The five-seed in the South Region, the Michigan Wolverines, take on the Auburn Tigers. They've survived many tests throughout the season but face their toughest yet in the one-seed from the SEC. It's not impossible, but the Big Ten school will need to execute on specific things in order to advance to the Elite 8.
Let’s get to the three magic keys for the players in Maize and Blue:
Key No. 1: Pound The Glass
Michigan’s dynamic duo of big fellas (Vladislov Goldin and Danny Wolf) are really tough to guard. Both are really versatile, but in this game, having their bodies down low is of utmost importance. It’s quite difficult to guard two players over seven feet. That seems like an obvious comment. But it’s true. Goldin had a fantastic game over Texas A&M, earning 23 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the process. That’s the type of performance that Michigan needs from him, especially from a rebounding perspective. If you’re Michigan, you definitely want to make your possessions count, so getting as many as they can is vital.
Danny Wolf is someone who the Wolverines have relied on a lot from a ball-handling perspective. Having his size and handling the ball gives the Wolverines a combination of a guard and of someone who plays down low. Getting Wolf on the glass as well as Goldin will give Michigan those extra possessions and allow for kick-out passes to the likes of Donaldson, Tschettar, and Burnett, who all have shown the capability to knock down some threes.
Key No. 2: Tre Donaldson
I just put Tre’s name as the key because his play has been incredibly valuable the entire season. It was just one play, but the three-pointer he had against UC San Diego kept Michign going, and the last second shot in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals which was a fantastic layup going to the bucket. Could we see another big moment like that from Donaldson?
Key No. 3: Take Care of the Basketball
Giving away possessions is something that Michigan does not want to do. Some of their trouble late in the regular season stemmed from turnovers. When Michigan takes care of the ball, they’re a team that can play with anyone. Each possession that Michigan has is crucial, so just like key number one in regards to rebounding, taking care of the ball is also something Michigan is going to want to get done.