the Big Ten with 5.3 assists per game and fourth in three-point percentage (45.6). Smith is the ideal floor general for Michigan who has threats from all over the floor. For Brooks, the combo guard has scored in double-digits in eight games, had at least four rebounds in seven games and at least four assists in 10 games. 47 percent of his shot attempts come from three, but he still has the ability to get in the lane.
Off of the bench is another terrific transfer in Chaundee Brown. The Wake Forest transfer averages 8.4 points and is another versatile perimeter player at 6-foot-6. He is an energy player when he comes in the game on both ends. He is shooting 42 percent from deep but is streaky on the offensive end.
Michigan Projected Starters:
G - Mike Smith (Sr; 5-11; 185)
Stats: 8.4 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 5.3 apg
G- Eli Brooks (Sr; 6-1; 185)
Stats: 8.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.2 apg
G - Franz Wagner (So; 6-9; 220)
Stats: 12.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.1
F - Isaiah Livers (Sr; 6-7; 230)
Stats 14.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.3 apg
C - Hunter Dickinson (Fr; 7-1; 255)
Stats: 14.9 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.7 bpg
Things To Watch For Indiana:
Indiana comes in on a two-game losing streak, both of which it had a first-half double-digit lead in. Indiana has been able to get off to better starts recently, but it's the inability to keep those leads that has been the downfall. Can IU finally put together a full, 40-minute performance?
As for backcourt/wing production, Indiana has struggled all season to get consistent numbers from its perimeter players. Armaan Franklin didn't play in the second half against Rutgers due to an ankle/foot injury that he has been dealing with for the majority of Big Ten play. If he isn't able to go, who steps up and can Indiana compete with the versatility and talent on the wing for Michigan?
The big matchup is Hunter Dickinson vs Trayce Jackson-Davis. While this won't be the matchup that determines the outcome of the game, it will go a long way in determining how close Indiana can keep the score. If UM is able to take Jackson-Davis out of the game, it could be a long afternoon for the Hoosiers.
Game Information:
Who: Michigan (17-1; 12-1) @ Indiana (12-11; 7-9)
When: Saturday, Feb. 27 @ 12:00 pm ET
Where: Bloomington, IN
TV: FOX (Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery)
Radio: IU Radio Network with Don Fischer, Errek Suhr and Joe Smith
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QUICK HITTERS
• Indiana leads the all-time series, 107-63. Michigan won the previous matchup, 89-65, last season.
• Trayce Jackson-Davis (20.3/9.5) can become the first IU player since Steve Downing in 1973 to average 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for a season.
• Senior Aljami Durham needs 6 points to become the 53rd player in IU history to score 1,000 points
• The Wolverines have shot 50 percent or higher from the field in 11 games this season.
• Mike Smith leads the Big Ten in assists per game (5.3) and ranks 33rd nationally.
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