What to Expect from Michigan Basketball in 2019

After a disappointing 2018, the Michigan Wolverines are looking to Bounce Back in a big way in 2019. Here’s what you can expect from John Beilein’s squad this season.

Introduction

The Michigan Wolverines have had a successful 2018-2019 season thus far. They have a record of 23-3 and are ranked #5 in the nation. Coach John Beilein has led the team to two Big Ten regular season titles in the past four years. The Wolverines have also made it to the Sweet Sixteen three times in the past four years.

This year, the team is looking to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament and potentially win a National Championship The Wolverines have a balanced team with experienced veterans and talented young players They will need to be at their best if they want to achieve their goals this season.

The Team

This season, the Michigan basketball team will feature a mix of experienced veterans and talented young players Senior point guard Zavier Simpson will be the leader on the court, and he will be joined by junior wing Charles Matthews and sophomore forward Isaiah Livers Sophomore center Jon Teske will also be a key player for the Wolverines. The team will have to overcome the loss of leading scorer and rebounder Moe Wagner, who declared for the NBA draft after his junior season. Michigan will also have to replace sharpshooter Duncan Robinson, who graduated. With a mix of experience and youth, the Wolverines will be a dangerous team in 2019.

The Schedule

The 2019 NCAA Division I men’s Basketball Schedule will begin in November and end in April. The first four games will be played in November, the last four in December, and the remainder of the schedule will be played from January to April. The regular season will end on March 10, 2019.

The conference tournament for the Big Ten Conference of which Michigan is a part, is scheduled to begin on March 13 and end on March 17. The NCAA Tournament is scheduled to begin on March 19 and end on April 8.

The Roster

This season, the Michigan Basketball team will feature a roster full of young and inexperienced players. There are only two upperclassmen on the team, and neither of them has significant playing experience at the Division I level. This lack of experience will likely be a hindrance for the team as they compete against some of the best teams in the country.

The roster includes several players who are expected to make an immediate impact. These include freshman guard Cole Bajema, who was rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN, and sophomore forward Isaiah Livers, who was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season. Livers will be counted on to provide leadership for this young team, and he will need to step up his game if Michigan is going to be successful this season.

The Wolverines will also have to rely heavily on their bench players this season. With only two upperclassmen on the roster, there will be plenty of minutes available for the younger players on the team. This could be an opportunity for some of the less experienced players on the roster to get significant playing time and develop their skills.

Overall, it is going to be a challenging season for Michigan Basketball The lack of experience on the roster will likely be a major issue, but there are some talented players on the team that could help lead them to success.

The Coaches

Head coach John Beilein enters his 12th season at the helm of the Michigan basketball program. Beilein has compiled a career record of 767-471, which includes a 269-155 mark at Michigan. He has guided the Wolverines to nine NCAA tournament appearances, including five Sweet Sixteen appearances, two Elite Eight appearances and one National Championship Game appearance. In 2017-18, Beilein led Michigan to a share of the Big Ten Regular Season title and was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Assistant coach Luke Yaklich is in his second season on Beilein’s staff and his first as associate Head Coach Yaklich joined the staff after serving as head coach at Saginaw Valley State University for two seasons, where he compiled a record of 33-21. Prior to SVSU, Yaklich spent 11 seasons as an Assistant Coach at various levels, including Division I Illinois State University (2013-14) and Ohio University (2011-13).

Assistant coach Saddi Washington is in his sixth season on Beilein’s staff and his third as associate Head Coach Washington joined the staff after serving as an assistant coach at Bradley University for two seasons (2012-14). Prior to Bradley, Washington spent four seasons (2008-12) on Beilein’s staff at the University of Michigan where he helped the Wolverines to four NCAA tournament appearances, including two Sweet Sixteen appearances and one Elite Eight appearance.

The Fans

There is no doubt that the fans are a big part of what makes Michigan basketball so special. Every year, they pack the stands at Crisler Center and create an electric atmosphere that is unmatched anywhere in the country. This season will be no different, as the fans will be eagerly cheering on the team in hopes of another deep run in the NCAA tournament

The Media

Every year, the same storylines come up when talking about Michigan Basketball The team is too slow, they don’t have enough shooters, Their big men can’t score, etc. And every year, it seems like the national media and so-called experts never give the Wolverines the benefit of the doubt.

This year is no different. Despite being ranked No. 4 in the AP poll and bringing back nearly everyone from a team that made it to the National Championship game last season, there are still plenty of people who think Michigan won’t be as good as they were a year ago.

So what exactly is the problem?

The answer is simple: Defense.

Or lack thereof.

The Expectations

The University of Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team is coming off a disappointing 2018 campaign in which they finished 8-10 in Big Ten play and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Despite the down year, there is plenty of hope and excitement for the upcoming season Here are three things to expect from Michigan basketball in 2019.

1. A Healthy Team
One of the biggest factors that led to Michigan’s struggles last season was the injuries that plagued the team throughout the year. Starting point guard Zavier Simpson missed seven games, shooting guard Charles Matthews missed eight games, and forward Isaiah Livers missed nine games. All three players are key cogs in Michigan’s rotation and their absences had a major impact on the team’s performance.

This season, all three players are healthy and expected to be key contributors. Simpson is one of the best point guards in the country, Matthews is a versatile wing who can score, rebound, and defend, and Livers is a stretch four who can space the floor and knock down threes. With all three players healthy, Michigan will have one of the most talented and deepest rosters in the country.

2. Improved Three-Point Shooting
Last season, Michigan was a below-average Three-point shooting team, making just 31 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc. This season, they should be much improved from beyond the three-point line thanks to the addition of transfer Ignas Brazdeikis and freshman Cole Bajema. Brazdeikis is a 6-foot-7 wing who shot 41 percent from three-point range last season at Oak Hill Academy, while Bajema is a 6-foot-7 wing who shot 46 percent from three-point range during his senior year of High School Both players will provide much-needed shooting for a Michigan team that sorely lacked it last season.

In addition to Brazdeikis and Bajema, Michigan will also have improved shooting from returning players Matthews (32 percent from three last season), Simpson (31 percent), Jon Teske (33 percent), and Eli Brooks (37 percent). With so many shooters on their roster, Michigan should have no trouble spacing the floor and scoring points this season.

3. A Return to Championship Contention
After finishing below .500 in conference play and losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season, Michigan will be looking to return to championship contention this year. With a healthy roster filled with talent and experience, improved shooting, and one of the best coaches in the country in John Beilein, expect Michigan to compete for a Big Ten title and make a deep run in March Madness this season

The Predictions

In what promises to be an eventful college Basketball season the Michigan Wolverines will look to improve on their disappointing performance from a year ago. Head coach John Beilein will have his work cut out for him as he tries to mold a young and inexperienced team into a contender in the tough Big Ten conference

The Wolverines will have to rely heavily on their freshman class, which includes five-star recruit Ignas Brazdeikis and four-star recruits David DeJulius, Colin Castleton, and Brandon Johns. Beilein has said that all four of these freshmen will have an opportunity to earn significant playing time this season.

Michigan will also need contributions from their returning players, led by junior forward Charles Matthews. Matthews was the team’s leading scorer a year ago and will be counted on to provide leadership and scoring punch again this season.

Sophomore Jordan Poole will also be looked to for scoring after an up-and-down freshman campaign. Poole showed glimpses of his potential last season, but he will need to be more consistent if the Wolverines are going to make noise in the conference race.

Defensively, Michigan will need to take a step forward after finishing near the bottom of the conference in several key statistical categories last season. Beilein has indicated that he would like his team to play with more effort and energy on the defensive end this season. If they can do that, the Wolverines should be much improved on that side of the ball.

Overall, it is tough to predict how Michigan will fare this season given all of the new faces in the rotation. If everything comes together, they could compete for a spot in the NCAA tournament However, it is more likely that they will struggle at times and miss out on March Madness altogether. Either way, it should be an interesting ride for Michigan fans this season.

The Conclusion

It’s been a long time coming, but Michigan Basketball is back. After years of mediocrity, the Wolverines are finally relevant again. Led by head coach John Beilein, Michigan has won two straight Big Ten regular season titles and made it to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in back-to-back seasons. This year, the Wolverines are looking to take things one step further and make a run at the Final Four.

With a loaded roster that includes preseason All-American candidate Charles Matthews, sharpshooting big man Jon Teske, and freshman phenom Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan has all the pieces in place to make a deep tournament run. The question is, can they put it all together and live up to the hype?

We’ll find out soon enough. The 2019 NCAA Tournament tips off on March 21. Until then, we’ll be eagerly waiting to see what this Michigan team is made of.