It has been a dream season for Michigan basketball fans.
The Wolverines are 34-3, setting a school record for wins. They won the Big Ten regular-season championship, swept Michigan State, beat Ohio State three times, and are on the doorstep of their first Final Four in eight years.
Standing in the way are the Tennessee Volunteers, who will be equally motivated. The Vols have made the Elite 8 three straight years. This the fourth straight season they made the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, but they are still seeking that Final Four breakthrough under Rick Barnes.
The Vols are blessed with one of the most talented players in the country, Nate Ament. The dynamic freshman is scoring 17 points per game and grabbing 6.4 rebounds. The 6-foot-10 forward also shoots 34 percent from beyond the arc, yet shoots just 43.6 percent on twos.
Yaxel Lendeborg will likely get the assignment, simply because Tennessee starts two other bigs, 6-foot-11 Felix Okpara and 6-foot-11 J.P. Estrella. They each attempt 0.3 3-point attempts per game, which makes them a much better matchup than, say a team like Wisconsin, where every big man can shoot.
Aday Mara and Morez Johnson didn't have a huge impact on the Alabama game. Mara didn't play a ton. It wasn't his style of game, while Johnson just struggled, missing three point-blank layups.
That can't happen again. Dusty May said his bigs would respond after being so-so on Friday, and they need to. Tennessee is legit, and Ja'Kobi Gillepsie is on fire. He's averaging 22 points per game in the NCAA Tournament with nearly six assists per game. The 6-foot guard is also making 40 percent of his 3-point attempts.
There is nothing about this matchup that will be a walk in the park. However, the odds are still favoring Michigan by just over a touchdown.
Final odds and prediction for Michigan vs. Tennessee
The Wolverines opened as 7.5-point favorites. In the last day, that hasn't changed. Vegas still pegs Michigan basketball as a 7.5-point favorite over Tennessee. The over/under is 146.5. The moneyline for Tennessee is +280 and -355 for Michigan.
This will be the fourth NCAA Tournament meeting between Michigan and Tennessee since the 2012 season. The Wolverines have won all three games.
Elite 8 prediction
This will be more of a Big Ten basketball game. Tennessee starts three players at 6-foot-10 or taller. The Vols are also the second-best offensive-rebounding team in college basketball (15.8 per game).
That's a number that stands out. Tennessee rebounded 55 percent of its missed shots in the win over Iowa State. However, the Vols also surrender 10.3 offensive rebounds per game (161st), so there is some vulnerability on the boards, too, especially for a team like Michigan.
It feels like Michigan matches up well against Tennessee. The Vols have a freshman, who is extremely talented, but will matched up with National Player of the Year finalist Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg dominated the second half against Alabama, just like he did against Saint Louis. He needs to be the best player on the court. If he is, Michigan will advance.
Ultimately, Lendeborg and the front court will be too much to overcome. Roddy Gayle will play a key role off the bench, especially with his defense. Trey McKenney will deliver another double-digit game off the bench, and the Wolverines will win more of a defensive battle, pulling away in the final minutes of a hard-fought game.
Michigan 77, Tennessee 67.
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