Sure it is an improbable rise, going from an unranked program one week to a consensus Top 5 program the following week. However, if you look at the overall body of work, this rise is more about miscasting this Michigan team to start the year as they only received 1 AP preseason vote for ranking.
That is no surprise, AP voters do not like the unknown, and Juwan Howard was unknown. Not to mention, Michigan lost a lot of the 2018-19 team, including their top 3 scorers (both Ignas Brazdeikis and Jordan Poole were drafted) as well as their coach to the Cleveland Cavs. This showed Michigan returning only four players who averaged over 5 minutes per game and no one who averaged over 10 points per game. With no Top 100 players coming in with recruiting, to say there were questions about this team would be an understatement.
Well, a lot of those questions have been answered already. They have raced out to start the season 7-0 with an average win margin of 15.9 points, including 3 of the 7 wins coming over Power 7 programs, which include a 9 point victory over then #6 UNC and an 18 point win over then #8 Gonzaga. The depth has been impressive to this point as well. Through 7 games, with 5 players averaging 9 or more points, Michigan has had 14 players to score a basket in a game, with 7 players having scored in double figures for a game, and 3 players scoring over 20 in a game.
How has Michigan found this type of success' Well, it looks like its a mix and match type of system with a roster filled with guys buying in. It is no secret that Beilein liked skilled guys who could pass and shoot for the most part. Within what he did he would use constant cutting and movement to create lanes to penetrate. Juwan Howard has brought in a more pro-style offense, which is heavy with ball screens and pick and rolls. In merging Beilein’s personnel with Howard
