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Michigan basketball: takeaways from a gutsy win over Wisconsin

Confidence is at an all-season high for Michigan basketball.

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Feb 26, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Hunter Dickinson (1) is congratulated by teammates after making a three point basket to tie the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan basketball is catching fire at the right time as the Big Ten Tournament rapidly approaches. Most recently, the Wolverines picked up a big-time victory over the Wisconsin Badgers in dramatic fashion. The game seemed to be in hand for the most part until late when Wisconsin began to close the gap and take the lead. However, in what some may consider to be something of a miracle, Hunter Dickinson sent the game into overtime, where the Wolverines were eventually able to close out their win.

Plenty of good came out of this game, and there is still so much more for Michigan basketball to accomplish. To help keep things organized, allow me to introduce some of my biggest takeaways from the win and what it means for the remainder of Michigan’s season.

A slew of playmakers

One of the most underrated aspects of a winning basketball team is having someone capable of creating their own shot. Last year, this happened to be one of Michigan’s greatest downfalls was how the team struggled if Hunter Dickinson couldn’t get going. This year, shot-creating might be a strength for the Wolverines.

It took some time to find their groove in the early parts of the season, but as they head into the home stretch, Michigan basketball finds itself with a collection of players more than capable of making something out of nothing. The most notable might be the Wolverines’ second-leading scorer, freshman Jett Howard who unfortunately has been out with a lower-body injury. Luckily, he appears close to getting back on the court, but in his absence, the door was left open for other players to make their mark.

Two other players who have shown the ability to create their own shots are sophomore Kobe Bufkin and freshman Dug McDaniel. Bufkin has one of the deadliest step-back jumpers we’ve seen in Ann Arbor in some time, and McDaniel happens to be the fastest player on the court at all times.

In the Wolverines’ victory over the Badgers, their playmakers were ready for the moment. Each of Bufkin and McDaniel scored career highs, recording 28 and 20 points respectively. In addition, both made big shots down the stretch, taking defenders off the dribble and scoring over them.

With all three players healthy and ready to go in March, the Wolverines should have no problem finding ways to score. Even if Dickinson can’t get going down low, players like Howard, Bufkin and McDaniel are more than capable of finding and making their own shots around the 3-point line.

Bufkin is deserving of NBA talks

Continuing from my previous point, Kobe Bufkin has been on fire recently. On the year, he’s averaging 12.9 points per game, an increase of 9.9 from just one season ago. In addition, he’s made significant strides in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage. He might be one of the most improved players in all of college basketball this year, and it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time for Michigan basketball.

Even more impressive is what he’s been able to accomplish throughout February. On the month, he’s averaged 16.8 points per game while shooting 48.3 percent from deep. Coming off a month like that, it only makes sense that he would cap it off with a career-high 28 points in addition to eight rebounds and two steals en route to help lead his team to a thrilling win over Wisconsin.

While it’s never easy to hear about the possibility of a team’s star players potentially leaving early, you can’t blame NBA teams for noticing what Bufkin has been up to lately. He’s made some incredibly clutch shots throughout the season, and he’s only getting better. Not to mention, he makes an impact all over the court as he’s a more than capable scorer, rebounder, facilitator and defender.

Saving the best for last

At this point, you can’t help but wonder what Juwan Howard is feeding his players in February and March. Under coach Howard, particularly these past two seasons, the Wolverines begin playing their best basketball towards the end of the season, right around tournament season.

Michigan basketball showed plenty of struggles and mistakes throughout the beginning portion of this season, so naturally, fans and the national media began to have some doubts. Now, as February comes to an end, the Wolverines are once again back into the NCAA Tournament picture and are playing their best basketball of the season.

Much of Michigan’s struggles likely came from inexperience on the team, as some of the most productive players are freshmen and sophomores. Now, the team is learning to play with each other, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch. While a tournament spot is no guarantee at this point, things are certainly trending upward. If they can find a way to get two more wins before Selection Sunday, expect to see them playing late into March.

To finish the year, Michigan basketball has Illinois and Indiana on the clock, two teams that are more than capable of giving the red-hot Wolverines a run for their money. If you want to feel confident about Michigan’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament, they’ll likely need to win at least one of those games in addition to a victory or two in the Big Ten Tournament. In the meantime, we turn our attention to Illinois, as the two teams will face off on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. EST.



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebookand Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple PodcastsSpotify, and all other steaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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BREAKING: Juwan Howard has surgery, Martelli to assume interim coach role

BREAKING: Michigan basketball head coach Juwan Howard has successful surgery. Phil Martelli to take over as interim head coach.

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Juwan Howard, Michigan basketball, Phil Martelli
Mar 5, 2023; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard in the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Today, news broke that Michigan basketball head coach Juwan Howard, who is entering his fourth season at the helm in Ann Arbor, had open heart surgery over the offseason. With Howard recovering, long-time assistant Phil Martelli is slated to be the Wolverines’ interim head coach to open the 2023-24 season, which is fast approaching.

Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard has heart surgery, Phil Martelli to serve as interim coach

The 2023-24 Michigan basketball season will look a little different later this year, as Phil Martelli will be stepping in as interim head coach. Today, it was confirmed that Juwan Howard — the team’s full-time head coach — is recovering from heart surgery right now.

“I feel so grateful and blessed that this surgery was performed at University of Michigan Health,” said Howard in a statement. “My wife, Jenine, and our family appreciate the world-class care that has been provided to us. Dr. (Kim) Eagle, Dr. (Himanshu) Patel, Dr. (Stanley) Chetcuti, and all of the staff at the Frankel Cardiovascular Center are so talented and performed like champions throughout this process. I am going to work very hard in my rehabilitation to be stronger than ever by the time our upcoming season is upon us.”

Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel added the following:

“We are extremely grateful Juwan’s proactive procedure was a success and that he is resting comfortably,” said Warde Manuel. “We will continue to support Juwan, Jenine and his family as well as the program throughout his absence. All of us at the athletic department have Juwan in our thoughts and prayers. We look forward to Juwan’s return when he feels that he has fully recovered.”

It is expected that Juwan Howard will return to the court as head coach for Michigan basketball later in the season.



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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Elite Michigan basketball target will be in Ann Arbor tomorrow

Tomorrow, an elite Michigan basketball target (2024 recruiting class) will be in Ann Arbor for his first-ever visit with the Wolverines.

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Michigan basketball, recruiting, No. 1 recruit in Virginia, Juwan Howard
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Juwan Howard and his Wolverines will be hosting Patrick Ngongba, an elite Michigan basketball target in the 2024 recruiting class, shortly. Ngongba, the No. 1 recruit in Virginia, has the Maize and Blue among his finalists and will be making the trip to Ann Arbor tomorrow (September 8th).

Elite Michigan basketball target about to be in Ann Arbor

While the 2023 Michigan Wolverines football season is now in full swing and has the attention of the entire fanbase, it’s worth noting that Juwan Howard and the Maize and Blue are hot on the recruiting trail in the 2024 recruiting class and beyond. After a tough 2022-23 season, Howard needs some good news to right the ship in Ann Arbor — tomorrow, he will have a massive opportunity to get one step closer to landing an elite recruit.

Patrick Ngongba is the No. 1 recruit in Virginia (for the 2024 recruiting class) and is an elite Michigan basketball target. The 6-foot-10, 235-pound center is an ESPN five-star prospect and is ranked among the top 30 players in the country in the composite rankings. So far, Juwan Howard has landed two prospects in the 2024 cycle, neither of which is rated anywhere close to Patrick Ngongba in the composite standings.

Can Juwan Howard land Patrick Ngongba in the 2024 recruiting class?

For the time being, Michigan basketball appears to be on the outside looking in ahead of Patrick Ngongba’s visit tomorrow — Duke and Kansas State currently have the best odds of landing him, per the Recruiting Prediction Machine. That said, Juwan Howard is a solid recruiter, and a visit to Ann Arbor, MI, ahead of a football game weekend could be a difference-maker for the Wolverines down the stretch.

According to the On3 visit tracker, tomorrow will be the first time that Michigan basketball gets the No. 1 recruit in Virginia on campus. This further showcases how important the visit will be for the Wolverines if Juwan Howard expects to have a shot against some of the other major programs vying for his commitment.

***If you missed it, Tom Brady is searching for the biggest Michigan fan! We have a great series going right now as a part of our Fan Flex challenge series — below is the link to our latest challenge! Among this week’s prizes includes an invite to the Blue by Ninety tailgate and a Blue by Ninety beer (for those of age) See the link below for more!

LINK: https://autograph.outgrow.us/blueby90-3



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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Michigan basketball recruiting will host No. 1 point guard in September

Michigan basketball recruiting will host the No. 1 point guard of the 2025 class for an official visit.

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Michigan basketball recruiting No. 1 point guard
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan basketball is coming off of its most disappointing season of the Juwan Howard era. After missing the national tournament for the first time since taking over as head coach, Howard is already looking ahead to the future to right the ship for the Wolverines. Recently, Joe Tipton of On3 Sports announced that Darius Acuff — currently the No. 1 point guard of the 2025 recruiting class — will visit Ann Arbor in early September.

Michigan basketball recruiting will host official visit for No. 1 point guard Darius Acuff

Michigan basketball has a huge opportunity to lock down an elite prospect this September. Acuff’s official Ann Arbor visit will reportedly last from September 1-3.

Acuff is among the nation’s best and currently holds the No. 1 On3 industry ranking among point guards in the 2025 class. Across all positions, the six-foot point guard is the No. 9 industry-ranked player in the country.

Acuff is originally from Detroit, MI and played basketball at Cass Tech before recently transferring to IMG Academy in Florida. Michigan basketball currently holds the lead on Acuff’s recruitment on On3’s recruiting prediction machine with a 45.4 percent chance. Also in contention for Acuff’s recruitment are Kentucky, Michigan State, and Ohio State.

While Michigan basketball lost lots of talent this offseason, the recruiting game has been heating up as well. Landing a top-tier talent like Acuff could be just what the Wolverines need to build their recruiting momentum.



Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on TwitterFacebook, and InstagramYou can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. 

Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple PodcastsSpotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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