We don’t have an answer for a 7’1” center who can pop 3’s all night. Deny deny deny.
Our hope is a hot shooting night.
I suspect that that 7'1" center will not dominate the game. He is not a volume outside shooter and Hayes frequently has to play out on the perimeter on someone. So we know he can do that.
The players Michigan plays more than 10 minutes a game on average are:
Brazdeikis FR 6-7 215, 15.0 Pts, 5.3 Reb, 0.9 Ast, .498 on 2 point shots .410 on 3 point shots .769 on FTs
Poole, SO 6-5 195, 2.7 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 2.2 Ast, .523 on 2 point shots, 372 on 3 point shots, .824 on FTs
Matthews, SR 6-6 205, 12.3 Pts, 5.0 Reb, 1.4 Ast, .480 on 2 point shots, .315 on 3 point shots, .646 on FTs
Teske, JR 7-1 260, 9.7 Pts, 7.0 Reb, 0.9 Ast, .612 on 2 point shots, .311 on 3 point shots, .612 on FTs
Simpson, JR 6-0 190, 9.1 Pts, 5.0 Reb, 6.7 Ast, .519 on 2 point shots, .304 on 3 point shots .667 on FTs
Livers SO 6-7 235, 8.1 Pts, 4.0 Reb, 0.8 Ast, .575 on 2 point shots, .443 on 3 point shots .775 on FTs
Brooks, SO 6-1, 2.5 Pts, 1.2, 1.1 Ast, .447 on 2 point shots, .298 on 3 point shots, .750 on FTs
Michigan is 319th in tempo and UF is 345th in tempo by Ken Pomeroy's tempo measure
Michigan like Nevada does not turn the ball over much.
I heard on a Fox Sports Radio show today calling UF +6.5 a pick of the day or something like that that Saturday will be Michigan's 5th game in 9 days. Their view was those extra tourney games catch up with a team more in the second game. We shall see.
I think this is a game were UF has a talent edge, but Michigan has a coaching experience edge. Regardless of the seeds I see this as a good match up for UF. It is a game UF will and should not be favored in, but it is a game UF can win.