2023-24 eastern michigan

[Note: This is coming late because I went to the game with my family, and Alex and Jamie were both unable to cover it]

No, Sanderson wasn't there. No, Dug wasn't able to keep up with the 6'5" guy defensively. No, they didn't fix the turnover issues, play lockdown defense, cover the 20-point spread, or even score more than their opponent in the second half. But Michigan did beat Eastern comfortably and without drama. They did it for the first time all season with head coach Juwan Howard officially back in his position. They also did it for the third time this season with backup PG Jaelin Llewellyn available.

Oh yes, it still looked rickety. Everything from the players' energy on the sideline (good) to Jace's demeanor (also good) to Llewellyn's knee (wobbly) was scrutinized more than the play against a bad MAC opponent. It was all passing.

And yes, that's a dad joke. Michigan had 18 assists to EMU's 7, which accounts for why the home team shot 54 percent from the field and their guests went for 40 percent, including 2/15 from the arc.

[After the JUMP: no more dad jokes, promise]

THE ESSENTIALS

WHAT	#41 Michigan (5-5, 1-1 B10) vs #305 EMU (5-4, 0-0 MAC)
WHERE	Crisler Arena Ann Arbor, MI
WHEN	Saturday, 2:30 PM
THE LINE	Kenpom: M -20 Torvik: M-20
TELEVISION	BTN (link)

THE OVERVIEW

The bowling alley is gone. Its sign is gone. The MGoShirt based on it is no longer in our store because nobody wanted it. But the legend lives on from the phallus on down in a now-annual Washtenaw rivalry we call the Ypsi-Arbor Bowl, when Michigan and EMU grads come together in their Michigan gear and hope the teacher's college down the way doesn't upset the season too badly.

Last year we did this in Detroit's LCA, whose atmosphere was honestly better than I've seen it for any Red Wings or Pistons game I've been to since it was built. EMU brought Emoni Bates and Noah Farrakhan and made it a game. Attendees hoping this meant something good for either program (or Bates) were to be sorely disappointed. EMU finished the season 317th in Kenpom and *dead last* in assisted FG%. Eastern fans who Homer.gif'd into the bushes emerged in time to see MAC friends Ohio get to overtime and Central Michigan upset the Wolverines.

The vibe around these programs in the year since hasn't improved. Bates was taken 49th overall and put in the G-league to start the process of teaching him how to play basketball. Farrakhan left for West Virginia (where he recently won a restraining order against the NCAA's one-time transfer rule). EMU's third banana from last year stepped into the Bates role, and their 6-8 non-center center got benched for a 7-footer who got broomed after a year at Georgia Tech because he plays like he's 6-9.

Michigan is coming off a big road win in Iowa City that we might not want to examine too closely. On one hand it was a 20-point lead until Iowa left its starters on to blitz the walk-ons. On closer examination, Iowa missed a ton of open threes (they were 3/18 before Kenpom Time), and the game was still close until Fran got two technicals and ejected for arguing a pair of unquestionably legitimate offensive fouls.

The other thing people noticed was that team trainer Jon Sanderson wasn't there, a fact that got bundled into rumors of an altercation between him and Coach Howard last Friday that triggered an HR investigation. But hey, Will Tschetter played his best game as a Wolverine, Tarris Reed made 5 of his 7 free throws, and they rebounded 78% of opponents shots, so LFG.

[Hit THE JUMP for the Ypsi-Arbor Bowl 2023.]