Three storylines to watch in TCU basketball’s showdown with No. 6 Michigan
TCU men’s basketball has an opportunity to make up for its season-opening upset loss to New Orleans when No. 6 Michigan (2-0) rolls into Schollmaier Arena at 8 p.m. Friday on ESPN2.
It’s one of the biggest nonconference games in program history and a chance to earn some national attention. It’s also the start of a gauntlet for the Horned Frogs (2-1). After facing the Wolverines, they host Kansas City; play No. 10 Florida and either No. 24 Wisconsin or Providence at a tournament in San Diego; host Notre Dame; and take on North Texas at Dickies Arena.
It’s a chance for TCU to build a strong NCAA Tournament resume well before the start of Big 12 play, but there’s also a chance the Horned Frogs could put themselves behind the 8-ball if they go on a losing streak.
After taking Tuesday off after Monday’s win over Lamar, the Horned Frogs used Wednesday and Thursday to make their final preparations for the Wolverines.
“You want to have two days to prepare for an opponent, and that’s where we’re at,” coach Jamie Dixon said Monday. “We’ve got to improve defensively. We did improve these last couple days. We’ve got to improve again here. We didn’t come up with the loose balls off of deflections like we should have, and that’s a problem.”
Here are three things to know about No. 6 Michigan ahead of Friday’s showdown:
Massive frontline
The Wolverines may have one of the best frontcourts in the country, with three big men they can rely on. Morez Johnson Jr., a 6-foot-9 transfer from Illinois, leads the team with 17.0 points per game and is third with 5.5 rebounds while playing just 23 minutes per game.
UCLA transfer Aday Mara stands at 7-3 and could be a disruptive presence Friday. The Spaniard is averaging 15.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game this season. Mara has clearly been much a better fit in Ann Arbor, as he never averaged more than 6.4 points in his two seasons at UCLA.
Yaxel Lendeborg, a 6-9 UAB transfer, was viewed as one of the country’s best portal prospects this offseason. He was a two-time first-team All-AAC selection and two-time league Defensive Player of the Year. He’s averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds this season.
The Horned Frogs will have their hands full trying to slow down the versatile frontcourt without starting center Malick Diallo, who is out for the season.
Top-tier floor general
One player who has made life easier for the Michigan big men is North Carolina transfer point guad Elliot Cadeau, a former five-star prospect. After playing two seasons with the Tar Heels, Cadeau headed north and is having the best season of his career.
He’s been one of the top playmaking guards in the country with 9.5 assists per game, and he’s also added value as a scorer with a career-high average of 11.0 points per game. Cadeau isn’t the most efficient shooter, as he’s hitting below 34% from 3 and just 38% from the field overall, but his ability to create for others has helped Michigan average 103 points in its first two games.
What we learned from Wake Forest
While TCU will be playing its first high-major opponent, the Wolverines got their first taste of big-time competition in an 85-84 overtime thriller against Wake Forest on Monday.
The Wolverines led by 13 at halftime before the Demon Deacons stormed back. Clearly gassed, the teams combined for only nine points in overtime, and Cadeau hit the go-ahead free throw with 13 seconds left.
So how were the Demon Deacons, who were picked to finish 11th in the ACC, able to push a team with Final Four potential to the limit? For starters, they held Michigan to just 16% on 3-pointers (4-for-25). Wake Forest only shot 29% from distance but hit six more 3s than the Wolverines.
The 3-point shot has always been a great equalizer, but will TCU be able to replicate that formula? The Horned Frogs are shooting below 30% from 3, and it’ll likely take TCU’s best shooting performance of the season to pull off the upset.
Wake Forest also forced 17 turnovers that turned that into 16 points to help jump-start the comeback.
Limiting 3s, holding its own inside and finding a way to play in transition off turnovers will be essential for TCU.
