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Michigan Basketball: 3 things Wolverines must do to beat UCLA

By Brock Heilig

Mar 28, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Mike Smith (back to camera) celebrates with forward Brandon Johns Jr. (23) after defeating the Florida State Seminoles in the second half during the Sweet 16 of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2021; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard Mike Smith (back to camera) celebrates with forward Brandon Johns Jr. (23) after defeating the Florida State Seminoles in the second half during the Sweet 16 of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan basketball is just one win away from reaching its third Final Four in the last eight NCAA tournaments.  Here’s what it needs to do to make sure that happens.

Feed Hunter Dickinson

The Michigan basketball big man hasn’t exactly dominated thus far in his first NCAA tournament, but Dickinson should be expected to have a monster game on Tuesday night.  Dickinson has quietly averaged 14 points per game through three games in the NCAA tournament, and he’ll look to increase that number against the Bruins.

The 7-footer spent most of the Big Ten regular-season feasting on the opposing team’s big men, and I expect much of the same from him in the Elite 8.  UCLA puts out a starting lineup in which its tallest player (Cody Riley) is just 6-foot-9.

Obviously, the height difference isn’t a guaranteed key to success, as we just watched Michigan basketball dismantle a much taller Florida State team, but it is worth noting that Dickinson will have four inches and 30 pounds on the UCLA big man.

Get the guards involved

Although they’re small, Mike Smith and Eli Brooks make up one of the most underrated backcourts in college basketball.  We watched Smith take over with 18 points and 15 assists against Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament, and we saw Brooks take over with five 3-pointers in Michigan’s win over LSU in the Round of 32.

Despite their greatness all year long, both were held to single digits in scoring in Michigan’s sweet 16 win over Florida State.  Of course, much of that can be chalked up to the Seminoles’ size, but each of the Wolverine guards shot just 3 of 9 from the field on Sunday night.

UCLA doesn’t have nearly the size that the Seminoles do, so I expect both members of the Michigan backcourt to have bounce-back games against the Bruins.

Increase bench production

The Wolverines lost a lot of depth when Isaiah Livers went down with a foot injury, which resulted in Brandon Johns Jr. being inserted in the starting lineup.  Chaundee Brown has held the sixth-man spot the entire year and has bounced back with 21 and 12 after a scoreless outing in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

Austin Davis has reduced his production, posting just 14 combined points through the first three rounds of the tournament.  Davis has seen a decrease in minutes in the last few games, but has plenty of experience to back up Hunter Dickinson should he get in foul trouble.

dark. Next. Grading Michigan's win over FSU

Apart from Brown and Davis, Michigan basketball hasn’t seen consistent production from any of its other bench players so far this season.  If given the minutes, Terrance Williams would be the next guy expected to step up.  Brown, Davis, and Williams will need to put up solid bench minutes if the Wolverines want to hang another final four banner.

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