LSU Basketball will need Cam Thomas to come up huge to beat Michigan

Active Hands

Michigan’s Mike Smith is a guard that has displayed his ability to use ball screens properly throughout the 2020-21 season, and he showcased that skill once again on Saturday against the Texas Southern Tigers.

The 5’11” senior guard is more than capable of stopping abruptly near the free throw line before accelerating toward the basket, but he is able to really to excel when he patiently waits for Franz Wagner to lift up from either corner (normally the left corner, but either corner will do), so that he can hit Wagner in stride as he is giving himself a running start.

Wagner is a dangerous driver when he is playing this role because his defenders typically have a difficult time keeping him out of the paint without hand-checking him. So how should LSU make sure that this action doesn’t hurt them on Monday? Well, the guard that is tasked with guarding Smith must make it difficult for him to make that pass comfortably.

I’m not necessarily saying that they have to get a fingertip on the ball or snag it out of the air every time, but they should prioritize fully extending their arms, and making Smith think twice about delivering a pass over to a streaking Wagner.

Don’t get me wrong though, LSU would certainly benefit from forcing a few turnovers and cashing in on a few transition scoring opportunities, but if they are able to use their hands to disrupt the rhythm of Michigan’s offense and force them to take tough shots late in the shot clock, they will undoubtedly give themselves a chance to win the contest.