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Michigan vs. Florida State: NCAA Tournament game preview, schedule and prediction

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 22: The Michigan Wolverines bench celebrates their teams lead over the Texas A
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 22: The Michigan Wolverines bench celebrates their teams lead over the Texas A /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 22: Head coach Leonard Hamilton of the Florida State Seminoles reacts against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional at Staples Center on March 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 22: Head coach Leonard Hamilton of the Florida State Seminoles reacts against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional at Staples Center on March 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Each team’s style of play

Michigan

The first two games of the tournament were more of the Wolverines style, as they tend to play a slow pace. They’re a top-10 scoring defense and 20th in defensive efficiency. And while their scoring offense is considered average in D-1 basketball, the efficiency rates them as a top-35 offense.

Michigan uses constant ball movement for facilitating the offense, and takes a high percentage of shots from the three-point line. They won’t get many second possessions but does a good job preventing their opponents from doing the same.

Florida State

Similarly to Syracuse, the Seminoles have a team that’s unique and hard to game plan. That’s because they use not the normal seven or eight-man rotation, but 11-12 guys. This is how they were able to outlast both Xavier and Gonzaga, by constantly throwing bodies at them. In the first half against the Bulldogs, four Seminoles had two fouls. Yet it didn’t affect them one bit. Michigan plays around eight guys, but benefits from playing slower. We’ll see if Florida State speeds them up.

*One thing that both teams struggle with is free throw shooting. Michigan is ranked 321st, while Florida State is 279th. Remember that if it’s a close game.