Michigan basketball sees their season end in 63-55 loss to Villanova: Game thread replay
11-seed Michigan Wolverines (19-14, 11-9 Big Ten) vs. 2-seed Villanova Wildcats (28-7, 16-4 Big East)
When: 7:29 p.m. Thursday.
Where: AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
TV: TBS.
Radio: WWJ-AM (950; more radio affiliates).
Line: Wildcats by 5.
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MICHIGAN'S BIG CHALLENGE: Inside look at why Villanova is so difficult to beat
Game notes: Michigan defeated Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA tournament behind a couple of 20-point performances and some stingy second-half defense. The Wolverines are in the Sweet 16 for the fifth straight tournament, and second under Juwan Howard, and face the Wildcats for the first time since 2018. Michigan actually played Nova twice that year — in April for the national championship then later in November near the beginning of the following season. Brooks played three minutes in the title-game loss then played 16 minutes in the regular-season win, scoring five points. Through two NCAA tournament games, All-Big Ten center Hunter Dickinson leads the team with 48 points and 17 rebounds. Look for a little more production from freshman Caleb Houstan, who averaged 10 points per game and shot 36% from 3-point range this season but didn't score vs. the Volunteers.
[ Michigan basketball vs. Villanova: Scouting report, prediction ]
Do you think Wolverines fans cheered when Villanova took down Ohio State, or would they rather face the Buckeyes than the higher-seeded Wildcats in March?
Villanova is in its second straight Sweet 16 and seventh under coach Jay Wright. Collin Gillespie, who scored four points and grabbed five rebounds during 16 minutes vs. Michigan in the title game, has 34 points and eight assists combined through two NCAA tournament wins this year. Jermaine Samuels — he was on the team but didn't appear in the Wildcats' win over the Wolverines — has 32 points and 17 rebounds so far this tournament. Samuels and Gillespie combined for just eight points in the blowout loss to Michigan in 2018. Justin Moore, second on the team with 15 points per game in the regular season, could be due for a bigger game after scoring eight vs. the Buckeyes.
Winner of this game is in the Elite Eight and plays the winner of fifth-seeded Houston vs. top-seeded Arizona.
[ Will Michigan's postseason run propel Hunter Dickinson to the NBA? ]
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan falls to Villanova in the Sweet 16, 63-55: Game thread replay
