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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — It was just another day in sunny L.A. on Monday, where the Michigan basketball program switched its sights from USC to UCLA, after defeating the former on Saturday evening in the first of two clashes in Southern California.
Staying at the W Los Angeles — West Beverly Hills Hotel, the Wolverines aren’t as close as they were when they were at the USC Hotel two doors down from LA’s Galen Center before Saturday’s 85-74 win, but still plenty close enough to walk the mile in 70 degrees and sunshine to and from campus Sunday for practice.
Michigan Wolverines center Vladislav Goldin dunks in the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.
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The plan as of Monday morning was for the team to again walk to Pauley Pavilion for practice to familiarize themselves with sight lines ahead of Tuesday night’s clash with the Bruins (10 p.m., Peacock).
It will be the second ranked matchup of the season for No. 24 Michigan (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten); the Wolverines will have a tough task vs, Mick Cronin’s No. 21 Bruins (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten). It’s a group that not only returns home after a tough road loss at Nebraska (66-58 on Sunday), but is one of the few teams as deep as U-M.
UCLA goes a genuine 10 deep in its rotation; with all 10 players averaging at least 10 minutes — well, one is at 9.9 — and at least four points per game.
But the Bruins’ calling card this season has been their defensive tenacity; they rank No. 4 per KenPom in efficiency on that side of the ball (89.1) and are No. 1 in creating turnovers (26% of opponents possessions).
“Physical, extremely physical,” U-M head coach Dusty May said of the Bruins. “They turn you over at a high level which is obviously concerning for us. Guard play, they get down hill, draw fouls. Just a tough cover — their level of intensity, level of aggression is second to no one in…
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Author : Detroit Free Press
Publish date : 2025-01-07 11:07:00
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