Michigan Basketball: Michigan vs. UNC Charlotte — PR Finals — Preview

Posted at 7:30am — 11/24/2013

Michigan Basketball: Michigan vs. UNC Charlotte — Puerto Rico Finals — Preview

Puerto Rico Tip-off Final — A Chance to Save a Brutal Weekend

What: #14 Michigan Wolverines (4-1) Vs. UNC Charlotte (4-1)
When: Sunday 11/24 — 6:30pm Eastern Time
Where: Coliseo Roberto Clemente (10,000) — San Juan, Puerto Rico
TV: ESPN2 (DirecTV Channel 209)
TV Crew: Dave O’Brien (p-by-p) and Dan Dakich (analyst)
Radio: WWJ (950 AM) and Ann Arbor WTKA (1050 AM)
U-M Radio Crew: Tony Castricone (p-by-p) & Terry Mills (analyst)

Make an effort to take the strain of Michigan football off of your minds for at least a few hours on Sunday as Michigan meets UNCC for the championship game. The 49’ers beat Kansas State and Northeastern (two good teams). Michigan beat Long Beach State (a good team) and Florida State (a very good team).

UNCC has five players in double figures and one very close. The team is not only balanced in scoring but also in backcourt and frontcourt make-up.

The inside players are 6’ 11” and 6’ 9,” the backcourt is big with several 6’4 perimeter guys.

UNCC is well coached and one could imply that with short notice UNCC will try and attack UM with size, using the big guards get inside and the big guys to finish. Michigan may try and get up the court before the size catches up on the perimeter. This means more have fun, run and gun basketball, begging the question, will the bombs hit the target?

It would be nice to see UM attempt to involve an inside player or two down low, but do not hold your breath. McGary’s points are coming off of rebounds, drives, midrange shots and foul shots, not true post play.

Nov 8, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Caris LeVert (23) receives congratulations from teammates after a play in the second half against Massachusetts Lowell Riverhawks at Crisler Center. Michigan won 69-42. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY SportsSomeone from Michigan will probably get a favorable match-up and be the go to guy. Robinson and Stauskas could be tough match-ups for the UNCC line-up. McGary coming off the bench saves early foul trouble, so look for that to continue, unless the staff believes he is needed for at least 30 minutes to win.

Caris LeVert will be the wild card, and Zac Irvin will look to mix into the flow. Walton has held up very well in his short five game career. He looks like a big time player.

Will see if the shots fall. As an aside, the author considers Florida State a slightly better team than Iowa State. But that dog has left the porch and new missions await.

Nov 17, 2013; Ames, IA, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Nik Stauskas (11) dunks the basketball against the Iowa State Cyclones at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State beat Michigan 77-70. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY SportsWhat You Need To Know:
Nik Stauskas has scored 20-plus points in each of his last four games (93 points, 23.3 ppg). After opening the season 1-for-5, he has gone 28-for-51 (54.9 percent) over the last four games with a career-best 26 points vs. Florida State.

Nik Stauskas has had at least three long range buckets in each of the past four games and has shot 16-for-30 (53.3 percent) during that stretch. He had a career-best five against S.C. State, four at Iowa State and vs. Long Beach State and three vs. Florida State.

Nik Stauskas has made 16 three-pointers over his last four games.

Nik Stauskas and Caris LeVert have accounted for 30 of U-M’s 51 three-point field goals.

As Mitch McGary continues to get back into games more and more he is averaging 9.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, shooting 52.0 percent since his return three games ago.

Michigan has four players scoring in double figures led by Nik Stauskas (20.4), Caris LeVert (14.2), Glenn Robinson III (13.4) and Derrick Walton Jr. (11.0).

Glenn Robinson III is the only Wolverine to score in double figures in all five games

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff

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