It’s Indiana’s first conference road game of the 2023-24 campaign as they get set to take on Michigan in Ann Arbor.
The Hoosiers are looking for their first 2-0 start in the Big Ten since 2018-19 season.
Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s matchup with the Wolverines.
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Game Day Essentials:
Indiana (6-1, 1-0) vs. Michigan (4-4, 0-0)
- Tip Time: 9:00 p.m. Eastern, Tuesday
- Location: Crisler Center (12,707), Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Television: Peacock (Jac Collinsworth, Stephen Bardo)
- Stream: Peacock
- IU Radio Network: IU Radio Network
- Point Spread: Michigan is around a 7.5 point favorite.
- KenPom Projected Score: No. 69 Indiana 71 – No. 49 Michigan 77
- Series: Indiana leads series, 110-65 (Hoosiers have won three straight)
Michigan’s Juwan Howard
Former Michigan Fab Five player Juwan Howard is entering his fifth season as head coach of the Michigan men’s basketball program.
In May of 2019, Howard was officially named head coach after spending some time as an assistant with the Miami Heat. Since taking over, Howard has gone 83-52 with one Big Ten regular season title in the 2020-21 season. In that year, the Wolverines went 23-5 (14-3 in Big Ten) and made it to the Elite Eight round in the NCAA Tournament. That season, Howard would be names AP Coach of the Year for the 2021 season. Howard would bring the Wolverines back to the tournament the next season but has yet to lead them back since.
Howard had no prior head coaching experience before Michigan but did develop a distinguished portfolio as an assistant in the NBA. In his first year, Howard coached the likes of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh to an NBA championship in 2014.
As a player, Howard was a part of the dominant Fab Five Michigan team that included Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson in the early 90s. Although the team never won a national championship, they’re continuously recognized as one of the best same class starting five groups ever assembled in college basketball history. After college, Howard spent 19 seasons in the NBA before moving into a coaching role.
Michigan’s results and roster
Michigan’s game notes (via Michigan Athletics)
After beginning the season 3-0, the Wolverines have dropped four of the last five games on the schedule to fall to 4-4. U of M finished 1-2 in the Battle 4 Atlantis, an event the Hoosiers will participate in to open the 2024-25 season.
Sophomore guard Dug McDaniel leads Michigan in scoring at 20.3 points per game, tied for the third-highest figure in the Big Ten. Fifth-year senior forward Olivier Nkamhoua provides 16.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per outing.
Michigan makes 9.5 3-pointers per game on 38.2% shooting from behind the arc.
Roster Health
Juwan Howard underwent a successful heart procedure (Sept. 15) and has returned to the sidelines for the Wolverines.
His son Jace Howard is out due to a stress fracture in his right knee and upper tibia.
The Return
Jaelin Llewellyn returned to the U-M lineup at Oregon (Dec. 2) after nearly one year (to the day) away from the floor. He came off the bench — first time in collegiate career — playing 10 minutes scoring two points and recording two assists.
Last season, Llewellyn suffered a season-ending knee injury (left ACL) vs. Kentucky (Dec. 4, 2022) in London, England (O2 Arena).
Breaking Down Dug’s Game with the Ducks
Dug McDaniel scored a career-high 33 points at Oregon (Dec. 2) becoming the first Wolverine with 30-plus points since former Wolverines Hunter Dickinson (Kansas) had 31 at Illinois (March 2, 2023). McDaniel posted the most points since former Wolverine Jett Howard (NBA; Orlando) had 34 points at Iowa (Jan. 12, 2023).
Overall, McDaniel’s 33 points marked the first 30-plus point game of his career and the fifth 20-plus point game this season. He leads U-M with 20.3 points per game.
With a career-high seven three-pointers against the Ducks, McDaniel recorded the most in a game since Jett Howard’s seven at Iowa. In addition, McDaniel’s 12 total field goals set a career-high and marked his first 10-plus field goal game.
Lastly, McDaniel’s three assists against the Ducks gives him three-plus assists in all eight games and extends his streak to 13 straight dating back to last season.
Some Random Tidbits
Will Tschetter is 10-for-13 (76.9 percent) on three-pointers.
Nimari Burnett continues to make three-pointers on the road; 13 of his 16 are away from Ann Arbor.
All five starters were in double figures vs. Stanford (Nov. 23) at the Battle 4 Atlantis — Dug McDaniel (20), Terrance Williams II (17), Olivier Nkamhoua (16), Tarris Reed, Jr. (11) and Nimari Burnett (10). The last time for U-M was last season — Jett Howard (22), Hunter Dickinson (16), McDaniel (14), Kobe Bufkin (13) and Williams II (10) against Nebraska (Feb. 8, 2023 at Crisler Center).
With a career-best four three-pointers vs. Stanford (Nov. 23) at the Battle 4 Atlantis, Terrance Williams II has 14 total on the season. He is inching closer to his single season best total already of 20 (2021-22; 31 games). Last season, he had 17 (30 games)..
Michigan’s KenPom notable numbers:
(out of 362 teams)
Tempo – No. 289 (Offense No. 220 / Defense No. 97)
Offensive Efficiency – No. 20
- Michigan is a very efficient team on the offensive end, shooting 57.4 percent from two (No. 23 in the country) and 38.2 percent from three (No. 43). Both percentages combine to give Michigan a top-20 effective field goal percentage in the country at 57.3 percent (No. 18).
- Michigan also does a great job of creating second chances, as they’ve brought down offensive rebounds at a 36.5 percent rate (No. 32 in the country).
- Although scoring the ball from the field isn’t a problem, the Wolverines struggle converting from the line. Their 65.4 percent is at the bottom-third out of all D1 teams (No. 304 in the country).
Defensive Efficiency – No. 124
- Michigan’s main struggle on the defensive end is beyond the arc. So far this season, opponents of the Wolverines are shooting 39.4 percent from three, which rates Michigan’s 3-pt defense at No. 342 in the country.
- The defense is considerably better inside the arc. Opponents of the Wolverines are shooting just 47 percent from two, rating their defense at No. 96 in the country.
- Teams aren’t getting to the free throw line much vs. Michigan, with foul shots comprising just 24.6 percent (No. 39) of field goal attempts.
- Michigan does struggle forcing steals on the defensive side. They have one of the worst steal rates in the country at 6.9 percent (No. 327 in the country).
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