Michigan Basketball: 3 predictions for Wolverines against UCF
Big night for the professor
For Michigan to win, Dickinson needs to play well inside on both ends. UCF loves to run in transition and in the halfcourt, it runs a ton of ball screens. That will put the onus on Michigan’s bigs to defend and Dickinson is a huge part of that.
Darin Green and Darius Perry are the top two scoring threats for UCF and are likely assignments for Brooks and Jones.
On the road, against a top-60 team in the Kenpom rankings, this is when your veterans need to step up and Brooks, who has been in a slump shooting lately, will break out of it tonight.
Eli and the other perimeter guys are going to get open looks if Dickinson can convert down low and the Wolverines play through him. It was highly successful last year and by the law of averages, if Eli gets opens looks tonight, he’s got to make a couple. The senior has hit multiple treys in six games already this season and tonight will be seven.
Prediction
This would be a quadrant-1 win for Michigan basketball and a much-needed boost of confidence heading into conference play.
Next. 3 things to watch vs UCF. dark
If the Wolverines want to avoid being on the bubble, adding a win like this, in a true road game, is essential. It’s not going to be easy but a big night from Dickinson, as well as solid games from Brooks and Jones, should be enough to lead U-M to a 70-64 win.