3 Keys and a Prediction for Michigan Basketball vs. no. 22 Xavier

With the win over Virginia Tech, Michigan basketball moved into the Fort Myers Tip-Off championship game, which will be Wednesday night against Xavier.

The Musketeers come into the game 6-0. They have beaten Wake Forest, the only team Michigan basketball has lost to, as well as South Carolina. The other wins were buy games. Michigan basketball has wins over TCU and Virginia Tech, plus game-buying wins.

At first glance, there are similarities between the two teams, starting with the fact that both drastically turned their rosters around last season. Sean Miller is still the head coach at Xavier, but after a 16-18 season, the Musketeers are reloading by adding Ryan Conwell from Indiana State, who is averaging 17.5 points per game. match. He is an elite 3-point shooter at 47 percent and makes 3.7 per game.

Conwell will be an important matchup for the Wolverines. He has made two triples in every game this season. He went 2-for-8 against South Carolina, but like Michigan, which shot 29 percent from 3-point range, the practice facility also required some adjustment.

I expect both teams to shoot better on Wednesday night. Zach Freemantle is another name to know. The 6-foot-9 center will be an interesting matchup for Michigan with Vlad Goldin. He shoots 55 percent on 2-point attempts, but is a 41 percent shooter from 3-point range and loves to shoot as a trailer in transition, where the Musketeers are dangerous, as are the Wolverines.

Xavier is ranked in the AP poll but is actually 38th in the Kenpom ranking compared to 32nd for Michigan basketball. It should be a fun game and a chance for the Wolverines to add a signature win to their resume.

Here are three keys and a prediction.

Both teams want to get out in transition and stop the other team from doing so. Xavier has been dangerous in transition, but not so much against big opponents.

Michigan also wants to get out in transition and attack. The Wolverines struggled in the early parts of the Virginia Tech game, but finally got some things going, and their biggest problem was a lack of good looks off the turnovers.

Freemantle and Conwell are really good shooters in transition and they are not alone, so transition defense will be important. Taking advantage of transition scoring opportunities will also be key, especially against the No. 13 adjusted defenses in college basketball according to Kenpom.