Game Day Essentials
Indiana (14-4, 5-3) v. Michigan (8-7, 2-3)
- Tip Time: 3:30 p.m. Eastern
- Location: Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana
- Television: CBS (Spero Dedes, Dan Bonner, Jenny Dell)
- IU Radio Network: IU Radio Network
- Stream: Paramount
- Point Spread: Indiana is a 3.5 point favorite
- KenPom Projected Score: Indiana 69 Michigan 65
- Series: Indiana leads 107-64, Michigan won the last meeting 73-57 (Feb. 27, 2021 in Bloomington)
Michigan Notes
In the last two weeks, Michigan has battled covid-19 and protocols — as four players missed the game at Rutgers (Jan. 4) before postponing the MSU and Purdue games. Michigan was without Hunter Dickinson and Brandon Johns, Jr., at Illinois (Jan. 14), but Dickinson made his return against Maryland (Jan. 18). Johns remains a game-time decision.
- Michigan cruised to an 83-64 win over Maryland in a midweek Big Ten battle at Crisler Center. The win was
the fourth straight for the Wolverines over Maryland. - Michigan snapped a three-game losing streak with the win over Maryland. It was the Wolverines first home game in 31 days. Now, U-M heads back on the road to face Indiana — its ninth road game this season.
- Michigan continues to play one of the strongest schedules in the nation — KenPom (11th), Sagarin (9th) and ESPN BPI (13th). U-M has to games postponed (MSU and Purdue) to reschedule).
- For a second straight season, Hunter Dickinson leads U-M in scoring (16.4) and rebounding (8.6). Last season as a consensus All-America second teamer, he led U-M with 14.1 points (first frosh since 2018-19; Ignas Brazdeikis) and 7.4 rebounds (first frosh since 2012-13; Mitch McGary).
- Dickinson has 12 double figure scoring games with a team-best four 20+ point games including a season-best 27 against Buffalo (Nov. 10) — the season opener. He has a team-best six games of 10+ rebounds, which has led to a team-best five double-doubles.
- Eli Brooks is second with 12.1 points per game as he has posted 12 games in double figures. He has had a career-best 13 double figure games in a season on two other occasions, his junior and senior seasons. Brooks has started his last 72 consecutive games — basically his last three seasons.
- DeVante’ Jones has made 10 of his 14 three-pointers over his last five games. Jones has scored in double figures in five of his last six games — hitting a season-best 17, twice — at Central Florida and at Illinois. During his stretch is has gone 50% from the field (29-for-58).
- Brooks (25), Caleb Houstan (23) and Jones (14) have 62 of U-M’s 96 three-pointers — 64%.
- Moussa Diabate, who is second on U-M with 6.1 boards per game, has 11 games with 5+ rebounds — including his last six straight, which included his first 10+ board game with 13 (Minnesota, Dec. 11).
Head Coach Juwan Howard
Former Michigan men’s basketball All-American and Fab Five member Juwan Howard begins his third season as the Basketball Head Coach with the Wolverines, the 17th in the history of the program.
In his second season, Howard guided the Wolverines to a 23-5 record and 14-3 Big Ten mark, helping the Maize and Blue claim its 15th conference regular- season title. As a result, U-M earned its second No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and on Selection Sunday, Howard’s Wolverines were named the No. 1 seed in the NCAA East Region — the program’s third No. 1 seed in history, joining the 1985 and 1993 (vacated) teams.
Howard also became the first person to earn a No. 1 seed as a player and as a coach in the NCAA Tournament.
For his efforts this past season, Howard was named the 2021 Associated Press National Coach of the Year, the Wolverines’ second recipient and first since Bill Frieder in 1985. He was also the first Big Ten coach to be recognized with the award since 2005.
Michigan KenPom Highlights
Adjusted Tempo — No. 300 (Offense No. 210 / Defense No. 255)
Offensive efficiency — No. 25
- Michigan wants to score the ball inside the 3-point arc. Only 32.8 percent of their shots are from three (No. 288), and they are more successful from two (53.8 percent, No. 57) than three (33.6 percent, No. 169) relatively speaking. They are No. 1 and No. 11 in the league from two and three, respectively, in Big Ten games.
- The Wolverines are fairly effective at getting offensive rebounds, coming in at No. 63 with a 32.2 percent rate of second chance opportunities.
- Michigan doesn’t do a good job of getting to the free throw line, with free throw attempts making up just 27.6 percent of their field goal attempts, No. 251. They also only making 68 percent, No. 273.
- The Wolverines don’t give up many blocks (6.8 percent, No. 35) or steals (7.3 percent, No. 20).
Defensive efficiency — No. 59
- Michigan is not forcing turnovers at a high rate, with teams coughing it up on just 15.3 percent of possessions, No. 330 nationally.
- They allow assists on just 41 percent of possessions, No. 17.
- At 29.4 percent from three, Michigan’s defense comes in at No. 28.
- Teams don’t get to the line against the Wolverines. Free throw attempts have made up just 24 percent of field goal attempts, No. 43
- Opponents also don’t get a lot of second chances. Michigan has allowed just a 24.9 percent offensive rebounding rate, No. 53.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
- Find us on Facebook: thedailyhoosier
- You can follow us on Twitter: @daily_hoosier
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.
