Big Ten Tournament Preview: Michigan's Path To Another Championship
Michigan Wolverines basketball (19-3, 14-3 Big Ten) enters the 2021 Big Ten Tournament as the No. 1 seed after winning the conference's regular season championship outright.
The Maize and Blue are set to take the floor Friday at 11:30 a.m. ET against the winner of Maryland versus Michigan State.
Below is a look at Michigan's path to a Big Ten Tournament title, with facts, stats and notes on each of the Wolverines' potential opponents. But first, here's a quick look at Michigan.
RELATED: How Michigan Plans To Regain Lost Momentum Heading Into Postseason
MICHIGAN
Record: 19-3, 14-3 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 3rd
Offensive Efficiency: 6th
Defensive Efficiency: 4th
Projected NCAA Seed: 1
Top Performers: Freshman center Hunter Dickinson (14.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 59.6 FG%); senior forward Isaiah Livers (13.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 44.6 3PT%); sophomore wing Franz Wagner (12.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 50.2 FG%)
Notes
• Senior guard Eli Brooks left the last game with an ankle injury, and his status for this weekend is questionable.
• Clinched the outright Big Ten title March 4 with a 19-point win over Michigan State.
• Lost two of its last three games, including a 23-point drubbing against Illinois March 2 and a six-point setback at MSU March 7.
• The Wolverines have made the last three Big Ten Tournament championship games, and won two of them (2017 and 2018).
The Bracket
Quarterfinals: Friday, March 12 (11:30 a.m. ET) — Michigan Against Winner Of No. 8 Maryland vs. No. 9 Michigan State
MARYLAND
Record: 15-12, 9-11 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 30thth
Offensive Efficiency: 43rd
Defensive Efficiency: 27th
Projected NCAA Seed: 10
Against Michigan: Lost 84-73 Dec. 31 at home, fell 87-63 Jan. 19 at U-M
Top Performers: Junior guard Eric Ayala (14.5 PPG, 4 RPG); junior guard Aaron Wiggins (14 PPG, 5.8 RPG), sophomore forward Donta Scott (11.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG)
Notes
• In the first meeting against Michigan, the Terps left Dickinson in one-on-one coverage, allowing him to go off for 26 points. In the second meeting, they double-teamed him, but the Wolverines hit 13 threes on 25 attempts.
• Has the second best field goal percentage defense in the Big Ten, allowing opponents to make just 40.4 percent of their attempts.
• Went on a five-game winning streak from Feb. 16 to Feb. 28, but dropped its last two games, at Northwestern and versus Penn State, two of the league's weaker teams.
***
MICHIGAN STATE
Record: 15-11, 9-11 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 55th
Offensive Efficiency: 83th
Defensive Efficiency: 36th
Projected NCAA Seed: 11
Against Michigan: Lost 69-50 on the road March 4, won 70-64 at home March 7
Top Performers: Junior forward Aaron Henry (15.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG), fifth-year senior guard Joshua Langford (9.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG); redshirt junior forward Joey Hauser (9.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG)
Notes
• The Spartans won five of their last seven games, including three wins over teams that were ranked in the AP top five at the time (Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan). That late-season stretch helped solidify them as an NCAA Tournament team, despite the chances looking slim in the weeks prior.
• Michigan was without Brooks for the final 35 minutes of its March 7 loss in East Lansing.
Semifinals: Saturday, March 13 (1 p.m. ET) — Winner vs. No. 4 Purdue, No. 5 Ohio State Or No. 13 Minnesota
PURDUE
Record: 18-8, 13-6 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 13th
Offensive Efficiency: 22nd
Defensive Efficiency: 21st
Projected NCAA Seed: 4
Against Michigan: Lost 70-53 at home Jan. 22
Top Performers: Junior forward Trevion Williams (15.2 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 52.8 FG%), freshman guard Jaden Ivey (10 PPG, 3.4 RPG), redshirt junior guard Sasha Stefanovic (9.7 PPG, 41.5 3PT%)
Notes
• The Boilermakers were without Stefanovic (COVID-19) in their loss to Michigan Jan. 22. His three-point shooting percentage of 41.5 percent is sixth in the Big Ten.
• Purdue started the season 7-5 but finished 18-8, after winning 11 of their last 14 contests, including five straight to end the season.
• Ivey had a mid-season revelation and is averaging 14.1 points per game over his last eight contests.
***
OHIO STATE
Record: 18-8, 12-8 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 7th
Offensive Efficiency: 4th
Defensive Efficiency: 83rd
Projected NCAA Seed: 2
Against Michigan: Lost 92-87 in Columbus Feb. 21
Top Performers: Sophomore forward E.J. Liddell (16 PPG, 6.5 RPG), junior guard Duane Washington Jr. (15.3 PPG, 36.8 3PT%), fifth-year senior guard CJ Walker (9.1 PPG, 4.2 APG)
Notes
• Ohio State is set to take on Minnesota Thursday afternoon in the second round.
• The Buckeyes have lost their last four games, but three of those setbacks have come against very good teams in Michigan, Iowa and Illinois.
• It was an offensive slugfest when the Wolverines and Buckeyes met Feb. 21, with both teams scoring over 1.3 points per possession. Washington scored 30 points and Liddell dropped 23.
***
MINNESOTA
Record: 14-14, 6-14 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 60th
Offensive Efficiency: 66th
Defensive Efficiency: 59th
Against Michigan: Lost 82-57 on the road, won 75-57 at home
Top Performers: Redshirt junior guard Marcus Carr (19.3 PPG, 4.9 APG), fifth-year senior forward Brandon Johnson (8.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG), freshman guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. (7.8 PPG)
Notes
• The Gophers hadn't won since Feb. 11 before defeating Northwestern Wednesday night in the Big Ten Tournament's opening game.
• Junior center Liam Robbins (11.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG) and junior guard Gabe Kalscheur (9.2 PPG) are each out with injuries.
• Brooks was out for Michigan with a strained foot in the Gophers' win over the Wolverines.
Championship Game: Sunday, March 14 (3:30 p.m. ET) — Winner vs. No. 2 Illinois, No. 3 Iowa, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 7 Rutgers, No. 10 Indiana Or No. 14 Nebraska
ILLINOIS
Record: 20-6, 16-4 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 5th
Offensive Efficiency: 7th
Defensive Efficiency: 6th
Projected NCAA Seed: 1
Against Michigan: Won 76-53 in Ann Arbor March 2
Top Performers: Junior guard Ayo Dosunmu (20.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.2 APG, 40 3PT%), sophomore center Kofi Cockburn (17.3 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 66 FG%), senior guard Trent Frazier (10.6 PPG, 3 RPG, 38.3 3PT%)
Notes
• Illinois was without Dosunmu when it beat Michigan in Ann Arbor March 2. Frazier was magnificent in his absence, scoring 22 points, while Cockburn put up an efficient 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
• The Illini have won 11 of their last 12 games, with the lone loss coming at Michigan State.
***
IOWA
Record: 20-7, 14-6 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 4th
Offensive Efficiency: 2nd
Defensive Efficiency: 61st
Projected NCAA Seed: 2
Against Michigan: Lost 79-57 Feb. 25
Top Performers: Senior forward Luka Garza (23.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 45 3PT%); junior guard Joe Wieskamp (15.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 48 3PT%); fifth-year senior guard Jordan Bohannon (10.3 PPG, 4.3 APG, 40 3PT%)
Notes
• Wieskamp is considered "day to day" after injuring his ankle in the regular-season finale against Wisconsin.
• The Hawkeyes had a rough stretch from late January to early February in which they lost four of five games, but they rebounded to win seven of their last eight contests of the regular season.
• In Michigan's 22-point win over Iowa Feb. 25, Garza was held to 16 points on 5-of-17 shooting.
***
WISCONSIN
Record: 16-11, 10-10 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 11th
Offensive Efficiency: 30th
Defensive Efficiency: 13th
Projected NCAA Seed: 7
Against Michigan: Lost 77-54 in Ann Arbor Jan. 12, fell 67-59 at home Feb. 14
Top Performers: Fifth-year senior guard D'Mitrik Trice (13.8 PPG, 3.9 APG, 38.6 3PT%); fifth-year senior forward Micah Potter (13 PPG, 6 RPG); senior guard Brad Davison (9.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG)
Notes
• Wisconsin plays Nebraska late Thursday night.
• Wisconsin held a 12-point lead over Michigan at halftime Feb. 14, before the Wolverines outscored the Badgers by 20 after the break to win in comeback fashion.
• The Badgers have lost their last three games and five of their last seven, and have not beaten a Big Ten team with an above .500 conference record.
***
RUTGERS
Record: 14-10, 10-10 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 33rd
Offensive Efficiency: 68th
Defensive Efficiency: 17th
Projected NCAA Seed: 9
Against Michigan: Lost 71-64 at U-M Feb. 18
Top Performers: Junior guard/forward Ron Harper Jr. (15.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG); senior guard Jacob Young (14.5 PPG, 36.6 3PT%); senior guard Geo Baker (10.2 PPG)
Notes
• Rutgers will match up with Indiana Thursday night.
• While Michigan won by seven in the lone regular-season meeting between the two programs, Rutgers outscored the Wolverines by two points in the second half.
• The Scarlet Knights have lost three of their last five games of the season, including a bad loss to Nebraska.
***
INDIANA
Record: 12-14, 7-12 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 39th
Offensive Efficiency: 55th
Defensive Efficiency: 43rd
Against Michigan: Lost 73-57 at home Feb. 27
Top Performers: Sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (19.1 PPG, 9 RPG, 51.5 FG%); sophomore guard Armaan Franklin (11.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG); senior guard Aljami Durham (11.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG)
Notes
• The Hoosiers take on Rutgers Thursday evening.
• Indiana lost its last five regular-season games.
***
PENN STATE
Record: 10-13, 7-12 Big Ten
Kenpom Rank: 35th
Offensive Efficiency: 34th
Defensive Efficiency: 44th
Against Michigan: Lost 62-58 in Ann Arbor Dec. 13
Top Performers: Junior guard Myreon Jones (15.5 PPG, 39.6 3PG%); junior guard Izaiah Brockington (12.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG); sophomore forward Seth Lundy (10.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG)
Notes
• Took down Nebraska in the first round Wednesday night and will face Wisconsin Thursday night.
• Penn State has now won three of its last four games.
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Sign up for our daily newsletter and breaking news alerts
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @AustinFox42, @JB_ Wolverine, Clayton Sayfie and @DrewCHallett
• Like us on Facebook