Greenberg's Blueprint: UConn Over Michigan

ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg joined the show to break down the men's Final Four and lay out the blueprint for how UConn could pull off a win over Michigan.

Greenberg's read on the weekend was simple. Illinois vs UConn was a grind, the kind of game Dan Hurley's team wins by taking care of the ball and making two key timeout decisions, both of which involved getting Tristen Newton the ball on the block. Michigan, meanwhile, has treated the NCAA tournament like a series of exhibition games. Greenberg joked the teams they've beaten should get hundred thousand dollar checks as a parting gift.

What has made Michigan so overwhelming, according to Greenberg, is what he called protecting the airspace. The length. The physicality. Lob dunks to Morez Johnson. Rim protection. Adama Sanogo anchoring the ground game with force and confidence. With or without Yaxel, it hasn't seemed to matter.

The keys for UConn started with Sanogo. Greenberg wanted the Huskies to make him a scorer and take the assist out of his hands. If UConn over-helps, it becomes a lob to Johnson or a kickout for three. Force him to score and live with the result.

Next was Yaxel Lindberg's health. If he plays at 80 to 100 percent, Greenberg said UConn has no matchup. He expected Jaden Ross and Jalen Stewart early to defend with size and length and keep Lindberg off the glass.

The third key was math. UConn needed nine made threes. Wisconsin made 15. The Huskies had to drag Michigan's bigs away from the rim, invert the defense, create driving lanes, and then post up. Multiple actions over actions. Bring Newton into the block only after the paint had been cleared.

For Dusty May's side, Greenberg wanted Michigan to impose identity. Length. Activity. Discipline. Don't bite on UConn's bait. Dictate the shot. Dominate the glass, dominate the paint, dominate the air. He said he'd put Newton on the ball early to chase foul trouble given the thin backup behind him.

The matchup wrinkle that intrigued Greenberg most was how Dusty May would guard Donovan Clingan, Solo Ball, and Newton, the three shot-makers UConn starts with. Morez Johnson on Clingan. Silas Demary likely on Clingan too, banged up but long. And a possible reduced-minutes night for Solo if his health dictated it.

Rich tossed in the callback to May's line about Lindberg playing like a 38-year-old at the YMCA. Greenberg laughed and admitted that was him 24 years ago. No wiggle left in the game. But if Yaxel settles in as a corner three guy, he becomes guardable.

Basketball chess before tipoff, laid out by a coach who still speaks the language.