Tennessee basketball is back in the Elite Eight for a third straight season as they prepare to face one-seed Michigan with a trip to the Final Four on the line. The Vols are looking to reach the Final Four for the first time ever while Michigan looks to get back for the first time since 2018.
Here’s a quick look at the Wolverines ahead of the NCAA Tournament matchup.
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How The Wolverines Got Here
Michigan has been one of the best teams in the country all season and enter the Elite Eight matchup with a 34-3 (19-1 Big 10) record. They made a statement at Players Era in November, earning blowout wins over San Diego State, Auburn and Gonzaga. The Wolverines did not lose until Jan. 10, dropping a home game against Wisconsin.
The Wolverines second loss came in February when Duke knocked off the Wolverines in Washington DC. Michigan’s last loss came in the Big 10 Tournament Semifinals against Purdue.
Michigan started slow in its NCAA Tournament opening game against Howard but still earned a 21-point win. They overcame another slow start in the Round of 32, routing St. Louis 95-72 to advance to the Sweet 16. The Wolverines took care of business against Alabama, rolling to a 90-77 victory.
Michigan’s Strengths
The list is long. Let’s start on the defensive end where Michigan ranks first nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Wolverines success starts with their length. Their starting three through five are 6-foot-9, 6-foot-9 and 7-foot-3.
That combination of size and length makes it very difficult to score inside. The Wolverines rank fourth nationally in two point defense third nationally in block percentage. They do as good of a job as anyone nationally at forcing opponents to shoot long two pointers.
Michigan also does an elite job of defending the rim without fouling. The Wolverines opponents rarely get to the foul line against them.
The size shows up on the offensive end as well where Michigan ranks second nationally in two-point percentage. The Wolverines play inside out but can knock down perimeter shots as well, shooting 36.9% from deep as a team. There’s not one true sharpshooter on the team but four to five different players who are capable shooters.
Michigan is not as elite of a rebounding team as you might expect because of its size, but they’re still really good there too. They rank 46th nationally in offensive rebound rate and 39th nationally in defensive rebound rate.
Michigan’s Weaknesses
There’s not too many. Turnovers would be a big one. The Wolverines have been a bit loose with the basketball at times this season. And for as good as they are defensively, Michigan does not force many turnovers.
For its size, Michigan really does not draw a lot of fouls. Only 19.1% of its points come from the foul line which ranks in the 200s nationally.
It’s not really a weakness, but Michigan likes to push the pace on the offensive end. If Tennessee can drag them into a half court game and play good interior defense, they can slow down the Wolverines offense.
Standout Wolverines
Michigan is a really balanced team offensively which could be viewed as a strength or a weakness.
Big 10 Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg is the Wolverines’ leading scorer at 14.9 points per game on 52% shooting from the field and 37.4% shooting from three-point range. Lenderborg does it all for the Wolverines, averaging seven rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.
Morez Johnson is the next leading scorer with 13.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Aday Mara, who faced Tennessee while at UCLA last season, averages 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.
The front court leads the way for Michigan but its back court has contributed too. Elliot Cadeau is averaging 10.3 points and is shooting 37.5% from deep. Trey McKenney and Nimari Burnett are each threats from deep and average between eight and 10 points per game. Roddy Gayle is not a big-time scorer but has been great in the NCAA Tournament.
