THE OVERVIEW Michigan is coming off an important win against San Diego State after three losses in their first three games against high-major competition, and now attention turns to the annual December conference play prologue. The schedule makers have done Michigan a favor by breaking them in as gently as possible with games against two of the four teams in the league that look real, real bad. Nebrasketball is up first, and then a Minnesota team with exactly one name you've heard of before… maybe. But, anyway, Nebraska. The Cornhuskers picked up Arizona State transfer Alonszo Verge, added a five-star freshman wing in Bryce McGowens, and also got a guy from Japan to replace Thorir Thorbjarnsson as their annual "he's from where?!" dude. The Cornhuskers were supposed to be kind of interesting as a result, but they've lost to everyone ranked inside the Kenpom top 200 they've played—although they did take NC State to 4 OTs and currently sit 102nd in those same rankings. They're coming off a 13-point loss to Indiana at Assembly Hall. One major factor in this lack of interesting-ness: Trey McGowens broke his foot against Creighton and has been out. He was using a scooter to get in the vague area of a scuffle against NC State a week ago; he is not expected to play. Maybe they'll be interesting next year. I will never give up on Interesting Nebraska. THE US Seth's graphic [click to embiggen]:
faq for these graphics We do not expect Moussa Diabate to play after Juwan Howard said he "pray[s] that he gets healthy" and "there's no rush to get him back." THE LINEUP CARD Seth's graphic [click for big]:
Note that there are four pretty extreme Just A Shooters on this roster: Tominaga, Mayen, Wilcher, and Breidenbach. [Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the preview.]