The top-seeded Michigan Wolverines will take on the Florida State Seminoles this Sunday in the East Region Sweet 16. This is the first time the two teams have met since their matchup in the Elite 8 back in 2018 when Michigan fought off the Noles to punch a ticket to the Final Four. The Wolverines enter Sunday as 2.5 point favorites.
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What You Need To Know
Date: Sunday, March 28th
Game Time: 5:00 PM ET
Network: CBS
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Michigan Preview
The Wolverines stand as the lone Big Ten team remaining in this year’s tournament. Michigan defeated LSU in the previous round in a roller-coaster game. Behind 21-point performances from Eli Brooks and Chaundee Brown Jr., Michigan was able to outlast LSU 86-78. Michigan has shown in the tournament that they are just as dominant as people expected them to be. “Empty the Tank” has been the motto around the Michigan locker room.
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Some experts wrote off Michigan after losing stat senior guard Isaiah Livers to a foot injury during the Big Ten Tournament, but the Wolverines still look like strong contenders. Michigan Head Coach Juwan Howard announced after the LSU game that Livers is “out indefinitely” and the team does not know if they will see him return this year. To continue advancing, Michigan will have to rely on more strong performances from Eli Brooks, Chaundee Brown and Hunter Dickinson.
Florida State Preview
In the previous round, Florida State beat Colorado 71-53 to advance to the Sweet 16. Anthony Polite scored a career-high 22 points, and the Seminoles seemed unfazed by the Buffaloes. Florida State has proven in this tournament that they are an athletic, physical team. The team’s biggest threat, M.J. Walker, has been explosive on the offensive end at both the rim and from beyond the arc.
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The biggest factor to look for in FSU’s game is turnovers. FSU was one of the worst teams in the ACC in turnovers given and gave the ball up 15 times against Colorado. However, the Seminoles have been dominant on the defensive interior, as well as having the highest three-point percentage in the ACC. Both of these teams are extremely efficient offensively, and you can expect a hard-fought battle to the end.