Keys for Michigan Basketball to beat Illinois, win Big Ten championship
The No. 3 Michigan Wolverines hit the street to face the No. 10 Illinois Fighting Illini tonight at 8 pm on FOX. Dusty May’s crew has a possibility to clinch an outright Big Ten common season championship, however Illinois will current a severe problem on each ends of the ground, particularly their means to management the tempo and dominate the offensive glass.
Illinois possesses the nation’s best offense, averaging 133.0 factors per 100 possessions. The Illini are one of many slowest-paced groups within the nation as effectively, which will likely be a drastic distinction of fashion in opposition to Michigan’s up-tempo nature. Out of 365 groups, the Fighting Illini rank 327th in average possession length (18.9 seconds) and 285th in tempo.
“It’s going to be a limited possession game. They play one of the slowest tempos in the country, so we have to be able to grind out and play with great discipline in a low-possession game,” May just lately advised the media. “It can only help us if we face a team like this in the Big Ten or NCAA Tournament. Each mistake is more costly when you’re playing half the possessions.”
Michigan is the polar reverse — rating eighth in common possession size (15.2 seconds) and sixteenth in tempo, so the crew that is ready to management the tempo of the sport ought to win. The Wolverines weren’t ready to management the tempo in a loss to Duke final week for the reason that Blue Devils restricted possessions, which is a components Illinois may even possible strive to execute.
In addition to having an ultra-efficient offense, the Fighting Illini are one of many nation’s premier rebounding groups. Illinois leads the Big Ten in complete rebounds per recreation (41.2) and offensive rebounds per recreation (12.3), and is third within the nation in offensive rebounding price (39.6 %). Michigan will definitely have its work minimize out for it on the glass.
“When the shot goes up, it is feudal warfare. Every time that ball goes up, they’re not accepting block outs,” May mentioned. “They’re not accepting anything other than giving maximum effort towards the ball. They’re going to the glass from every angle, every single time. They really challenge you in a lot of areas. If we can limit them to one shot, then we have a chance.”
The Wolverines may even be tasked with slowing down a really expert lineup, highlighted by Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Keaton Wagler (18.2 PPG), in addition to Andrej Stojakovic (13.8 PPG). Illinois is infamous for attacking the weakest defenders on the ground, so Michigan’s switch-heavy protection may have to play collectively as one and talk at a excessive stage.
“They hunt matchups. We’re going to know who they think are our inept defenders, whether we think it or not, because they’re going to hunt those matchups,” May mentioned. “They have great positional size, their bigs pick and pop, and they have the frontrunner for Player of the Year in the league, so I can go on and on about what’s going to keep me up at night.”
In order to win tonight and safe the outright Big Ten title, Michigan should management the tempo, win the rebounding battle, and comprise Wagler and Stojakovic. It positively will not be straightforward to go right into a hostile atmosphere and defeat Illinois for the primary time in seven years, however the Wolverines simply have to execute and play up to their full potential.
