Michigan faces challenges in NCAA Tournament advancement

Michigan will play UC San Diego in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night after winning the Big Ten Tournament. As a 5 seed, they are favored by just 2.5 points against the 12 seed Tritons. However, there are concerns that Michigan's tournament run may be short. One major issue for Michigan is their turnover rate. They had the highest turnover rate in the Big Ten and ranked 328th out of 364 Division I teams. This could be problematic against UC San Diego, which excels at forcing turnovers. While Michigan is strong offensively, too many turnovers can limit their scoring opportunities and put pressure on their defense. Another factor is Michigan's 3-point shooting. Their success in the tournament may depend on their ability to hit outside shots, as poor shooting from beyond the arc has led to losses in the past. Although they showed some improvement in the Big Ten Tournament, their overall 3-point shooting percentage for the season is only 33%. Finally, Michigan's success in close games has been notable, with many of their wins coming by just a few points. They have been lucky in tight situations, winning 11 of their last 13 close games. Coach Dusty May believes that this experience in clutch moments will be crucial for their success. Whether Michigan can continue this trend in the tournament remains to be seen.