Trending Now - Michigan and Saint Louis Face Off in Round of 32 Matchup

WHO:

Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team, 1-seed

Saint Louis Billikens men's basketball team, 9-seed

Dusty May, head coach of Michigan

Josh Schertz, head coach of Saint Louis

Robbie Avila, tallest player for Saint Louis, listed at 6-foot-10

Aday Mara, 7-foot-3 player for Michigan

Morez Johnson Jr., 6-foot-10 player for Michigan

Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-foot-9 player for Michigan, leading scorer averaging 14.4 points per game

WHAT:

Michigan won its first-round matchup against Howard, 101-80

Saint Louis won its first-round matchup against Georgia, 102-77

Michigan is favored by 12.5 points against Saint Louis

Both teams scored over 100 points in their first-round wins

Michigan scored 40 points in the paint against Howard

Saint Louis is ranked 283rd nationally in turnovers, averaging 12.5 per game

WHERE:

Buffalo, New York, location of the NCAA tournament matchup

WHEN:

The round of 32 matchup is scheduled for Saturday, March 21st, 2026, at 12:10 p.m. ET

WHY:

Dusty May and Josh Schertz share a close friendship and coaching philosophy, leading to a unique level of trust and collaboration

May and Schertz have a history of exchanging ideas and learning from each other, which enhances their coaching strategies

HOW:

May and Schertz share practice film and playbooks, a practice described as "unusual" by May

Michigan plans to leverage its size and physicality in the paint against Saint Louis, which has a smaller lineup

(UPDATED March 21, 2026 13:16 UTC)

In a highly anticipated round of 32 matchup at the NCAA tournament in Buffalo, New York, the Michigan Wolverines, a top seed, will face off against the ninth-seeded Saint Louis Billikens this Saturday at 12:10 p.m. ET. Both teams are coming off impressive first-round victories, with Michigan defeating Howard 101 to 80 and Saint Louis overcoming Georgia 102 to 77, and Michigan is favored by 12.5 points thanks to their size advantage, including a towering 7-foot-3 player, Aday Mara. Coaches Dusty May and Josh Schertz, who share a close friendship and coaching philosophy, have been collaborating closely by exchanging practice film and playbooks to enhance their strategies for this exciting matchup.