No. 1 seed Michigan basketball doesn't know its opponent for Saturday yet, but the Wolverines are already practicing for their NCAA Tournament opener against the winner of 16-seeds Mount St. Mary's and Texas Southern. The Maize and Blue successfully went through two rounds of COVID-19 PCR testing before they were able to hit the practice floor for an hour and a half at the Indianapolis Convention Center Monday night.
While head coach Juwan Howard and his staff are already scouting both possible opponents, the Wolverines are focusing on improving themselves throughout this week.
"At the end of the day, getting better — that’s the key," Howard said on the Inside Michigan Basketball radio show with Brian Boesch and Terry Mills. "We want to use each day to get one percent better so we can be prepared to face our first opponent on Saturday."
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A huge storyline entering the postseason is Howard's lack of head coaching experience in the tournament, similar to many in the basketball world questioning if he would be able to successfully lead a college program when he was hired in the spring of 2019. He's answered a lot of questions about his coaching ability already and is likely looking forward to answering more in the weeks to come.
Though he hasn't been a head coach in the Big Dance yet, he has plenty of experience with March Madness as a player, helping lead the Maize and Blue to two national title games and one Elite Eight back in the 1990s ahead of his 19-year NBA playing career.
"I remember the Final Four and I remember the championship, playing in the domes," Howard said. "I remember it just like it was yesterday, and I can take it back to the preparation of how the coaching staff pivots, when you don’t know who you’re going to play the next game and they’re scrambling to get game film on an opponent you might be facing in the next 48 hours."
It plays to Howard's benefit that he has a staff full of experience. Associate head coach Phil Martelli led St. Joe's to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 24 years as the head man in Philadelphia, while lead defensive assistant Saddi Washington was a part of some deep runs by Michigan under John Beilein.
Howard has been clear with his intentions this season, often saying throughout the year that the ultimate goal is to be the "last team standing on Monday night in April." There's three weeks until a champion is crowned, but his group is focused on the prize, while still knowing they have to survive and advance to get there.
"It’s a very intense situation," Howard said. "I know our players are looking forward to this opportunity. They’ve been working extremely hard and have been reminded of how important it is and reminded about the end goal. Now, the day has arrived.
"We just gotta take it one game at a time, that’s what it’s all about — just winning your first game and not looking ahead."
Michigan will likely be without senior forward Isaiah Livers for the tournament, barring a very quick recovery from a stress injury. He's officially "out indefinitely," which means Howard and Co. need to push the right buttons to try to make up for his production.
Livers went out of the Big Ten quarterfinal against Maryland early in the second half and didn't return, only playing 15 minutes. Michigan got 23 bench points that helped spring it to a 13-point victory over the Terrapins. The Wolverines then saw their bench score just nine points in a semifinal loss to Ohio State, reminding onlookers of how important consistency is, and how much of that Livers brings to the table.
Junior forward Brandon Johns was tapped to start in Livers' absence, and he played some solid minutes, scoring seven points — all at the free throw line — and coming down with eight rebounds. How he fares in his new role will play a key role in how far Michigan can go this March.
"The offensive rebounding was great," Howard said of Johns. "I’ve also seen his toughness in the interior on the offensive end with his back to the basket, being able to mix it up, because Big Ten basketball is physical. That’s one thing that people don’t talk about enough about Brandon, he’s a very athletic, physical forward that is versatile in a lot of ways.
"He’s going to get better, he’s going to continue to get better no matter what."
Howard also pointed out that it's going to have to be a collective effort to make up for what Livers brings to the team, and that just one guy isn't going to be able to do it. Some starters will have to elevate their play, and some bench players will have to thrive while stepping into bigger roles.
Michigan's first-round game tips off at 3 p.m. ET Saturday on CBS at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.
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