6 Things that will be different with this year’s Michigan basketball team. GO Blue Hoops Ep 51

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This is episode number 51, and we’re getting much closer. The official start of practice was Monday. Forty-one days until the first game. That’s November 2nd against the great Greg Kampe and the Oakland University Grizzlies. I think this is going to be a carryover of some excellent basketball that we’ve seen over the last two years.

Now, let me take you back in time. One year ago, I was at the Davidson practice facility in Ann Arbor, ready for the Michigan-Central Michigan football game. Michigan won that day 63-3. Great tailgating, fantastic weather, the whole bit.

I watched basketball practice, and as I watched, remember, this was last year, I said to myself, this team can be stifling on defense. They can be special on offense because they’re loaded with scorers. They have so many options and great balance.

The enthusiasm—you only get this kind of enthusiasm when you’ve got players who know that they’re really good and special things are coming. It was an unselfish team, a hardworking team, physical, tough, great chemistry. They liked each other. The coaches liked the players and vice versa. It was really evident, and it became a national championship team, the best team in 109 years of Michigan basketball.

So, this past Saturday, I went to practice again and watched our new team as I was preparing for the University of Texas-El Paso, UTEP, football game. I asked myself a really important question: Last year was as good as it gets. What is the difference between last year’s team and this year’s team?

I came up with six reasons that I think this team will be unique and different from last year. Not necessarily better, but in some cases, yes. Let me go through those six differences that I found. I think you’re going to find them pretty interesting.

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Number one, the most obvious difference is the coaching staff. Dusty May has proven to be an elite coach in so many ways. Think about the X’s and O’s and the adjustments he makes, the motivation, the recruiting, the skill development, the player evaluation, the communication, the game management. I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me someday if Dusty May ends up in the Hall of Fame.

He’s that good. Over the last three years, Dusty May’s record is 89-22. As good as anybody. And because of that, it’s the reason he is currently an NBA head coach and no longer in college. I expect him to be an elite head coach in the NBA. I have no doubts about that whatsoever.

So, the big difference is that we have a new coach, and his name is Mike Boynton. He takes over, and so far, I like everything that I’ve seen about him. I’m not saying he’s Dusty May. I’m not saying he’s going to run the same system. Dusty May has proven to be sensational, and Mike Boynton may as well. We have to sit back, watch and evaluate as he goes on.

But the key thing is I expect the momentum from last year to continue. Mike Boynton has shown that he can recruit. Remember, last year he brought the players back. He retained the roster, and his players love him. That’s why they returned.

The only one who did not was LJ Cason, and he basically told us that he’s a Dusty May guy. He wants to be closer to home. He’s got a lot of rehab to do. He’s not in a rush. And so that totally made sense.

Back to Mike Boynton. Four years ago, I broadcast an Oklahoma State game that he was coaching. He was the head coach of the Cowboys. He had Cade Cunningham, and the things that I saw made sense to me.

He is a defense-first coach. He has hired a really good staff that specializes in offense, and I do think that they will contend for a Big Ten title again this year. I expect a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Once again, a new-look coaching staff for Michigan, and I am extremely optimistic about Mike Boynton and his staff.

Okay, so what else? Number two, the approach on offense will be different. Last year’s team scored 87 points per game. I think that 80 points per game for this team would be just fine.

So why the big difference? Last year, Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara were the best three big men in all of college basketball and the best ever in Michigan basketball history.

Remember, this is going to be year number 109, and it’s going to be hard to have the same caliber big men. Also add Will Tschetter last year, the perfect bench contributor.

So what about the fact that last year Michigan had dominant big men? Yes, they did. They were post-oriented. They were dominant at both ends of the court. But the thing that I’m looking for this year is Michigan’s team is going to be guard-oriented. Big difference.

Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney will be the best backcourt in the Big Ten, maybe in all of college basketball. There’s a lot to like about these two guys. They’re two-way players. They’re extraordinary leaders. I expect 35 points per game combined. Deadly three-point arsenal.

A couple of other observations at practice: Elliot Cadeau looks like he’s really hit the weight room. He’s added upper-body strength. He may be the best rebounding guard in the Big Ten.

And Trey McKenney has been unstoppable in the three practices that I have seen. I expect him to be top three in the Big Ten in scoring. I love this backcourt. I think they’re truly elite.

And as I’m talking about the guard play, to put in perspective how balanced and tough they’re going to be, last year, how many Michigan players were in the top 20 in Big Ten scoring? Think about it. Who might it be?

The answer is no one.

Michigan had zero players score in the top 20 in the Big Ten last year. Yaxel was 21st. Michigan relied on balance. Great guard play is the second difference that I see from Michigan.

All right, number three. The next difference that I noticed at practice: Last year, Michigan basketball was the epitome of analytics basketball. They followed the metrics of getting layups, dunks and three-pointers as the highest-value shots.

I think this team will be much more focused on mid-range scoring. It’s not a coaching emphasis. It’s a focus on what the players do best.

So when I look at Elliot and Trey, they excel with the mid-range game. They get their floaters. They get their power post moves. They finish off drives. Postman JP Estrella loves that eight-foot jump hook to the middle on both sides. That’s mid-range.

Mustapha Amzil is a mid-range scorer. If you watched him at Cincinnati, he likes to shoot threes, but the majority of his points are scored in the middle of the paint. I think we’re going to see a lot more mid-range out of this team.

Okay, key number four. Last year, Michigan had great size, but on the offensive glass, they struggled to me. Think back for a second. What would you guess was Michigan’s rank in the Big Ten in offensive rebounding last year?

Think back. Think back. Were they good? Were they hot? No. Number eight in the Big Ten in offensive rebounds. That surprises a lot of people. Illinois and Michigan State were number one and number two in offensive rebounding. Are you surprised? I was a little bit.

This Michigan team will be much better on the offensive glass. JP Estrella is an absolute stud on the offensive boards. He’s one of the best offensive rebounders I’ve seen from Michigan players in the past.

Also, Amzil is long and will get his hands on offensive rebounds to keep them alive. Oscar Goodman, a fantastic ball chaser. And when Jaylen Reed gets healthy—and he’s looking better every time I see him—he is a talented rebounder as well.

Michigan’s big guys will generate offensive production by getting to the offensive glass. Also, when I look at Michigan’s guards, I think they do a really good job, especially Elliot Cadeau, who does wonderful work on the offensive glass.

All right, number five. A significant upgrade will be three-point shooting from Michigan’s four and five spots. Last year, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara combined for 15 three-pointers made all year.

I’m predicting that JP Estrella, Mustapha Amzil and Jaylen Reed will each have over 15 threes on the season. Also, Oscar Goodman has been working really hard on his threes. I think he will contribute.

Quinn Costello is 6-foot-10. He will play some at the four, and I think he is a pure, pure shooter. I wouldn’t be surprised—brace yourself—if he gets 60 threes this year. That’s how good I think he can be.

Marcus Moller has three-point range. I love his form. I still think it’s going to be hard for him to get 15 threes because he’s just not going to play enough minutes.

Also, from a perspective standpoint, I didn’t count Yaxel when I talked about the four and the five shooting because I think he was a small forward all season long. I listed him as a three, and that’s why he wasn’t on my list.

Regardless, the last and final difference that I want to share, number six, is that last year Lendeborg was the starting three. This year it will be Roddy Gayle Jr. That will be a different look, especially with Brandon McCoy’s injury.

Now, Roddy came up after practice and said he is so excited to get all of this NCAA lawsuit and restraining-order stuff over with and put him back on the team officially. He’s been practicing every day. He looks great.

And on Thursday, back in his home state of New York, he has his case. He said that he is very, very confident that he is going to be allowed to play college basketball for the University of Michigan, his fifth year in five. He said that the evidence is strongly in his favor. His lawyers are very confident.

He also said that there are so many football players who are in the exact same situation as him. When you look at the current Michigan roster on ESPN, Roddy Gayle Jr. is not listed. My sincere hope is that next week he will be.

I hope you enjoyed talking some hoops. Those are the six differences that I see between last year and this year moving forward.

I am so excited to follow this team and bring you more access and discovery about the University of Michigan basketball team. Thanks, guys.

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