Oregon Basketball: 2019-20 keys for Ducks to beat Michigan Wolverines
By Bryan Mauro
Post Defense
Those that follow Michigan know they have one of the more versatile big men in the country with Jon Teske. Teske can step out and hit multiple threes in a game. He is a great rebounder and plays great post defense. How coach Altman deploys his big men to help defend Teske will be important. Teske can change the game with his offense, but Michigan can bury an opponent if the team is too aggressive on its defense with Teske.
As was mentioned, Michigan has one of the best point guards in the country, they also always have two of the better shooters on the floor in Isaiah Livers and Eli Brooks. Oregon can’t let those guards beat them. Coach Altman should single cover Teske, which is going allow him to keep Michigan honest and may alleviate some of the wide-open shots that Livers and Brooks always seem to get.
Without Dante, the Ducks are going to have to use Francis Okoro almost exclusively on Teske. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to make Teske beat them by himself. The center is very good, but he is so much better when the guards are creating separation and spreading the floor. Okoro is not going to be useful if he leaves the paint. Freshman CJ Walker and Chandler Lawson are going to be tasked with denying the entry pass from their spots on the wing.
They are also going to be relied on to cover Teske and Livers on the perimeter to try and force them into tough shots. That leaves Okoro underneath to clean up the rebounds. Losing Juiston and not having Dante is going to be huge in this aspect of the game.