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Michigan Basketball: 3 Keys to Wolverines beating Florida State

By Chris Peterson

Mar 20, 2021; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard (middle right) breaks a huddle with his players and staff during the first half against the Texas Southern Tigers in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Bickel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2021; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard (middle right) breaks a huddle with his players and staff during the first half against the Texas Southern Tigers in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joshua Bickel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Joshua Bickel-USA TODAY Sports
Joshua Bickel-USA TODAY Sports /

Michigan basketball is one day away from its Sweet 16 matchup against Florida State and here are three keys to victory for the Wolverines. 

The Michigan basketball team won’t be playing Saturday, but the NCAA Tournament does resume today as the Sweet 16 gets underway.

This is when things sort of get real. Teams are now just two wins away from reaching the Final Four and while there are tons of Cinderella stories, this is generally when the cream rises to the top.

Michigan basketball is one of three No. 1 seeds left in the tournament and heading into Sunday’s game against Florida State, the Wolverines are the slight favorite.

But as we detailed earlier this week, Florida State is long, athletic and talented. The Noles shoot the ball very well from 3-point range and have one of the most dynamic players in the country, Scottie Barnes, coming off the bench.

If Michigan finds its way into the Elite 8, it will have earned it and here are three keys to the Wolverines beating Florida State on Sunday.

Eli Brooks needs to keep it rolling

When it comes down to it, Eli Brooks might be as important as any player for Michigan basketball on Sunday. For one, he’s going to be guarding M.J. Walker for Florida State, but also the Wolverines really need Brown’s offensive output to continue.

With the way that Florida State plays and how long they are, Brooks is probably going to have to spend stretches playing point guard as he did against LSU, even longer than normal.

For all the things Mike Smith does well, the size of LSU clearly bothered him and with the way the Noles switch screens, he’s going to be guarded by a lot of size.

That doesn’t mean he won’t be effective, but last week when Brooks played the point alongside Chaundee Brown, Franz Wagner, Brandon Johns and Hunter Dickinson, Michigan rolled and right now, that might be their best lineup.

Since the postseason started, Brooks has transformed. He’s averaging 16 points per game and has connected on 14-of-27 shots from 3-point range. On top of that, he’s got 16 assists and just two turnovers.

Brooks is sort of channeling his inner Derrick Walton Jr., who got incredibly hot down the stretch during the 2017 tournament run and even though Brooks isn’t a point guard, I’d like to see him play there against FSU and keep the shots falling.

If he does that, Michigan’s going to have a good chance to move on.

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