- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 398,768
- Reaction score
- 43
Continuing our mining of results by seed in the NCAA tournament, we have good news and bad news for 5-seed Michigan basketball, which faces 1-seed Auburn at 9:39 p.m. Friday in the Sweet 16 of March Madness in Atlanta.
The bad: 5-seeds are just 12-41 in the Sweet 16 overall, and just 11-37 against 1-seeds.
The good: 5-seeds have won three of the past five Sweet 16 matchups between 1s and 5s — they lost both such games in last year’s tourney, but took two of them in 2023 and the only one in 2021.
Does that mean the Wolverines can pull off the upset vs. the tourney’s top overall seed this year? Three Free Press sports writers have some thoughts on that.
THE BIG PICK: Michigan basketball vs Auburn score prediction: Our Sweet 16 March Madness pick is in
How good are the top overall seed Tigers? Johni Broome, the likely national player of the year, shot 4-for-13 against Creighton and Auburn still won by 12. So even if "Area 51" can limit Broome inside and Michigan’s guards can contain Auburn’s excellent offense (especially Tahaad Pettiford on the perimeter), they have a chance. And don’t forget about X-factor (and former Tigers guard) Tre Donaldson, who might just have enough secret intel to aid the 5-seed Wolverines. This game will be closer than most think, but Auburn will pull it out late. The pick: Auburn 82, U-M 77.
The Tigers seem to be trending down while the Wolverines feel like they're on the upswing, but it's hard to ignore the line Vegas set. Michigan has size in the frontcourt, guards playing well and a coach who's been here before. But Auburn is another level. The Tigers have been building for this moment for years, and despite a season for the Wolverines that has been nothing short of tremendous, it does not continue on to Sunday. Pettiford hits the dagger, over Donaldson, with 97 seconds to play. The pick: Auburn 82, U-M 76.
Danny Wolf beat the Tigers a year ago in the NCAA tournament when he was with Yale. He knows how to do it. Tre Donaldson, a transfer from Auburn, knows the Tigers well, too. And while the pair help U-M prepare and Vlad Goldin will get his points down low, the Tigers have too much defensively, and enough offensively inside and out led by Johni Broome. The pick: Auburn 75, U-M 72.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball vs. Auburn: Predictions for March Madness Sweet 16
Continue reading...
The bad: 5-seeds are just 12-41 in the Sweet 16 overall, and just 11-37 against 1-seeds.
The good: 5-seeds have won three of the past five Sweet 16 matchups between 1s and 5s — they lost both such games in last year’s tourney, but took two of them in 2023 and the only one in 2021.
You must be registered for see images attach
Does that mean the Wolverines can pull off the upset vs. the tourney’s top overall seed this year? Three Free Press sports writers have some thoughts on that.
THE BIG PICK: Michigan basketball vs Auburn score prediction: Our Sweet 16 March Madness pick is in
Carlos Monarrez
How good are the top overall seed Tigers? Johni Broome, the likely national player of the year, shot 4-for-13 against Creighton and Auburn still won by 12. So even if "Area 51" can limit Broome inside and Michigan’s guards can contain Auburn’s excellent offense (especially Tahaad Pettiford on the perimeter), they have a chance. And don’t forget about X-factor (and former Tigers guard) Tre Donaldson, who might just have enough secret intel to aid the 5-seed Wolverines. This game will be closer than most think, but Auburn will pull it out late. The pick: Auburn 82, U-M 77.
Tony Garcia
The Tigers seem to be trending down while the Wolverines feel like they're on the upswing, but it's hard to ignore the line Vegas set. Michigan has size in the frontcourt, guards playing well and a coach who's been here before. But Auburn is another level. The Tigers have been building for this moment for years, and despite a season for the Wolverines that has been nothing short of tremendous, it does not continue on to Sunday. Pettiford hits the dagger, over Donaldson, with 97 seconds to play. The pick: Auburn 82, U-M 76.
Shawn Windsor
Danny Wolf beat the Tigers a year ago in the NCAA tournament when he was with Yale. He knows how to do it. Tre Donaldson, a transfer from Auburn, knows the Tigers well, too. And while the pair help U-M prepare and Vlad Goldin will get his points down low, the Tigers have too much defensively, and enough offensively inside and out led by Johni Broome. The pick: Auburn 75, U-M 72.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball vs. Auburn: Predictions for March Madness Sweet 16
Continue reading...
