Michigan, LSU searching for answers against star freshmen Thomas, Dickinson

Michigan has yet to face a point guard like Louisiana State’s Cam Thomas this season. The Tigers have yet to face someone like the Wolverines’ Hunter Dickinson this season. By the end of Monday night, one of the two team’s season will be over, and there’s a good chance one of those two freshman will be a big reason why.

While Monday night’s second-round matchup between No. 1 seed Michigan and No. 8 seed LSU has far more layers than Thomas and Dickinson, the two players are arguably among the nation’s top handful of freshmen. Given that the Big Ten was low on dominant iso guards and that the SEC was low on true dominant centers, the matchup between LSU and Michigan is as enigmatic and fascinating as it is entertaining.

The Tigers, who entered Monday 66th out of 68 NCAA Tournament teams allowing teams to make 63.4 percent of shots at the rim, are hailing from a guard-driven league with relatively few true big men. According to advanced statistics site BartTorvik.com, former Michigan player and Florida standout Colin Castleton was the SEC’s most valuable player taller than 6-foot-9.

Dickinson and, to a lesser extent, Austin Davis will challenge LSU’s front court, which is without a true center due to Shareef O’Neal’s season-ending injury.

“There are just no players like Dickinson in the SEC,” LSU coach Will Wade said on Sunday. “He’s just got great feel. You push him off the block, and he can make 8- to 10-footers as well. They do a great job of getting him angles. He’s a load.”

“We haven’t played a post player like him all season long. Then you space him out with really good shooters, it makes it difficult to guard.”

The Big Ten had good self-creating guards this season, such as Minnesota’s Marcus Carr, Wisconsin’s D’Mitrik Trice and Ohio State’s Duane Washington Jr., but none compare to Thomas. A 6-foot-4, former five-star recruit hailing from Chesapeake, Virginia, Thomas is getting plenty of late-first round draft buzz after averaging 22.8 points per game this season. Thomas is elite at getting downhill and to the free-throw line, and his size poses and issue for Michigan’s primary guard defenders — 5-foot-11 Mike Smith and 6-foot Eli Brooks.

“Well, he can shoot the ball from very deep,” Michigan coach Juwan Howard said of Thomas. “He’s proven that he’s made shots from the logo. He’s also very good off the dribble and creating his own shot. He loves those one-on-one matchups. What also makes him good is that he also has good length and body control for his size.”

In the end, most of Monday night’s scoring will come from players that aren’t Dickinson or Thomas. For the Wolverines, Franz Wagner, Smith, Brooks, Chaundee Brown Jr. and Brandon Johns Jr. will be among the players asked to produce regardless of how Dickinson’s game is going. LSU will be dependent on fellow guard Javonte Smart and forwards Trendon Watford and Darius Days.

It’s all going to be a challenge in a matchup between two of the nation’s top 10 offenses according to KenPom.com’s adjusted offensive efficiency.

“Oh man, this is a very challenging year for all teams. Every team that’s playing in this NCAA Tournament, you expect you’re gonna get their best,” Howard said. “LSU, they’re very skilled. Yes, they do have a backcourt with two amazing players, in Smart as well as Thomas. We’re gonna try to do our best to try to contain them.”

But in the end, whichever team can learn and execute a better defense on the other’s star freshman just might be rewarded with a trip to the Sweet Sixteen.