THE ESSENTIALS WHAT #57 Michigan (13-10) vs #98 Nebraska (11-13) WHERE Crisler Arena Ann Arbor, MI WHEN 6:30 PM THE LINE Kenpom: M -8 Torvik: M -8 TELEVISION BTN (streaming) THE OVERVIEW Nebrasketball: a constantly changing array of faces with more or less the same results annually. This year the Cornhuskers are relatively stable, which for them means they rank 249th in minutes continuity. They've also maintained Kenpom continuity, more or less. Every year under Fred Hoiberg the Cornhuskers are somewhere in the 100-150 range, give or take. This year's edition is just outside of the upper end of the range thanks to some actual wins, headlined by beating #12 Creighton by ten at their place. They've also beaten Iowa, PSU, and OSU in Big Ten play, but got pounded y St Johns, Oklahoma, and Memphis in their other three major nonconference games and are 4-9 in Big Ten play. We have reached the stage in the "must win" conversation where it is near literal. Michigan nee
THE ESSENTIALS
WHAT
#19 Michigan (6-4, 1-1 Big Ten) vs #135 Southern Utah (7-3, 2-0 Big Sky)
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WHERE
Crisler Arena Ann Arbor, MI
WHEN
7 PM Eastern Saturday, 12/18
THE LINE
Kenpom: M -14 Torvik: M -14
TELEVISION
BTN
THE OVERVIEW
Michigan stumbles into the traditionally light portion of their December schedule at 6-4, in deep trouble in several areas and searching for answers. Southern Utah arrives as a buy game, and a slightly dangerous one. The Thunderbirds are coming off a 20-4 2020-21 that saw them win the Big Sky title by fractions because they went 12-2 instead of 12-3 welcome to the club and rank just outside the Kenpom top 100.
Southern Utah has only played two KP100 (or close enough) opponents, losing by 19 to #37 St. Mary's and in double overtime against Cal. They are probably not a threat to a top 20 team… but Michigan has not played like one this season.
THE US
Seth's graphic [click to embiggen]:
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Diabate return
12/7/2021 – Michigan 102, Nebraska 67 – 6-3, 1-0 Big Ten
You don't want to take too much away from a game against Nebraska, because there are two kinds of games against Nebraska: one in which they hit a bunch of garbage and you have a mildly competitive game, and 35-point blowouts. After Keisei Tominaga hit two tough threes one a relocation, the other a stepback over a Brooks contest to give the brief semblance of the former, this one quickly settled into the blowout.
Nebraska's always been a team with huge roster turnover and this year is no different, so you have things like Michigan casually walking the ball upcourt and still getting what's more or less an open transition three for Caleb Houstan:
Jason Benetti is depressed on behalf of all basketball coaches everywhere who had to witness this. At some point even the partisan observer is asking Nebraska to show some sort of organization so that maybe this can be a better measuring stick
But! Nebraska has been rea
THE ESSENTIALS
WHAT
#18 Michigan (5-3) vs #102 Nebraska (4-2)
WHERE
Ann Arbor Elder Law Arena Lincoln, NE
WHEN
7 PM Eastern
THE LINE
Kenpom: M -7 Torvik: M -4
TELEVISION
ESPN2
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