No. 3 seed Michigan and No. 7 seed Texas A&M meet tonight in a Sweet 16 West Regional matchup at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for a place in the Elite Eight.
On paper, this is a golden opportunity for Michigan after the top two seeds in the West (No. 1 Xavier and No. 2 North Carolina) were knocked out of the tournament. The problem is that in the Aggies, they are playing the team that eliminated the Tar Heels.
But this a Michigan team that has won eleven games in a row and has a good blend of scoring on the perimeter and are very versatile inside. They also own a nasty defending unit that is performing at a very high level right now and is proving to be one of the most athletic defenses the Wolverines have had in recent years.
The Wolverines have four players shooting 39 percent or better from three-point range and their starting five is a very reliable bunch that includes power forward Moritz Wagner, a very nifty inside player that has good hands, touch and is a tremendous shooter.
This however won’t be an easy game for Michigan as the Aggies are looking to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history. They have a tremendous team that has talent across the board and is peaking at the right time after underachieving the entire season.
The Aggies didn’t just win, they, in fact, blew out the North Carolina Tar Heels (86-65) and they did it by winning the rebounding battle, overpowering them in the paint and holding them to a 33 percent shooting from the floor. Although the Tar Heels had been more consistent throughout the season the truth is the Aggies proved to be as talented as them, if not more.
Texas A&M has three key guys that are 6’9” or taller, giving them a group that can do it all. They not only have great body size, they are quick, they rebound, block and are skilled getting to the free throw line.
Tyler Davis and Robert Williams, who combined for 26 points, 22 rebounds and five blocks against the Tar Heels, are starting to shoot the ball better as they went 10-of-24 from beyond the arc and if they keep that up don’t be surprised if they pull another upset against the Wolverines.
