Michigan hopes to make amends in order to continue their winning streak at home against Michigan State.
During Juwan Howard’s tenure as the head coach of Michigan men’s basketball, a noticeable trend has developed in the series against rival Michigan State: the series is consistently split. Specifically, in the last four years, the home team has emerged victorious in each encounter. As Howard enters his fifth season, this pattern remains unbroken, with the Wolverines falling short in East Lansing in January. In the upcoming game against the Spartans at home, Howard aims to secure a win and prolong his team’s home winning streak.
However, Michigan is facing challenges this season, marked by their worst performance in recent years. The team lags significantly behind Michigan State in both KenPom and NET rankings. To have a chance, Michigan must address the mistakes from their previous meeting.
Juwan Howard highlighted key areas for improvement, emphasizing the need to enhance transition defense, guard against paint touches, and prevent open threes, particularly from guard Jaden Akins. Rectifying these issues is a formidable task, considering the team’s consistent struggles with defense throughout the season.
Despite these challenges, the team has collectively reviewed the film from the January game and dedicated the past two days to improving defensive communication. Nevertheless, implementing defensive improvements is made more difficult after a demanding week, featuring two road blowouts.
Adding to the mix is the return of sophomore guard Dug McDaniel, who was unavailable in the first meeting due to a road-game suspension. While McDaniel contributes more offensively, his fresh legs bring increased quickness on both ends of the court.
However, potential depth issues loom for Michigan on Saturday, with Howard mentioning health concerns without providing specific details. The availability of certain players remains uncertain, posing a challenge for the team. Howard expressed the importance of good health and hoped for the presence of all players in the upcoming game.
Despite these uncertainties, the Wolverines anticipate a strong home-court advantage, fueled by the intensity of the in-state rivalry. Howard emphasized the comfort of playing at home, with familiar surroundings and supportive fans, including Michigan alumni.
Even with home-court advantage, McDaniel’s return, and awareness of necessary improvements, the Wolverines face the formidable task of assembling all the pieces effectively, a feat they have struggled to achieve throughout the season.
