Tale Of The Tape: Michigan Defense Takes Away Opposition's Top Threat

Through 10 games, Michigan basketball is beginning to form its identity. Offensively, the Wolverines move the ball extremely well and play through freshman center Hunter Dickinson. Defensively, they take away the opposition's biggest scoring threat and, at once, make everybody else uncomfortable.

Michigan's opponents have shot an effective field goal percentage (eFG%) of 43.8 percent (13th in the country).

The Wolverines don't even force many turnovers, with opponents giving it away on just 15.2 percent of their possessions (329th). It's been good old fashioned on-ball guarding, with spectacular help-side defense, that has allowed Michigan to be the 18th-most efficient defensive team in the country thus far, per Kenpom.

RELATED: Michigan Basketball Recruiting: All Six Signees Move Up In Updated Rankings

RELATED: Dan Dakich: Michigan 'Can Beat Anybody,' Is The 'Best Team' In The Big Ten

The Wolverines' defense is spearheaded by senior guard Eli Brooks, who is becoming widely regarded as one of the top defensive players in the Big Ten. He has been terrific guarding the other team's best ball-handler.

How tough is it to go up against Brooks? Just ask Michigan's players that have to do so on a daily basis in practice.

A lot of people overlook Eli,” senior forward Isaiah Livers said recently. “He’s a great defender. I honestly hate when he guards me in practice. You can’t come off no ball-screens, you can’t drive. He doesn’t give up ankles.”

Added fifth-year senior guard Mike Smith: "He contests everything and is really hard to get by. And he’s a competitor. I think that’s one thing you can see out there in a game. He may be undersized but he’s going to fight like he’s 6-5, 6-6 and guard the 6-5 player like he’s 6-5, 6-6. And he’s going to go out there and compete every day.”

It's not just Brooks, either. The entire team has begun to click defensively as of late, under the tutelage of top defensive assistant Saddi Washington. The length of sophomore wing Franz Wagner, senior guard Chaundee Brown, Livers and others has left opposing teams frustrated.

"We haven’t really seen that kind of size and physicality and length in any of our games we’ve played yet, and I think that really knocked us back," Northwestern head coach Chris Collins said after his team's 85-66 shellacking in Ann Arbor.

After Michigans' win over No. 16 Minnesota last week in which the Wolverines gave up just 0.84 points per possession, Michigan's defensive efficiency rose from No. 28 in the country, per Kenpom, to its current spot at 18th, proving the team continues to build its prowess on that end of the floor.

A closer look at the numbers, in addition to intently observing every game, shows that Michigan focuses first and foremost on shutting down its opposition's top offensive threat and forcing others to make enough plays to win the game — and the Wolverines have the personnel to do it, with Brooks and Brown in the backcourt, Livers and Wagner on the wings and Dickinson down low.

As seen in the chart below, Michigan is limiting opposing teams' top offensive option to less than stellar numbers.

Each player that met the criteria for being a team's 'go-to guy' was deemed the most significant contributor by Kenpom — which factors in usage rate and offensive rating — that sees action in 60 percent or more of the minutes on the season.

'Go-to guys' are averaging 15.1 points per game against Michigan, but keep in mind that many of the teams U-M faced in the non-conference don't have many options that can score, especially when up against a high-major opponent like the Wolverines. And also notice that those 15.1 points per game are coming after taking many, many shots from the field, with 'go-to guys' shooting a dismal 30.9 percent from the field.

The above players are averaging a combined 16.4 points per game — which is just above what they've posted against Michigan — but are shooting 41.2 percent from the field, which is much higher than the aforementioned 30.9 percent clip against the Maize and Blue.

Michigan — and likely Brooks — has another tough challenge upcoming, with fifth-year senior guard D'Mitrik Trice (14.8 points per game) and Wisconsin heading to town Tuesday.

---

• 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