4 reasons Montana is no pushover for Michigan basketball in first round of NCAA Tournament

No. 14 seed Montana plays No. 3 seed Michigan in first round

Jordan Poole,Isaiah Livers and Zavier Simpson after Michigan's 2018 Big Ten Tournament win over Iowa (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The NCAA Tournament is one of the best sports traditions in the world, and part of what makes it great is the unpredictability.

Even though a No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed, every other upset has happened in the tournament's history, and this year is sure to yield even more madness.

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But one of the teams nobody seems to be talking about is Montana, the No. 14 team in the South Region. The Grizzlies will take on No. 3 seed Michigan in the first round, and most people expect the Wolverines to take care of business.

Coming off a Big Ten Tournament title, Michigan deserves to be a heavy favorite, but Montana isn't a traditional No. 14 seed. John Beilein said last week that every team the Wolverines play in the NCAA Tournament will be a good one, and he's right about Montana.

Here are four reasons why Montana provides a tricky first-round test.

1. Defensive star Michael Oguine

When the NCAA Tournament tips off, teams with great guard play typically have an advantage, and Montana's Michael Oguine can make it difficult for his opponents.

Oguine was named the 2018 Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year this season. He sets the tone for a Montana team that had by far the best defense in its conference, and the 65th defense in the nation, according to KenPom.

One of the reasons for Michigan's success late in the season was Zavier Simpson's elite perimeter defense against opposing guards. When Simpson is disruptive, it makes it difficult for Michigan's opponents to get into their offensive flow.

If Oguine can be a similar defender, it will give Montana a chance.

2. Montana is by far the best No. 14 seed

People are talking about teams such as South Dakota State and Marshall for possible upsets in the first round, but Montana is actually better than those teams, according to KenPom.

Simple math will tell you No. 14 seeds should be the 53rd-56th best teams in the tournament, but Montana is the 48th-best team, making it more like a No. 12 seed than a No. 14 seed. Everyone who follows the NCAA Tournament knows how successful No. 12 seeds have been in the first round.

Montana is the No. 70 overall team in the nation in KemPom's rankings, and the next-closest No. 14 seed is Bucknell at No. 100. Michigan is a superior team, but this isn't the glorified warmup game most No. 3 seeds expect.

3. The Grizzlies have a big three

Ever since LeBron James left Cleveland to play for the Miami Heat in 2010, three has been a popular number in basketball. James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh made up Miami's big three, and teams have been trying to mimic them ever since.

Montana has a big three of its own in Oguine, Ahmaad Rorie and Jamar Akoh.

The trio average a combined 46.1 points, 6.7 assists and 16 rebounds per game. All three juniors have taken over as clear on-the-floor leaders for Travis DeCuire's team.

Rorie was named to the All-Big Sky First Team after averaging 17.2 points and 3.7 assists per game to lead Montana. Oguine was named to the second team, and Akoh earned third team honors.

Sometimes, highly seeded teams in the NCAA Tournament are led by a single really good player, but Montana has three of them.

4. Montana is playing its best basketball

Michigan enters the NCAA Tournament after a 10-day layoff, while Montana just polished off a Big Sky Tournament championship.

The Wolverines are considered one of the hottest teams in the country, but can they keep that flame burning through nearly two weeks without a game? Montana won three do-or-die games in the conference tournament to come into the Big Dance with a 19-2 record in its last 21 games.

Michigan has more talent on its roster, but when a team is playing well enough to win 19 of 21, anything can happen in a single meeting.

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About the Author:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.