What to watch for: Michigan at St. John’s (Exhibition)

Michigan heads to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night (7:00 p.m., B1G+, save 50% with code HOOPS50) to face St. John’s in the final exhibition tune-up before the season begins.

It’s a preseason battle of two teams picked in the preseason top ten, but also two teams that were clearly still figuring things out in their preseason process.

Another real test

For the most part, you know what you are going to get when Rick Pitino is on the opposite bench.

Pitino’s teams are consistently elite on the defensive end of the floor — last year’s St. John’s team finished 2nd nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency — and are relentless with their pressure and tenacity. Last year, St. John’s finished in the top 25 in eFG% defense, forced turnover rate, 2-point defense, 3-point defense, and block rate.

This team has new personnel, but Rick Pitino has been doing this for decades. This game should serve as an excellent stress test of Michigan’s ability to handle pressure, attack aggressive defenses, and play with poise on the road in a hostile environment.

St. John’s isn’t a finished product either, to be sure. Pitino’s squad will rely heavily on transfers, with six incoming portal prospects featuring in the top seven spots in the rotation. The Johnnies trailed 29-21 at the half in their first exhibition game to Towson before pulling away for a 73-63 win.