The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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48 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2017 2017-18 BASKETBALL PREVIEW BY AUSTIN FOX AND RYAN TICE TOP FIVE GAMES THIS SEASON 1. At Michigan State, Jan. 13 — The Wolverines' trip to East Lansing should be a matchup of two of the best teams the conference has to offer. Not only will there be bragging rights at stake between the in-state rivals, but likely Big Ten title im- plications as well. Unfortunately, though, Michigan State will not make a return trip to Ann Arbor, making this the sole meet- ing of the season. The Spartans will be viewed as one of the top teams in the country, so a poten- tial road victory here for the Wolverines would carry a bit more significance than usual. However, Michigan State will cer- tainly be looking for revenge after the Maize and Blue handed it an 86-57 blow- out loss in Ann Arbor this past February the last time these two met. 2. At North Carolina, Nov. 29 — Michigan's trip to Cha- pel Hill for the Big Ten-ACC Challenge will begin a brutal five-game stretch — followed by Indiana, at Ohio State, UCLA and at Texas — so kicking things off with a victory would be huge for the Wolverines. It obviously won't be easy, though. The Tar Heels lost several key players from last year's national championship team, including wing Justin Jackson (18.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game) and big men Kennedy Meeks (12.5 and 9.5), Isaiah Hicks (11.8 and 5.5) and Tony Brad- ley (7.1 and 5.1), but will still field a formi- dable team. Senior point guard Joel Berry (14.7 points and 3.6 assists per game) re- turns as one of the best floor generals in the country, so slowing him down will be the key to victory for the Maize and Blue. This will mark the two programs' first meeting since the 1993 national title game, which the Tar Heels won 77-71. 3. At Texas, Dec. 12 — The Longhorns team Michigan will face in Austin this winter likely won't even resemble the squad it saw last season in Ann Arbor. Texas' 2016- 17 unit stumbled to a dismal 11-22 record and fell at Crisler Center last December in an ugly 53-50 contest. They are expected to be one of the most improved teams in the country this season, though, mainly due to an incoming freshman class that finished No. 5 nationally, headlined by five-star 6-11 center Mohamed Bamba, Rivals' No. 4 overall prospect in the class of 2017. Michigan has dominated the Longhorns with John Beilein at the helm, holding a 3-0 record against them since 2014. A road victory such as this would look very favorable on the Wolverines' résumé in the eyes of the NCAA Tournament selec- tion committee come March. 4. At Purdue, Jan. 25 — Mackey Arena is one of the toughest places to play in the Five-Minute Guide The Key Names, Games And Numbers You Need To Know For The Wolverines' Upcoming Season Projected Starting Lineup Fifth-year senior guard Jaaron Simmons — After averaging 15.7 points and 7.2 assists per game in his two seasons at Ohio, Simmons is expected to step in and start immediately at point guard for the Wolverines, pro- viding some much needed experience to the position. Senior guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman — Though he's not expected to be a superstar this season (nor does the team need him to be), Michigan knows exactly what it's getting in the valuable and consistent Abdur-Rahkman. Redshirt sophomore guard Charles Matthews — The former Kentucky Wildcat will be one of the biggest keys to Michigan's success. Athlon Sports dubbed him one of 10 transfers to watch nationally, noting he "could emerge as Michigan's second option on offense (behind Moritz Wagner), and he will also provide some much-needed defense on the perimeter." Fifth-year senior guard/forward Duncan Robinson — With forward D.J. Wilson's early entrance into the NBA Draft after last year, Robinson will be thrust into the biggest role he's seen during his time in Ann Arbor. In two years at U-M, he's made 43.9 percent of his three- pointers. Junior forward Moritz Wagner — Expectations will be sky high for the versatile native of Berlin, Germany, and his performance will likely determine how far the Wolverines go this year. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Moritz Wagner (458, 12.1 per game) Rebounds: Wagner (158, 4.2) Assists: Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (75, 2.0) Blocks: Wagner (14, 0.4) Steals: Wagner (39, 1.0) Three-pointers made: Duncan Robinson (64, 42.4 percent) FG percentage: Wagner (56.0 percent) FT percentage (min. 30): Robinson (78.1 percent) Minutes: Abdur-Rahkman (1,164, 30.6) Senior guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman started 37 of 38 games last year and was named Michigan's Outstanding Defensive Player. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN