Michigan vs Saint Louis: High-Octane Hoops

0:00On March 21st, Michigan men's basketball faces St. Louis in the NCAA tournament, second round this Saturday at 12-10pm, I Eastern Time. The game tips off at Keybank Center in Buffalo, New York, airing live on CBS. The winner heads to the Sweet 16 in Chicago. St. Louis crushed Georgia by as many as 40 points in their opener. St. Louis runs one of the fastest teams in the country, ranking 19th in adjusted tempo with quick possessions around 15 seconds. They boast a top 50 offense and defense per Kenpom, leading the nation in effective field goal percentage allowed at 44.6%. Offensively, they hit nearly 60% effective field goals, sink 40% from 3 and get close for two pointers. Coach's Josh Schertz of St. Louis and Dusty May of Michigan are good friends with similar ideas. Both push fast, flowing basketball, based on concepts over set plays. Schertz calls it organized randomness, teaching players to read defenses like jazz musicians.

1:04Their teams prioritize high efficiency shots and unselfish play. Key for St. Louis is 6 foot 10 center Robby Avila, the Atlantic 10 player of the year who shoots over 40% from 3 and facilitates. They spread scoring across 7 players averaging 9 to 13 points with a deep 9-man rotation and wings who all shoot well from deep. No superstars, just versatile pieces. Fans can catch it on CBS or Michigan radio networks like 94.7 FM in Detroit. This matchup both, like-minded squads, should deliver exciting high octane hoops as both chase deeper tournament runs.