Predicting the 8 biggest games for Louisville basketball in 2019-20

vs. Michigan (ACC/Big Ten Challenge)

December 3rd 

This is not the traditional Michigan basketball team that we’ve known in recent years. In fact, this group might have the lowest expectations for the program since 2014.

Head coach John Beilein departed for the Cleveland Cavaliers job after the season and former Fab Five standout Juwan Howard was hired to take the reigns in Ann Arbor.

They’re tasked with replacing their top three scorers in Charles Matthews (12.2 ppg), Ignas Brazdeikis (14.8 ppg), and Jordan Poole (12.8 ppg), who all declared early for the 2019 NBA Draft.

Only four guys that played double-digit minutes last year are returning, so the key for Howard is to find a system that fits the talent he’s been left with. He brings back testy veterans in Isaiah Livers, Zavier Simpson, and Jon Teske, who will be the determining factor in how good this team can be.

This is a defense-first team as it always has been, and that could be troubling if the Cards have an off night on the offensive end of the floor. This will be the first true road game for Michigan and the Yum! figures to be rocking.

Expect this to be a low scoring and slow-paced basketball game, and while I think Michigan keeps it relatively close for a while, Louisville has too much talent for Howard’s group. Michigan can win this game, but they’ll have to be scoring the ball really efficiently and I’m not sure if this group is built to win games like that.

Prediction: Steven Enoch dominates in the second half, and Louisville runs away with it. Louisville over Michigan, 66-51.