3 keys and a prediction for Michigan basketball vs. Wake Forest
1-0. ESPN2. 2-0 . 448. 485. Sunday, November 10th. Game info . Michigan -1. 1:00 PM EST
After watching the Michigan basketball team score 100 points earlier this week, it's safe to say that the excitement is palpable for Sunday's road game against Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons have NCAA tournament aspirations just like Wolverines do. They have struggled in their two wins and haven't covered the spread, while Michigan basketball won by 48 as a 20-point favorite.
Both teams have a bunch of new players and we are still getting an idea of what each team is going to be. For Michigan basketball, this is the first big test under Dusty May. Things have looked great so far but they will still be against a top-75 team basically on the road.
Here are three keys and a prediction.
Contain Hunter Salis
Make no mistake, Wake Forest has talent. The Demon Deacons have four players who were top-100 recruits coming out of high school. Hunter Sallis, who averaged 18 points per game last season for Wake, was ranked 15th overall.
In two games, Sallis has regressed, mainly from the 3-point line, and is shooting just 11 percent from deep. As a team, Wake Forest is shooting just 24 percent.
That's bound to change. My hope is that Sallis, at least, doesn't get going on Sunday. Michigan basketball has been switching screens and it wil be interesting to see if that continues. Tre Donaldson is a solid defender but Sallis is a different animal and containing him will be key.