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Michigan Basketball: 3 keys for the Wolverines against South Carolina

By Adam Childs

ANN ARBOR, MI - DECEMBER 1: Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines shoots a three point shot during the second half of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Crisler Center on December 1, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Purdue 76-57. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - DECEMBER 1: Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines shoots a three point shot during the second half of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Crisler Center on December 1, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Purdue 76-57. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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WICHITA, KS – MARCH 17: Jordan Poole #2 and Moritz Wagner #13 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate Poole’s 3-point buzzer beater for a 64-63 win over the Houston Cougars during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena on March 17, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
WICHITA, KS – MARCH 17: Jordan Poole #2 and Moritz Wagner #13 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate Poole’s 3-point buzzer beater for a 64-63 win over the Houston Cougars during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena on March 17, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Michigan Basketball returns home to take on South Carolina on Saturday after a tough road game at Northwestern on Tuesday. Can they fend off the Gamecocks and remain unbeaten?

Matchup: South Carolina Gamecocks (4-4) at Michigan Wolverines (9-0)

Date and time: Saturday, Dec. 8 at 12:00 p.m. ET

TV schedule: FS1

Location: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, MI

Michigan is coming off a tough two-point win on Tuesday at Northwestern. It was the first time all year that the Wolverines had a close game. After being up by as many as 15 early in the second half, the Wildcats made a run and actually led by three before Michigan hit back to back threes to stop the run. The win moved Michigan to 2-0 in Big Ten play and 9-0 overall. That quick start has allowed the Wolverines to move up to number five in the latest polls.

On Saturday the Wolverines host a struggling South Carolina team. Two years removed from their first ever final four run, the Gamecocks are not even close to the same team. They are just 4-4 on the year and are coming off a tough loss to Wyoming on Wednesday night. South Carolina also has losses to Stony Brook and Wofford. Not exactly the start the Gamecocks were hoping for.

These two teams could have met in the Air Force Reserve Tip-Off tournament in November, but South Carolina lost to Providence and Michigan beat George Washington. The Wolverines would go on to easily beat the Friars in the championship, while South Carolina did pick up third place by beating GW.

On paper, Michigan is the far superior team and ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Wolverines a 93.7% chance to win the game. So what do the Wolverines need to continue to stay unbeaten? We take a look.

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