Michigan Basketball: 2019-20 keys for Wolverines to beat Oregon

3. Hit their outside shots

It is not a mystery that Michigan is a three-point shooting team. Juwan Howard has introduced Jon Teske into the offense more, but the offense is predicated on making shots from the outside. In their two losses, they have been awful from the outside.

Teams are going to start trying to get Michigan off the three-point line and when the Wolverines have been pressured they have struggled to hit their shots. But they have run their offense well enough that they have gotten open shots, they just need to start knocking them down.

Michigan has good shooters than get in a rhythm and Franz Wagner will find his stride, but they need to start falling. It is pretty easy to see when they shoot the ball well they can play with anyone in the country, but when they struggle from the outside they go through long slumps.

The Wolverines are good around the rim and that is important also because it opens up the outside to get open shots. But if they aren’t hitting those shots it puts more pressure on Simpson to get the ball inside. Against Illinois, he started to force the offense because of frustration and that is not their game.

Simpson is much better attacking the rim when the teams aren’t expecting it, not every possession. But if the Wolverines are hitting from the outside it opens up the inside also and makes Simpson’s job much easier. If Michigan has to win the game from the inside it is not a recipe for them to win many games. They can win some but they need the outside shot about as much as anybody in the country.

Michigan is looking for a big win Saturday against Oregon and gets their third top ten wins of the year. Playing at home should help as the Wolverines have struggled on the road. Oregon is a good team, but beatable. It should be a fun game, but Michigan comes out focused and limits Pritchard and company and bounces back and proves they belong in the top five despite their losses.

Prediction – Michigan 79, Oregon 73