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Depending on the results of the semifinals of the Legends Classic, the Villanova Wildcats may or may not play Michigan.
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Last Season: The Michigan Wolverines finished the 2013-14 season with a 28-9 record and a #6 ranking in the AP Poll. Their season ended with a 3-point loss to the Kentucky Wildcats in the Elite 8.
Last Meeting/All-Time Series: For a pair of historical basketball heavyweights, this will only be the fourth meeting between Villanova and Michigan. 'Nova leads the all-time series with a 2-1 record. The Wolverines' lone victory over the Wildcats was in 1970. Villanova won their matchup in 1968 and in the second round of the 1985 NCAA Tournament against the #1 seed.
Head Coach: This will be John Beilein's eighth season at the helm of the Michigan program. Last year, he was the Big Ten Coach of the Year and a finalist for Naismith Coach of the Year.
More on Michigan
More on Michigan
Top Returners: The trio of Derrick Walton Jr., Caris LeVert, and Zak Irvin will make up a solid backcourt for Michigan. make up as good of a perimeter game as there is in the Big Ten. The 6'6" LeVert, is the Wolverines' leading returning scorer and is a potential NBA lottery pick. Sophomore Zak Irvin is also looking to step up in his production.
Key Losses: The Wolverines have lost some major pieces from their Elite 8 run in 2014. Big Ten Player of the Year Nik Stauskas, Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary all opting early for the NBA. Coach John Beilein also lost solid post presence Jordan Morgan to graduation, and versatile forward Jon Horford decided to transfer to Florida.
Key Additions: A pair of 6'9" Freshmen Mark Donnal (who redshirted last year) and Ricky Doyle were impressive with their output in the Wolverines' pre-season tour of Italy. John Beilein said of his two bigs, "They are fairly skilled, shoot the ball well and can get things done with their back to the basket. They don’t shy away from contact, but they have a lot to learn. They’re both young."