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Beginning Monday, June 21st,
2004 CHN began unveiling 144 Team previews in 144 Days. CHN ranked the
nations top 144 teams, and is unveiling one per day leading up until the
opening day of the 2004-05 Season.
Bookmark the
144 Teams in 144 Days home page, and check back
each day to see which team is previewed next.
#25 Michigan Wolverines
Big Ten
2003-04: 23-11, 8-8, 5th
2003-04 postseason: NIT
Champions
By
Joel Welser
 It
may only be the NIT championship, but for a young team like the Wolverines
any tournament experience is a very good thing. With the Wolverines 62-55
victory over Rutgers in the NIT championship game a new banner is now
hanging in the rafters above Crisler Arena. For a program that saw so many
taken down due to NCAA violations, that is a big deal.
Who’s Out: It’s not his
12.1 points or even his team high 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals
per contest that will make Bernard Robinson, Jr. missed; it’s his floor
leadership. For a team that often looked like they just got together on a
playground in Ann Arbor, Robinson Jr. was often the only player on the floor
who could slow things down and take control of the game. Luckily for the
Wolverines, everybody else is a year older and could be ready to become
leaders. Little used forward Colin Dill has also run out of eligibility.
Who’s In: Joe Crawford?
Nope, he went to Kentucky. Al Horford? Nope, he’s headed to the sunshine
in Florida. Malik Hairston? Nope, he’ll be starting for the Ducks. The
Wolverines lost out on three big name in-state recruits who had U of M on
their short list. Thus, this year’s class is very small. Guard Ronald
Coleman is the sole newcomer in Ann Arbor. Coleman isn’t bad by any means,
but won’t make the immediate impact that the ones that got away would have.
The 6-6 winger will become a great scorer in the Big Ten, but will have to
wait a couple years to become a starter. With Daniel Horton and Dion Harris
starting in the back, along with Lester Abram on the wing, there isn’t much
room to penetrate the starting five. The rest of the returning backcourt
didn’t average over one point per game last year. Coleman will compete with
Dani Wohl, Sherrod Harrell and John Andrews for minutes off the bench.
Who to Watch: The
frontcourt will be even more exciting to watch this year. Courtney Sims is
a shot blocking machine and Graham Brown needs to become a big time
rebounder. Sophomore Brent Petway is an amazing dunker, but needs to work
on his shooting. Chris Hunter should be back in form after struggling last
year with injuries and J.C. Mathis will be looking for more floor time as
the squads only senior. With all those scoring threats and great potential
in the frontcourt, point guard Daniel Horton becomes the player to watch.
Horton struggled through much of the year, having a dismal 1.2/1
assist-to-turnover ratio. He’ll have to do better after a couple of years
of experience in order to utilize the talented frontcourt. Horton did do
much better during the NIT, earning the NIT MVP award. If he can keep that
up all year, the Wolverines can contend for the Big Ten title. Horton is
more of a scorer than a true point guard, averaging 12.2 points per game as
a sophomore last season. He’ll have to prove early that he can control the
game or sophomore Dion Harris could take over the ball handling duties.
Projected Conference Rank:
Daniel Horton should be able to run the point and become the team leader.
He proved as a freshman that he can do it and as a junior he’ll have to
prove it all over again. Michigan has less questions then teams like Ohio
State and Indiana, but isn’t up to the level of Illinois, Wisconsin or cross
state rival Michigan State. A 4th place finish and the teams
first trip to the big dance since 1998 will have the maize and blue fans
happy again.
Projected Post-season
Tournament: NCAA
«
Team #26 ,
Team #24
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Email Joel Welser:
jwelser_chn@ameritech.net
Chat About CHN's Top #144
Ranking:
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