Michigan Basketball: 3 things we learned from Juwan Howard’s debut

Offense has some issues

When the game was over, Michigan basketball played just eight players, which may have contributed to some of the struggles at the end, as guys logged heavy minutes in the season opener.

That also showed that Howard doesn’t trust anyone besides the eight guys that played last night and Franz Wagner, which is probably a correct assumption. Cole Bajema might get some run at some point and Austin Davis too, but there are nine core guys on this team and that’s it.

Getting outscored 46-33 in the second half was alarming, especially since the Wolverines finished the game with 11 turnovers, including six from Simpson and five from Livers, two of Michigan’s best players.

Livers will need to get more comfortable with the ball and he needs to do a better job of creating his own shot. Wagner might be the best at doing that and the eight-point win showed how badly he is needed.

Simpson will certainly play better and as he goes, so go the Wolverines. The turnovers will get corrected. But the offense is still stagnant and as long as Wagner is out, UM is going to need guys like David DeJulius, Brandon Johns and Colin Castleton to step up.

Last night that trio combined for 13 points off the bench. Castleton had eight, Johns had five and DeJulius had zero, even though he had three assists.

Of course, there is no need to fret. This season was always going to be a building process with so many young players seeing action and the next step is next Tuesday vs Creighton.