Michigan Basketball: Talent, experience earns 19th ranking in AP Poll

The AP released its preseason poll for college hoops Monday and Michigan basketball opened as the No. 19 team. Here’s why the ranking is just right.

The Michigan basketball team has accomplished a lot over the past couple of seasons. Most notably, the Wolverines played in the National Championship Game last April, making their second trip to the title game and the Final Four since 2013.

However, Michigan basketball has achieved a lot more than that the past two years. The Wolverines are the two-time winners of the Big Ten Tournament Championship and have made the Sweet 16 two years running.

And despite losing some key players from last year’s team, such as Moe Wagner, Duncan Robinson and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, John Beilein and the Wolverines are set for another big season and the voters of the AP Poll agreed with that Monday, ranking UM 19th in its preseason poll.

While the Wolverines will have to replace three starters, the starting lineup should already be taking place. Jon Teske should step in at center for Wagner and Jordan Poole will also step into the lineup at shooting guard. The other starters should be Zavier Simpson, Isaiah Livers and Charles Matthews, who all started a season ago.

Michigan Wolverines

Matthews gives Michigan basketball fans the most hope. He is the Wolverines leading returning scorer and is a player with solid NBA potential. Last season, he averaged more than 13 points and five rebounds, in addition to shooting 49 percent from the field.

In the NCAA tournament, he was even better, averaging 15 points per game and showing an ability to get the basket almost at will. That will be a huge factor this season. So will the development of Poole, who is best known for his game-winning shot against Houston. He didn’t light the world on fire, but he scored eight against Houston and seven points in the Final Four against Loyola, seven points that helped turn things around in the second half of that game.

On top of those two players, Livers, Teske and Simpson all helped the Wolverines have one of the best defensive units in school history and that should be another strong suit of this team in 2018-19. The Wolverines also have an impressive incoming class that features guys like Brandon St. Johns and Ignas Brazdeikis, who is the top-ranked recruit (No. 40 nationally).

Those seven players along with Eli Brooks gives Michigan basketball a solid rotation, that has a nice blend of youth and experience. David DeJulius, Adrien Nunez and Colin Castleton are three other freshmen to watch.  All in all, there is plenty of talent for Beilein to mold and develop.

In the Big Ten, only Michigan State ranked higher than the Wolverines. That’s not a surprise, seeing that the coaches and local media picked the Spartans to win the league. Purdue also came in the rankings at 23rd.

Thankfully for Michigan fans, basketball season starts soon and while the Wolverines have done a lot the past two seasons, they haven’t won the Big Ten regular season title, which would be a great goal for the 2018-19 season.