GBMWolverine
Fansided

3-point shooting was a positive for Michigan Basketball in Europe

By Chris Peterson

IMG Academy's Jett Howard (13) shoots a layup during the first half of the 48th annual City of Palms Classic semifinal between IMG Academy and Oak Hill Academy, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla.Oak Hill Academy led IMG Academy 35-34 at halftime.City Of Palms Classic 2021: IMG Academy vs. Oak Hill Academy semifinal
IMG Academy's Jett Howard (13) shoots a layup during the first half of the 48th annual City of Palms Classic semifinal between IMG Academy and Oak Hill Academy, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla.Oak Hill Academy led IMG Academy 35-34 at halftime.City Of Palms Classic 2021: IMG Academy vs. Oak Hill Academy semifinal /
facebooktwitterreddit

Looking at the positives from Michigan basketball’s trip to Europe, one thing was the 3-point shooting. Here’s a deeper look. 

Last season, Michigan basketball didn’t shoot the ball well enough, particularly from 3-point range and that’s one reason why its season ended in the Sweet 16.

With Hunter Dickinson in the lineup, opposing teams have almost no choice but to double team. It’s either that or allow Dickinson to dominate them down low because very few college basketball teams have defenders good enough to take him 1-on-1.

Dickinson will face a few of them this season. But he’s an NBA-level center, at least on the offensive end of the floor. His skills just aren’t as valued as they once were which is why he’s back in college for another season or maybe two.

The Wolverines needed shooting and got it

The objective this offseason was to surround Dickinson with shooting and just talent in general. Michigan upgraded its shooting at the point guard position with Jaelin Llewellyn and he shot 40 percent from 3-point range during the trip to Europe and averaged 16 points per game.

His work in the pick-and-roll was impressive and he and Dickinson are going to drive people crazy. Yet, the Wolverines still need shooters surrounding those guys and the trip showed that Michigan basketball might have what it needs.

Jett Howard was a high-ranking four-star recruit and he was 6-of-13 in the first two games from beyond the arc (46 percent). It will be different on the road in a college basketball game, but it was good to see Howard play well. He even went 4-for-8 in the second game.

Kobe Bufkin didn’t make a 3-point pointer on the trip but it’s still early and outside of getting more floor time, this trip doesn’t mean much and it won’t mean much once camp starts.

Isaiah Barnes shot the ball well though and if the 6-foot-7 combo wing could turn into a reliable option in the rotation that would be huge. He was 4-for-5 (3-pointers) in the first two games and it’s always good to give the staff another option.

The Wolverines didn’t even have Joey Baker of Youssef Khayat and they are both solid shooters from beyond the arc too, especially Baker.

Next. Depth chart projection for Michigan basketball. dark

We’ll have to see how all the puzzle pieces fit together for Juwan Howard, but so far, it looks like Michigan has achieved its objective of surrounding Hunter with 3-point shooters.

Home/Michigan Basketball