The Michigan Wolverines 2023-2024 basketball team has been demonstrating a commendable performance in the current season. The team, under the guidance of their dedicated coaching staff, has been showcasing their skills and strategies on the court; however, there is a lot of growth that needs to happen if the Wolverines want to make it to March.
The roster is filled with talented players, each contributing to the team’s performance in their own unique way. Some of the key players include Dug McDaniel, who has been a consistent performer with his points, rebounds, and assists; Tarris Reed Jr., and Alabama transfer, Olivier Nkamhoua have also been significant contributors, leading in points and rebounds respectively.
In their last game against the Iowa Hawkeyes on December 10, 2023, the Wolverines emerged victorious with a score of 90-80. Tarris Reed Jr. led the team in points with 19, while Olivier Nkamhoua dominated the rebounds with 10. Dug McDaniel, with his strategic decision-making, led the team in assists with 7.
However, the journey has not been without its challenges. The Wolverines currently stand with 4 wins and 5 losses. Each game, whether a victory or a loss, has been a learning experience for the team, helping them refine their strategies and improve their gameplay.
The Wolverines have a gauntlet of games lined up for the rest of December, including Florida, Penn State, and a tough Maryland team. This year could be a different team than previous powerhouse Michigan teams, like the 2021-2022 team that made it to the Elite Eight. There is a lot of young talent this season, but the tradeoff that comes with that is a level of inexperience.
The Wolverines need to find confidence in each other—that’s the problem right now. Sometimes they are very one-sided on offense. If the Wolverines want success, they need to find guys like sharpshooter Nimari Burnett and veteran point guard Jaelin Llewellyn who are very talented.
Coaching has been a huge part of the success or failure of this team in the past years, whether it’s been Juwan Howard or Phil Martelli at the helm. Howard has been through many ups and downs while he has been the head coach at Michigan, from physical altercations or team chemistry questions. This has been a huge question for Michigan fans and the athletic director Warde Manuel to consider in the following months. However, Juwan, in his 5th year at Michigan, (his alma mater) has been struggling to keep Michigan the dominant team they once were, so I would consider Howard to be on the hot seat for those reasons.
Michigan will go on to play host to Florida on December 19, at 7 PM ET. This is a crucial game for the Wolverines as it will be a quad 1 win if they come out with the victory.
