Coach John Beilein has kept Michigan on the map for several years, and he has no intentions of stopping. The Wolverines are coming off a very fascinating run in the 2018 NCAA Tournament with Villanova being the only wall they could not break through. A 79-62 loss to Villanova ended a great season for Michigan with a final record of 33 wins and 8 losses, and 13-5 in the Big Ten Conference.
With a new look team with big names going through the NBA Draft, Michigan looks to fill the gaps and start right where they left off.
Key Returners
- Charles Mathews – Guard
- Zavier Simpson – Guard
With many players taking their career to the next level in the NBA, Michigan has gotten lucky with their returners. The 6’6 guard known as Charles Mathews decided to come back for another season as a Wolverine, which has got all Michigan fans happier than ever. Mathews averaged 13 points per game making him the second highest scorer on the team behind Moritz Wagner. Joining the backcourt for another season is the 6’0 guard Zavier Simpson. Michigan will now have familiar faces to run their backcourt for this upcoming season.
Key Losses
- Moritz Wagner – Center
- Muhammed-Ali Abdur-Rahkman – Guard
- Duncan Robinson – Forward
The Wolverines will be without 3 of their top five guys for this upcoming season, so this team has big shoes to fill. Without the sharpshooting big man known as Moritz Wagner lighting up the floor, this Wolverine squad is going to have to find new ways to score. Michigan will also be losing two more key assets in Robinson and Abdur-Rahkman. These three players ranked number one, three, and four as Michigans top scorers from last season. Hopefully, veterans like Mathews and Simpson can fill those shoes.
Key Newcomers
- Brandon Johns
- Ignas Brazdeikis
When a team loses a player, they need to anything in their power to find someone to fill in that spot. That is exactly what Michigan did, as they brought in the 6’8 Forward out of East Lansing, Michigan. Johns was ranked 16th overall on 247sports list of top power forwards in the class of 2018. Johns brings energy and versatility to this Michigan squad. Another prospect looking to make an impact is Small Forward Ignas Brazdeikis. Like Johns, he can play both forward spots and can bring energy to any game.
Projected Starting 5
- Zavier Simpson
- Jordan Poole
- Charles Mathews
- Isaiah Livers
- Jon Teske
Season Outlook
The mone thing that Michigan does not want to do is settle. They know that they were one game away from winning a championship and that haunts coach Beilein everyday. This team has to be hungry to get back to the point they were, and if they have that same drive it doesn’t seam like a hard goal to reach.
Charles Mathews needs to be ‘the man” for the Wolverines, but that is not hard for him. Last season he averaged 13 points per game, and look for him to score even more this year. Mathews will have to do everything in his power to make this team the powerhouse they were last year.
Record Prediction: 27-8 (12-6)
Though the Big Ten Conference has some teams that can match up with Michigan, the Wolverines expect to be the force they were last year. With teams like Michigan State, and Maryland in their way, it doesn’t seem like a hard task for Michigan to be on top. Expect Michigan to be top three in their conference, and make a big run in the NCAA tournament next season.
