THE ESSENTIALS

THE US

Seth's graphic [click to embiggen]:

Michigan gets a two-game holiday cupcake break after seven straight games against KenPom top-50 competition. Presbyterian is the #337 team on KenPom; the following game is against #229 UMass-Lowell on December 29th. As a reminder, there are 353 teams in Division I. This will be a time to work on execution, development, and recouping some energy after a tough stretch.

THE LINEUP CARD

Seth's graphic [click to embiggen]:

[Hit THE JUMP for the rest of the preview.]

THE THEM

The Presbyterian Blue Hose—yes, they kept the early 1900s nickname about their socks—have faced only two teams inside the top 195 on KenPom. They were crushed 79-45 at #101 Clemson in the season opener, then managed to hang around at #46 Notre Dame before fading late in a 63-53 defeat.

The rest of the teams on their schedule have been somewhere between bad and abject, yet their only wins are in overtime at #289 VMI and at home over Toccoa Falls, a Division II school that was the subject of this headline a couple years ago: How tiny Toccoa Falls has become college basketball's ultimate whipping boy. They lost by 12 at #342 South Carolina State. Again, there are 353 teams in Division I.

The only player on their team to break a 100 O-Rating is pure Just A Shooter™ JC Younger, who has a tiny 12.7% usage. Their two high-usage players, wing Cory Hightower and point guard Chris Martin, both have an eFG% hanging around 40 (real bad) with turnover rates that threaten their assist rates.

If this is remotely close, you have a right to be annoyed.

THE TEMPO-FREE

Small sample size caveats apply.

Four Factors explanation

The only thing on either side of the ball that Presbyterian isn't bad at is avoiding fouls on defense. They have the #308 offense in the country and the #336 defense. They are bad.

THE KEYS

Make shots. In the basket.

Don't let them make shots. In our basket.

Win the game. By a lot.

THE SECTION WHERE I PREDICT THE SAME THING KENPOM DOES

Michigan by 29.

They are bad.

THE MORE IMPORTANT BASKETBALL GAME THIS WEEKEND

It's about time to get your eyes on Naz Hillmon and the women's team. [JD Scott]

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the 9-1 women's team, ranked 24th in the country, faces #8 Florida State (11-0) in a neutral-site battle in Connecticut as part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Showcase. The game is at 1:30 pm on Sunday, and will be televised on the ACC Network. (Here's where I put in my unpaid pitch for YouTubeTV, which carries the ACC Network.)