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Each coming off dominant statement wins in the Sweet 16, third-seeded Michigan and No. 9 Florida State will meet for a trip to the Final Four on Saturday. The Wolverines can get to the national semifinals for the second time in six years, while the Seminoles haven’t been to the promised land since the tournament expanded to 64 teams.
The game is scheduled to start at 8:49 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on TBS. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can watch the game live on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
DirecTV Now: TBS is included in all of DirecTV Now’s four main channel packages. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial no matter what package you choose, and you can then watch the game live on your computer via the DirecTV Now website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the DirecTV Now app.
Hulu With Live TV: In addition to their extensive Netflix-like streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of live channels, including TBS. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
Sling TV: TBS is included in both the “Sling Blue” and “Sling Orange” channel packages. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial of either, and you can then watch the game live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
Note: You can also watch any tournament game on your computer via the March Madness Live website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the March Madness Live app. To watch these streams, you’ll have a free preview before needing to sign in to a TV provider to keep watching, but if you don’t have cable, you can do this by logging in with your Hulu credentials.
Preview
This certainly isn’t an Elite Eight matchup that many were expecting, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less compelling.
After needing a miraculous Jordan Poole buzzer-beater to take down Houston in the second round, Michigan resumed looking like the team that won the Big Ten tournament during a 99-72 curb-stomping of Texas A&M. They shot a blistering 14-of-24 from three-point range, turned the ball over just seven times and scored a silly 1.38 points per possession.
For much of the season, the Wolverines have leaned on their defense, which is one of the most efficient in the country. But their ability to spread the court with shooters, move the ball from side to side and knock down shots makes them nearly impossible to beat when everything is clicking. During their current 12-game winning streak, they’re averaging 76.3 points per game and have hit at least eight threes nine times.
Enter Florida State, who is back to playing defense much like Leonard Hamilton’s teams from 2009 through 2012, which ranked Top-10 nationally in defensive efficiency every year. They are long, athletic and elite ball-hawkers. Against Xavier, one of the best offensive teams in the country, they forced 18 turnovers and blocked four shots. Against Gonzaga, another very good offensive team, they forced another 13 turnovers, blocked nine shots and had the Bulldogs uncomfortable for most of the night.
“Their defense is terrific.” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “They prioritize it, and they have great length to do it. It’s a challenge. We pride ourselves on not turning it over.”
Now, Texas A&M featured similar length and athleticism, and the Wolverines absolutely ripped them to shreds. It’s going to be very interesting to see if the Seminoles can continue defending like they have and force Michigan into mistakes, or if we get another offensive clinic from Beilein’s team.
Oddsmakers predict the latter, as the Wolverines are favored by 4.5, but it should be an entertaining battle either way.
