Ann Arbor — What do you get when the top defensive-rebounding team crosses paths with one of the best offensive-rebounding teams in college basketball?
No. 2 Michigan will find out on Tuesday when it hosts Villanova in a matchup that will pit strength against strength and where something will have to give on the glass.
“Each team presents something completely different and new and challenging. And that’s what Villanova does,” Michigan coach Dusty May said Monday.
“If we’re going to win this game, we have to rebound the ball. Our guys are aware of that.”
Entering play Monday, Michigan ranks first nationally in defensive rebounds per game (34.1), third in total rebounds (45.8) and is tied for fourth in rebounding margin (plus-12). The Wolverines (8-0) have won the rebounding battle in every contest this season and it often hasn’t been close.
But given their stingy defense and the fact they force a bunch of missed shots, opponents have had some success grabbing their misses against Michigan, with five foes grabbing at least 10 offensive boards. That’s something Villanova does better than almost any team.
The Wildcats, per KenPom, are grabbing 44.5% of their missed shots. That offensive-rebounding percentage ranks second in the nation and trails only Tennessee (45.3%). And it’s not as if Villanova is a terrible shooting team, with its 48.4% field-goal percentage ranking No. 64 nationally.
Even though Villanova hasn’t played a bunch of stiff competition to date, the Wildcats are still averaging 15.6 offensive rebounds — a mark that ranks No. 3 — with 6-foot-10 forward Duke Brennan leading the way and the nation with a staggering 6.3 offensive boards per game.
“First and foremost, Brennan goes with force,” May said. “He does a really good job of tracking the ball with his eyes while he’s going after it and shedding defenders. He loves contact, and he’s going to throw his body around. They have great role definition as well, so I think he’s able to anticipate what’s going to happen next.
“They have great shooting, and with that shooting comes long rebounds, comes a lot of things that are tough for us.”
And that’s not all. May is plenty familiar with Villanova coach Kevin Willard, who’s in his first year at the helm after spending the past three seasons at Maryland.
Going from the Big Ten to the Big East isn’t going to change the way Willard is wired. May noted in last season’s two meetings against Maryland, the Terrapins had “some real quirks” on defense that can bog the offense down.
May likened Villanova’s defense to Michigan’s, given both teams change what they do defensively based on personnel and opponents can have a tough time figuring things out. May expects the Wildcats to throw out a mix of everything on defense, from pressing to switching to playing a matchup zone.
“Coach Willard has been doing this for a long time, so people know what he values,” May said.
“I think he’s pretty firm and secure with how he thinks the game should be played and what they do. We played his teams at Seton Hall, so there’s tells going all the way back to that of how they do things and keep you off balance.”
Yet, keeping the Wildcats off the offensive glass might be the biggest key. Add in the fact that Villanova wants to slow down the pace and generates turnovers on 20% of an opponent’s possessions, it’s the perfect recipe to spring an upset against a more talented team.
The good news is whenever May and his staff stress a specific area in practice, it tends to lead to positive results. Take Saturday’s Big Ten opener against Rutgers, for example. Heading into that contest, improving transition defense was at the top of the list. The Scarlet Knights scored zero fast-break points.
“I think we have a really high basketball IQ and an awareness of who we are as individuals and who we are as a team. When we emphasize something, the guys do their best to neutralize it and get better in that area,” May said. “As we improve in certain facets, we can’t neglect the other parts of the game. There’s always that happy medium of continuing to review what you’re doing well and the improvements you’ve made, while also trying to plug some new holes.”
To Michigan’s credit, it convincingly cleaned up on the glass two weeks ago against Gonzaga in Las Vegas. The Bulldogs are a top-five rebounding team and a handful on both ends.
After passing that test with ease, the Wolverines will look to come up with another answer to the predominant problem that Villanova poses.
“They’re good at what they do,” May said. “They’re going to win a lot of games. I think they’re an NCAA Tournament team that could advance, and that’s who you want to be playing this time of year.
“They have a unique group. It’s going to be a fun battle.”
Michigan vs. Villanova
▶ Tipoff: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Crisler Center, Ann Arbor
▶ TV/radio: FS1/94.7
▶ Records: No. 2 Michigan 8-0; Villanova 7-1
▶ Outlook: This is the first game in a home-and-home series between the teams. This is also the seventh all-time meeting between the programs and first encounter since a 2022 Sweet 16. Villanova was picked to finish seventh in the Big East preseason poll and has won seven straight after dropping its season opener to BYU.
jhawkins@detroitnews.com
@jamesbhawkins
