1/23/2022 basketball Edit

Know Your Opponent: Michigan

Trevor Gersmehl • TheHoosier

Staff Writer

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Indiana takes the national stage Sunday afternoon as they battle a struggling Michigan team at home.

Juwan Howard is in his third season as head coach of his alma mater and is encountering serious adversity for the first time in his tenure. The Wolverines are as talented as any team in the country, but find themselves at 8-7 overall and 10th in the Big Ten.

Michigan is a good offensive team but is exceedingly average on defense. They are fourth*** in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (47.1%) but only 10th in scoring (72.1 ppg). They are good at defending the three-pointer (29.4%) but rank eighth in scoring defense (66.7 ppg).

The Wolverines are also dead last in the Big Ten in steals per game (4.67) and 12th in blocks per game (2.87). Per Synergy Sports, they exceed in transition defense but are among the worst teams in the entire country at defending the ball handler on pick and rolls. They will sell out to stop the roll man from scoring an easy bucket at the risk of leaving the ball-handler -- something Xavier Johnson will need to exploit for Indiana.

A glance at the Wolverine roster will leave you wondering how they are 8-7 so far this season. Howard has eight Rivals150 recruits on the roster, including top-10 freshman Caleb Houstan. Houstan is a lights-out shooter but has struggled to take on the role of a star so far in college. He is vulnerable when forced to put the ball on the floor and is only scoring 9.7 points per game on 31.9 percent from three. In Big Ten play, however, Houstan is averaging 11.4 points per game.

Hunter Dickinson was a no-brainer All-American candidate for many analysts before the season but has played below what many expected. He is, however, still putting up great numbers (16.4 ppg & 8.5 rpg) and is a major threat inside the paint. Dickinson has tried to step out and be more of a shooting threat from three, but he is just 6-of-19 on the year. He is coming off of a 21-point outing after missing a few weeks due to COVID. Dickinson still has a chance to make an All-America team if he can lead Michigan out of their struggles.

Part of Michigan's struggles is due to their lack of backcourt talent and consistency. Senior Eli Brooks has taken a main role as the team's second-leading scorer (12.1 ppg) but hasn't been able to fill the playmaking role of a Zavier Simpson or Mike Smith in seasons past, only averaging 2.9 assists per game. Brooks isn't extremely efficient shooting the ball, hitting at just a 42.2 percent clip and 35.3 percent in conference play. Brooks has the ability to beat defenders off of the dribble and has a crafty ability to finish in the paint. But, 40 percent of his shot attempts come from deep.

Coastal Carolina transfer DeVante Jones is the best playmaker on the team with 3.7 assists per game but can do a bit of everything else as well. He scores 8.5 points on 45.2 percent from three and grabs 4.5 rebounds per game. Jones has stepped in as the point guard but hasn't had the same impact as former transfer guard Mike Smith of last year. After scoring in double-digits just twice in the first nine games, he has 10+ points in five of the last six games and has been averaging 12.2 points per game. He can create off of the dribble and likes to utilize ball screens at the top of the key to open up his game.

Former Rivals five-star freshman Moussa Diabate rounds out the starting lineup. A former IMG Academy star and teammate of Indiana's Tamar Bates, Diabate is wildly athletic but had struggled statically (9.1 ppg & 6.0 rpg) to start the season. He is averaging 11.3 points per game in Big Ten play and is starting to find his role. Diabate provides a versatile skillset alongside Dickinson and is a very good face up player. He has the ability to hit the 15-footer both at the high post and short corner.

Howard will usually go nine deep in his rotation, usually going to Brandon Johns Jr (5.2 ppg), Terrence Williams (5.0 ppg), Kobe Bufkin (4.3 ppg), and Frankie Collins (3.7 ppg) off the bench. Each player was a former Rivals150 recruit in high school.

Michigan Projected Starters:

G- Eli Brooks (Sr; 6-1; 185)

Season Stats: 12.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.9 apg

G - DeVante Jones (Sr; 6-1; 200)

Season Stats: 8.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.7 apg

G - Caleb Houstan (Fr; 6-8; 205)

Season Stats: 9.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 apg

F - Moussa Diabate (Fr; 6-11; 210)

Season Stats: 9.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg

C - Hunter Dickinson (So; 7-1; 255)

Season Stats: 16.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.1 bpg

Things To Watch For Indiana:

The performance of the backcourt -- mainly Rob Phinisee. Mike Woodson said he had a "beautiful conversation" with Phinisee hours before playing Purdue, and the senior played the game of his life. Confidence issues have long been holding Phinisee back, but could he turn the page on those days?

Indiana desperately craves consistency from its backcourt, and if Phinisee can play at 80% of the level he did on Saturday then he can fill that void. His response to the last game will be interesting to see.

Xavier Johnson also had himself a game against Purdue but was overshadowed by the narrative of Phinisee's game. He could also be capable of playing a great game against a Michigan team with a weak backcourt.

Game Information:

Who: Indiana (14-4) vs. Michigan (8-7)

When: Sunday, Jan 23rd, 3:30 p.m. ET

Where: Bloomington, IN

TV: CBS (Spero Dedes, Dan Bonner, Jenny Dell)

Radio: IU Radio Network with Don Fischer, Errek Suhr and Joe Smith

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QUICK HITTERS

• Indiana is 79-47 all-time against Michigan

• Indiana last defeated Michigan on Feb 2, 2016

• Michigan is last in the Big Ten in steals per game (4.67)

• Hunter Dickinson is top-10 in the Big Ten in scoring, and top five in rebounding, and field goal percentage.