The Badgers face a tough challenge in their first conference game of the season.
The No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers (8-0) take on their first Big Ten opponent this Tuesday, as first-year head coach Dusty May leads Michigan into the Kohl Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on Peacock. The Badgers are a 3.5-point favorite.
Last Saturday, the Badgers took care of business and dominated the second half against a winless Chicago State team, 74-53. John Tonje led Wisconsin with 22 points, another splendid performance from the first-year Badger.
What should Wisconsin fans know about the Michigan Wolverines?
Opponent Preview
New coach. New system. New players.
This is the mantra for the 2024-25 Michigan men’s basketball team, as Michigan brings in 11 newcomers. May’s first month in Ann Arbor has been successful through seven games. The Wolverines are 6-1 on the season and are coming off a dominant 78-53 win over previously-ranked Xavier in the Fort Myers Tip-Off Beach Division Championship.
Right away, May has revamped both the offense and defense at Michigan. After finishing 95th in adjusted offensive efficiency and a porous 182nd in adjusted defensive efficiency last year, Michigan is now 38th on offense and 10th in defense, according to KenPom. One of May’s assistant coaches, former Oklahoma State head coach Mike Boynton, Jr., revamped the defense, and the results have shown.
Outside of guard Nimari Burnett, Michigan has four transfers in their starting lineup. Tre Donaldson, who came to Michigan via Auburn, is the leading scorer with 13 points per game and has scored 10+ points in six out of seven games. Right behind Donaldson is Ohio State transfer Roddy Gayle Jr. with 12 points per game and a team-leading 1.4 steals per game.
Michigan got one of the best post players in the transfer portal last offseason by landing Yale’s leading scorer and rebounder, Danny Wolf. The seven-footer Wolf’s double-double (20 points and 14 rebounds) paced the Wolverines in their impressive win over Xavier.
Vladislav Goldin, a member of Dusty May’s 2023 FAU squad that went to the Final Four, was an AAC-Second Team center last year. Goldin leads the Wolverines in blocks per game and is the second-leading rebounder behind Wolf.
Score Prediction
Tuesday’s game will be an interesting test for Wisconsin. In particular, how well will the Badgers be able to rebound against Michigan’s two seven-foot post players, Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin?
The Wolverines appeared to have turned the page on the tumultuous Juwan Howard tenure so far, but all six of their wins have come against NET Quad 3 or Quad 4 opponents. Given the improvement of their defense, the Wolverines will give the Badgers all they can handle before falling short in their first road game of the season.
Last year, an 11th-ranked Wisconsin team lost to a 7-15 Michigan squad. I’m confident this game was circled on the 2024-25 schedule after that humiliating defeat.
Prediction: Wisconsin 79-71.