One down, one to go! After an absolutely dominating performance against St Bonaventure, LSU looks to take down the #1 seed Michigan.

Projected Lineup:

G Mike Smith- #12 SR 5'11 185
- 9.5ppg, 5.4apg, 43.5% 3P%
G Eli Brooks- #55 SR 6'1 185
- 9.2ppg, 39% 3P%, 92% FT%
G Franz Wagner- #21 Soph 6'9 220
- 12.7ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 37.8% 3P%, 84.6% FT%
F- Brandon Johns Jr- #23 JR 6'8 240
- 4.4ppg, 2.1rpg
C- Hunter Dickinson- #1 FR 7'1 255
- 14.3ppg, 7.3rpg, 60.7% FG%

Key Reserves:

G Chaundee Brown- #15 SR 6'5 215
- 7.4ppg, 2.9rpg, 39% 3P%
F Terrance Williams II- #5 FR 6'7 240
- 1.9ppg, 2.4rpg
F Austin Davis- #51 SR 6'10 250
- 5.6ppg, 2.9rpg

Player Breakdown

Guard Mike Smith is a grad transfer from Columbia University. He absolutely destroyed the Ivy League. Averaged 23ppg last season for Columbia but has been asked to be more of a facilitator now. He's a very good 3-point shooter but only 30% of his shots come from 3. He loves to penetrate into the lane and he's very good at kicking to very solid shooters or dumping it off to Dickinson.

Guard Eli Brooks has started the last two seasons. This season he's been asked to score a little less, but he's a very capable player. He shoots well from the outside but won't force shots. He really thrives at the FT line shooting 92%. However, he's not looking to attack the basket, he only has 39 FTA's all season. He's the epitome of a solid role player. Can score if you forget about him and doesn't make mistakes.

Guard Franz Wagner is a future NBA player. He's from Germany so he very much has a European game. Very good shot, but also very adept at slashing. I will say it a lot, but he's another player who won't make mistakes. 38% from 3, 85% FT shooter, 49% FG's overall. One thing to note though, since Livers has been out his scoring and percentage has been down.

Center Hunter Dickinson is their guy. He's an All-American (I think that's a sham) and 2nd team All Big Ten. He's a monster of a man and plays with an edge. He's not a shooter, but he is a throwback big man with great inside moves. Something that is very uncommon throughout the country but very relevant in the Big Ten is back to the basket big men. It's very old school basketball but it is effective. He has great moves and he's pretty athletic for his size.

Guard Chaundee Brown is another transfer. He was a 3 year starter at Wake Forest prior to Michigan. Averaged over 12ppg last season at WF. He really wants to shoot from the outside. He can attack but with Michigan he's asked to spread the floor for Dickinson. He's a solid role player off the bench for them.

Forwards Brandon Johns JR, Terrance Williams II, and Austin Davis are all role player forwards. Johns has seen an increased role with Livers out. He's a good player who is showing an ability to step out and spread the floor. Davis is another big man who is back to the basket and gives Dickinson a break.

Michigan Stats: (National Rank)
Offensive-

PPG: 76.5 (47th)
FG%: 48.3% (14th)
3P%: 38.5% (11th)
2P%: 53.5% (45th)
FT%: 77.9% (20th)
3PA: 19.8 (247th)
FTA: 17.0 (232nd)
APG: 15.6 (35th)
TOPG: 11.2 (46th)
ORPG: 8.1 (183rd)
OR%: 28% (103rd)
Possessions Per Game: 69.5 (251st)
Offensive Efficiency: 1.100 (15th)

Defensive-

PPG: 65.4 (47th)
FG%: 39.3% (11th)
3P%: 32.9% (118th)
2P%: 42.3% (3rd)
DRPG: 27.0 (16th)
DR%: 78.1% (37th)
Opponent OR%: 21.9% (37th)
Opponent FTA: 15.1 (43rd)
Opponent 3PA: 19.5 (69th)
BPG: 4.3 (48th)
SPG: 4.4 (33th)
Fouls Per Game: 15.0 (27th)
Defensive Efficiency: .941 (55th)

Stats Breakdown

Michigan's style is very easy to figure out. They play excellent defense, never gambling, funneling things to Dickinson and using length with Wagner, Dickinson, Johns/Davis to contest shots. In many ways, they are very similar defensively to St Bonaventure. They play disciplined, hard, tough. Chaundee Brown is an excellent defender, he provides a major spark off the bench for them.

As far as stats say, they do things pretty good. Their 2P defense is EXCELLENT. That's because of that length. They are vulnerable from deep. By no means will this be the best defense LSU has played this year, but it's very good and solid and will make LSU earn it.

Offensively, they're similar to their defense. They won't make mistakes, they won't force the issue, they will move the ball, force you to defend the entire floor. They shoot amazing from the FT line and the 3P line, but again, they won't force the issue. If they don't have an open player they won't shoot the 3 and will work the ball until they do. They work from the inside out. They want to get Dickinson LOTS of touches. Dickinson is a better passer out of the post than his numbers indicate. He gets doubled some and Michigan has been very good at spreading the floor and making the extra pass.

They play a slow pace and won't push the action if it is not there. They take care of the ball and really have few weaknesses.

This post was edited on 3/22/21 at 1:02 am