Webber's Arizona Blueprint

Chris Webber returned to talk through Michigan's Final Four matchup with Arizona on Saturday night. Rich opened by admitting he was nervous. Arizona has been a wagon all tournament. Webber pushed back in the best way possible: nervous is good. He was nervous before every game he played. Nervous doesn't mean scared. It means the juices are flowing.

Webber's tactical read on Arizona was detailed. He likes them a lot. They're tough, they're big, they play real defense. They don't rely on the three, which matters in tournament basketball because threes come and go. They play inside-out, they get you in foul trouble, and they have steady depth. The head coach has done a wonderful job. They have talent across the rotation.

On Michigan, Webber zeroed in on Moussa's development. He called out a specific sequence from the Tennessee game where Moussa started right, pretended he was going up for a jump hook, spun back left, and dunked it. Webber said that move wasn't in Moussa's bag earlier in the year. That's player development. That's why Michigan keeps winning.

Michigan's superpower this tournament has been versatility. Against Alabama, they removed Moussa from the game entirely because Alabama plays fast and shoots threes. Dusty May adjusted in real time. Against Tennessee, a totally different opponent, Michigan punked them. Arizona is a team that can play multiple styles too, which is what makes Saturday different.

Webber's concern is foul trouble. Two early fouls on a great player means that player sits the rest of the first half, goes cold through halftime, and takes two minutes to find rhythm in the second half. Two physical teams, an officiating crew with a big call to make, and whoever handles the first 10 minutes controls the tempo.

Arizona gives a lot of body blows. Those blows don't always show up until the end of the fight. Michigan's answer has to be getting out in the passing lanes early, creating easy points, and not letting the game slow down into a half-court grinder. Defense and shooting, Webber said, will decide it.

But the through line was belief. For great teams, the best player steps up. Webber likes the Wolverines. It's going to be exciting.