As the NCAA Tournament comes to a close, GMS likes to review some of the power conference or power program teams that made it to the Big Dance and ask whether or not they’ve got a shot to return to the show next season. We kick things off with teams eliminated in the first round.
Recruit and Reload: Michigan Wolverines
Key Losses: Caris LeVert
Key Returners: Zak Irvin (expected), Derrick Walton Jr., Duncan Robinson, Mark Donnal, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman
Key Newcomers: Xavier Simpson (four-star), Jon Teske (four-star)
Breakdown: Despite an NCAA Tournament berth, this was not the year for the Wolverines. Head coach John Beilein battled injuries to Caris LeVert for the entire season while trying to lock down a rotation intent on defending and that could knock down shots. Thankfully for UM fans, he did by year’s end.
Michigan has almost their entire core set to return while throwing in Simpson and Teske into the mix. If Irvin returns, your backcourt is set with him, Walton Jr., and Robinson. Bringing Abdur-Rahkman off the bench and going to Donnal as an evolving stretch big will give this group plenty of diversity to not only return to meaningful March play, but likely improve on where they stood this season.
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