College basketball analyst calls Michigan the 'scariest' team in the Big Ten

The Wolverines are off to a hot start in 2024-25, and have the put the rest of the Big Ten Conference on notice...
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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It was hard to know what to expect from Michigan men's basketball in Year 1 under new head coach Dusty May, but after a 13-3 start to the year, including a 5-0 mark in Big Ten play, the Wolverines are looking like a conference title contender.

In fact, one college basketball analyst views No. 20 Michigan as the 'scariest' team in the Big Ten two weeks into the new year. In a conversation with Big Ten Network's Rick Pizzo, analyst Trent Meacham said the Wolverines are the most surprising team in the conference so far this season.

"The biggest surprise would be Michigan," Meacham said. "I think they're the scariest team in our conference."

May was tasked with overhauling nearly all of Michigan's roster after he was hired from Florida Atlantic. The 48-year-old brought in a plethora of transfers to remake the Wolverines roster, including four of the team's five starters. While many of those transfers have played massive roles for Michigan this season, two stand out among the rest — seven-footers Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin.

"What's so surprising about them in particular is how these two seven-footers have played so well together," Meacham said. "It took a little bit of time, I think, for them to develop their chemistry together, but that 4-5 pick-and-roll, you don't see it...much [even] in the NBA, two seven-footers in ball-screen situations."

To Meacham's point, it did take some time for Michigan to get both of its seven-footers rolling, in particular Goldin. The transfer from FAU got off to a slow start in the 2024-25 season, reaching double-digit scoring just once and averaging 7.6 PPG in Michigan's first six games. However, Goldin has been darn-near unstoppable since, reaching double-digits in every game while averaging 20.1 points per game.

Michigan Wolverines men's basketball center Vlad Goldin and power forward Danny Wolf
Dec 18, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Oklahoma Sooners forward Sam Godwin (10) shoots between Michigan Wolverines center Vladislav Goldin (50) and center Danny Wolf (1) during the first half at Spectrum Center. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

On the year as whole, Wolf is averaging 12.4 points on 56.5% shooting from the floor and 34.8% from beyond the 3-point line, while adding 10.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. Goldin, meanwhile, is averaging 15.4 points (69.2% from the floor, 62.5% from 3), 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.8 blocks per game.

"Their skills compliment each other so well," Meacham said of Wolf and Goldin. "Maybe some people more familiar with Wolf's game coming in foresaw this coming. I did not. But to see them work together like that, and of course Danny Wolf's skillset, unlocks so much for them. For those two, they're so fun to watch and their so surprising for me."

What may be even more frightening for fellow Big Ten teams is the fact that May doesn't believe the Wolverines have reached their ceiling, despite boasting the most efficient and one of the highest-scoring offenses in all of college basketball. If that true, Michigan will make a lot of noise in the conference title race and NCAA Tournament come March.

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