Michigan vs Louisville: 2019-20 College basketball game preview, TV schedule
By Joey Loose
Michigan and Louisville will meet in an intense Big Ten/ACC Challenge game in northern Kentucky. Will the Wolverines keep their hot start going or can the Cardinals take care of business at home?
TV schedule: Tuesday, December 3, 7:30 pm ET. ESPN
Arena: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky
No team in all of college basketball has done more to raise their stock than Michigan (7-0). First year head coach Juwan Howard has done nothing less than lead his Wolverines to the Battle 4 Atlantis title, knocking off top ten teams in Gonzaga and North Carolina with ease. He absolutely has Michigan trending in the best direction possible, though their toughest challenge awaits.
Some new faces are causing major damage for the Wolverines in the early season. Junior forward Isaiah Livers (17.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg) had 21 points against Gonzaga last week while senior center Jon Teske (13.3, 9.7 rpg) emerged with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Another big piece to the Michigan puzzle is senior guard Zavier Simpson (12.3 ppg, 9.7 apg), who added to his impressive season with 13 assists against the Bulldogs.
Michigan has risen to 10th in KenPom, while many rankings and projections will have them ranked even higher after their hot start. The pair of top 10 wins is impressive, as is their impressive offensive play in the first few weeks. Free throws have been a bit of a struggle, but the team has shot lights out from all over the court. The defense was strong against North Carolina and Gonzaga, but will it keep up as the season progresses?
On the home side, Louisville (7-0) has also begun their season perfectly, though the expectations were certainly higher from the Cardinals. Chris Mack’s second season as head coach has helped produce a big turnaround and this squad could certainly compete for the ACC crown this year. They made quick work of Western Kentucky their last time out, though this team will face it’s hardest test against the Wolverines.
There’s plenty of talent on this Cardinals roster but the player to watch is clearly junior forward Jordan Nwora (21.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg). Nwora came back for his third year at Louisville and should be a favorite for ACC Player of the Year, fresh off a 25 point effort against the Hilltoppers. Someone else to watch is senior forward Dwayne Sutton (11.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg), the team’s top rebounder and someone who can also hit outside shots. There’s talent among the guards on this team, but watch out for senior center Steven Enoch (10.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg), who exploded for 17 against Akron last week.
Louisville ranks 2nd in KenPom, including 2nd in offensive efficiency at this point in the season. They’ve played one of the weakest schedules in the nation and will certainly begin to be tested with this game. So far, they’ve been excellent at nearly every statistic, though forcing turnovers has been a bit of a struggle. They’ve allowed 62 or fewer points in 5 of their 7 games, but Michigan will be the most dangerous offense they face.
For the Wolverines, they need to take Nwora and the crowd out of the game early. This is a squad that believe it or not is still gelling and this is their first real true road test. For the Cardinals, they’ll need their bigs to win the battle down low, needing to play firm defense on Teske. If Nwora has another explosive outing, then it’ll be difficult for the Wolverines to win this game.
Next. Biggest takeaways from Feast Week. dark
The rematch of the 2013 national title game (which had no winner?) presents us with one of the most exciting Big Ten/ACC Challenge games. Michigan has already shown they can win big games over elite teams, but could this be Louisville’s chance to prove their worth. Homefield advantage will play a role for the Cardinals and I think it helps them eke out the win.