Michigan Basketball: 3 keys to beating Loyola-Chicago
Overwhelm them with size
Loyola center Cameron Krutwig is the team’s tallest player at 6 foot 9 inches tall. He generally plays about 20-25 minutes per game. That means that up to half the game, the Ramblers don’t play anyone above 6 foot 6 inches.
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Michigan could employ some small ball lineups for these situations. Isaiah Livers played a bit of center against Florida State when the Seminoles went small. But unless Michigan has really found a solid small lineup in practice this week, I think they should stick to what they know.
Mortiz Wagner should be able to eat up Krutwig. Krutwig is a solid player inside, but he’s not particularly mobile. Wagner’s already got a size advantage, and his ability to stretch the floor and showcase some of those Dirk Nowitzki-esque moves should pay off greatly.
Then you’ve got the prospect of Jon Teske playing an undersized team that likes to drive to the basket. If all goes right, Teske should be able to rack up blocks all night.
Loyola has lucked out on playing big men this tournament because of injuries or facing teams that generally play smaller. The last time it faced a true post presence was against Miami, when Dewan Huell went 5-for-7 from the field and blocked 3 shots. Michigan has potential to do better than that inside the paint.
Moritz Wagner is going to want to bounce back after a rough Florida State performance. Loyola presents a perfect opportunity to do so.