Retour
Michigan enters Week 2 of the college basketball season with a 1-1 record. The Wolverines rolled past Oakland but met their match last Friday against UConn. Michigan shot poorly from three and the Wolverines allowed the Huskies to get out to a big early lead.
The Wolverines fell to No. 20 in the latest AP Top 25 poll and Michigan hopes to get back on track on Wednesday evening when the Wolverines welcome Marquette. Michigan is 14-6 all-time against the Golden Eagles, and the Wolverines are 8-1 against Marquette at home.
Here's how you can see the Wolverines take on Marquette, along with a few storylines, and our prediction.
Michigan has three players scoring in double figures through two games and none of them are Elliot Cadeau. It's no secret that the Wolverines are going to rely on Cadeau this season and they would love for him to be the No. 2 to Trey McKenney.
But Cadeau has shot poorly (25% from the field) in two games and he's had a foul issue. If Michigan is going to make a run this season, it needs more than seven points per game from the veteran guard. Cadeau turned the ball over too many times against UConn and this could be his get-right game.
Cadeau might have to shoot his way out of the slump, and at some point, his shot is going to fall.
Michigan has struggled on the glass in two games. Oakland out-rebounded the Wolverines, but Michigan didn't have center Moustapha Thiam in that game, and he returned against UConn, but had mixed results. Michigan is averaging 38 rebounds per game and the Wolverines will have a tough task on Wednesday.
Granted, Marquette has played two buy-games so far, but the Golden Eagles are averaging 10 more rebounds than Michigan. And it has a lot to do with their size. Three of Marquette's top four scorers come from its bigs.
Royce Parham (6'9") is the leading scorer with 14 points and seven rebounds, Joshua Clark (7'1") averages 13 points and 7.5 rebounds, and Sanadra Fru (6'11") averages 10 points and 10 rebounds. Both Thiam and JP Estrella will be tasked with defending in the paint and the key will be for them not to get into foul trouble.
Michigan got punched in the mouth on Friday and it was an eye-opener for Mike Boynton Jr. and Co. They realize where their team needs to improve and Marquette will be another good litmus test. UConn had great guard play, and the Golden Eagles are going to test the Wolverines in the paint.
This is the third game of the season, but we are going to learn a lot about this Michigan team on Wednesday. It would be shocking to see the Wolverines continue to shoot the three this bad and Michigan not attack the glass at a higher rate.
Michigan might not blow out better teams as we saw last season, but the Wolverines have to win these games at home.