
We will get our first look at the Juwan Howard-led Michigan basketball program during the non-conference season. Which games will be the toughest for the Wolverines?
Michigan basketball has been one of the most successful programs of the decade, yet the 2019-20 season will represent a transition year.
John Beilein left for the Cleveland Cavaliers after 12 seasons in Ann Arbor and has been replaced by school legend Juwan Howard. It will be Howard’s first-ever season as a head coach at any level after spending the last six seasons as an assistant for the Miami Heat. There will be some bumps in the road has Howard grows into his new role, but this roster also has plenty of question marks.
Michigan’s three leading scores from last season – Ignas Brazdeikis, Jordan Poole, and Charles Matthews – all left for the NBA and the Wolverines don’t have any obvious replacements for any of the trio. Recruiting was hurt a bit by the coaching change, leaving a pair of four-star prospects in Franz Wagner and Cole Bajema as the only incoming talent.
That said, it’s not like Michigan’s roster is bare. Zavier Simpson returns as one of the nation’s best point guards, and both Jon Teske and Isaiah Livers have been starters in their careers. There are good role players surrounding them, but that trio will serve as the leadership unit of this group.
The Big Ten‘s 20-game conference schedule limits the Wolverines to only 11 non-conference games, and they are going to be tested often during that part of their schedule. They will potentially play six opponents from power conferences and could face five teams that will be ranked in the AP preseason top 25, many of which will come from the program’s inclusion in the loaded Battle 4 Atlantis field.
Which of these games will be the most difficult for the Wolverines? Find out as we rank all 11 of Michigan’s 2019-20 non-conference opponents.