Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: Analyzing each team’s overall offense for 2020-21 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

ANN ARBOR, MI - FEBRUARY 08: Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines in action in the first half of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Crisler Arena on February 8, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - FEBRUARY 08: Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines in action in the first half of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Crisler Arena on February 8, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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Michigan Basketball, Isaiah LIvers
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 12: Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

Michigan Wolverines

2019-20: 73.2 ppg in Big Ten play

Losing 7’1 starting center Jon Teske (11.6 ppg) will hurt the Wolverines offense. So will losing their starting point guard in Zavier Simpson (12.9 ppg). The return of Austin Davis (4.9 ppg) as a graduate student is very fortunate for Michigan Basketball as he is the insurance policy if 7’2 freshman Hunter Dickenson is not ready to compete in the Big Ten. Davis played early minutes for Teske in games and the best-case scenario for Coach Juwan Howard is to maintain that rotation as well.

Coach Howard only managed to play eight players in double-digit minutes last season, the 2020-21 season will see Coach Howard not only maintain that but increase it. The loss of Teske and Simpson will be countered by bench contribution and by Isaiah Livers (12.9 ppg) playing more than 19 games. The absence of Teske is the perfect opportunity to not implement the double high post, when Livers and freshman starting point guard Zeb Jackson are on the court.

Both have the ability to take their man to the basket, and although Jackson was a back-up to Cade Cunningham in high school, he is a threat from deep as well. Wagner and Brooks would get a lot of open looks from the corner thanks to Teske drawing the double team, now they will benefit from Livers’ drive and kick out, with no fear of the double high post clogging the key.

Players coming off the bench will allow Coach Howard to continue some of the sets that focused around the frontcourt. Instead of Teske, Davis will have Brandon Johns Jr (6 ppg) in the high post with him as well as the high/low post offense. Wagner even had success in the post last season, but a lot of that was a by-product of playing opposite Teske.

The guards coming off the bench are going to not only provide some scoring but scoring within the system. Columbia transfer Mike Smith averaged almost 23 points per game last season while shooting 34 percent from the arc. Smith and Davis will be able to play in and out with each other, with Brandon Johns sitting in the corner as he did on the post entries to Teske. At 6’7 Jace Howard may be the only payer able to play small forward off the bench giving Coach Howard ten guys to work with this season.

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