With just two losses on the season — by a combined four points — the No. 24 Michigan Wolverines are in a good place. Dusty May’s squad is on track for an NCAA Tournament berth but would like more, which means the Wolverines could use another solid non-conference win on the resume. The last opportunity for that is Wednesday in Charlotte, with the No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners the final Power Five opponent left on the schedule.

Like the entire SEC, the undefeated Sooners are making headlines this season. On its way to winning the Battle 4 Atlantis, Oklahoma has four wins over top-100 KenPom teams, the same total as Michigan. The Wolverines (23rd) sit higher in the analytics than the Sooners (37th), but the polls have the teams flipped. This should be a good one at the Jumpman Invitational.

No. 24 Michigan Wolverines (8-2) vs. No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners (10-0)

Date & Time: Wednesday, Dec. 18, 9 p.m. ET
Location: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
TV/Streaming: ESPN2

Oklahoma has been solid on both ends of the floor, with not many deficiencies in its profile. Freshman Jeremiah Fears, the No. 44 player in the 247Sports Composite, has been as advertised, averaging 16.7 PPG while leading the team with 4.7 APG. Fears and friends play with some pace, move the ball well, and like to take threes; this will be a test for the Wolverines after a couple rougher defensive performances.

The last time these teams met was in the Second Round of the 2008-09 NCAA Tournament as Blake Griffin’s squad took down the No. 10 Wolverines, who rejoined the Big Dance after an 11-year absence. Present day, this is the third edition of the Jumpman Invitational, completing one rotation. Michigan lost to North Carolina in 2022 and Florida last season, with both games coming down to the wire.

One Big Question: Where is the discipline?

I am not going to talk about turnovers every single game because unfortunately they do not seem to be going away. What I do think is worth mentioning is the general concept of discipline and patience, specifically against athletic teams that like to run. Against the Razorbacks, Michigan played right into their hand by rushing passes, leading to easy looks in transition off sloppy mistakes.

The Wolverines will need to lock down Fears on Wednesday, which becomes much more doable in the half court. Oklahoma has a top-50 eFG rate, so playing disciplined defense, but also smart offense, is essential to avoid yet another subpar defensive performance. The Sooners are not a great offensive rebounding team, but cleaning up the glass also remains an area where the defense must show more attention. Michigan has a solid defense (No. 15) already, and cleaning up its wild play will only make it even stronger.

One Thing to Watch: Play the percentages

Michigan ranks 39th in adjusted offense, but has the 15th-best eFG rate — and sixth-highest two-point shooting percentage in the country. The biggest reason for this gap is obviously turnovers, but even with this frustrating Achilles heel, the Wolverines have posted over 1.20 PPP in the last two games, mostly due to an insane 68.4-percent shooting mark inside the arc. Basically when the Wolverines get a shot off, good things are going to happen; it is those shotless, turnover-filled possessions that have been limiting this team.

The Sooners rank in the 200s in two-point defense, though many of those struggles were to begin the season. Still, the Danny Wolf-Vlad Goldin combo should feast again. Wolf has seen his turnover rate slowly drop, while Goldin is hitting 80 percent of his shots at the rim over the past four games after missing some bunnies earlier this year. Eventually teams will figure out how to stop this duo (or at least sell out to prevent it), but until that comes the Wolverines should continue hammering this advantage.

LAS VEGAS — The only good thing about the Oklahoma City Thunder’s offensive performance in Tuesday’s NBA Cup final is that it doesn’t count toward regular-season statistics.

The Thunder had their worst offensive outing of the season in a 97-81 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, hitting what would be season lows in points, field goal percentage (33.7%) and 3-point percentage (15.6%).

“I never look at it as like, we just missed shots,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I could have done a better job shaking us free at different times in that game, but we can learn from it.”

Oklahoma City superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had an uncharacteristically inefficient 21-point performance. He was 8-of-24 from the field, including 3-of-12 when Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr. was the primary defender, according to ESPN Research tracking.

“He did a good job tonight, but I don’t think he was the reason for my type of night,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 30.3 points on 51.0% shooting this season. “The way I felt tonight, I still got to my spots. I just didn’t make anything. Things like that happen. Nights like that happen. Yeah, he played hard, was aggressive. Nothing I haven’t seen before. I felt like it was me missing more so.”

Gilgeous-Alexander went 2-of-9 from 3-point range. He was the only Oklahoma City player to make multiple 3s, as the Thunder shot 5-of-32 from long distance.

“It’s hard to win that way,” said Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein, who scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half. “You just sometimes have those nights.”

According to Second Spectrum tracking, the Thunder had an expected 3-point percentage of 34.9% based on the quality of their looks against the Bucks. The 19.3% drop-off to Oklahoma City’s actual 3-point percentage was the Thunder’s most drastic of the season.

“I think for the most part we got good looks,” said Thunder forward Jalen Williams, who finished with 18 points on 8-of-20 shooting. “When you’re playing a good team, you’ve got to continually generate good looks and also make shots. I feel like that was just one of those nights. Defensively, I thought we were pretty good. Sometimes, it just doesn’t go in and you have to have enough will to keep doing the right thing and moving the ball and let the chips lay where they lay.”

Oklahoma City made only one of 17 3-point attempts in the first half, but the Thunder stayed in the game primarily by attacking the paint against the bigger Bucks. The Thunder scored 26 points in the paint and were 13-of-16 from the free throw line in the first half.

Those numbers plummeted in the second half, when the Bucks held the Thunder to only 31 points as Milwaukee turned a one-point halftime margin into a lopsided final. Oklahoma City scored only eight points in the paint and attempted only six free throws in the second half.

“We missed some shots that we normally make,” Thunder guard Alex Caruso said. “They do a good job of crashing down in the paint and we got some easy ones early and then just missed some open [3s] that could have spread them out, bring them out of the paint a little bit. … At the end of the day, you need a couple to go in if you’re going to win at a high level.”

The stage is set for an epic clash in the Emirates NBA Cup final as the veteran Milwaukee Bucks face off against the rising Oklahoma City Thunder. This Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, it’s experience versus exuberance, championship pedigree against youthful hunger, with a trophy and serious cash on the line.

The Bucks, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, bring a wealth of experience to the table, boasting All-Stars and NBA championship rings. However, the Thunder, spearheaded by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are a force to be reckoned with, on pace for a second consecutive Western Conference No. 1 seed.

While some might frame this as a battle of old versus young, both teams are dismissing the narrative. “It just comes down to one game and that’s it,” Lillard stated. “I don’t think nobody, at least with us, is looking at it like, ‘Oh, we old and all that and they young.’”

Gilgeous-Alexander echoed this sentiment, stating his focus is on dominating every opponent, regardless of their experience. “To be completely honest with you, I don’t differentiate games on who I play against,” he said. “If we play the worst team in the league, the best team in the league, I’m trying to take their head off.”

Oklahoma City’s run in the Cup

Both teams enter the final as two of the league’s hottest, boasting 12-3 records in their last 15 games. This high-stakes matchup not only offers a hefty payday–$205,988 per player for the losers and a whopping $514,971 for the winners–but also a crucial test of their mettle.

The Thunder’s Cup run has mirrored their regular season success. They dominated their group, overcoming the Lakers, Jazz, and a weakened Suns. They continued their impressive form in the knockout rounds with wins over Dallas and Houston, demonstrating resilience even in the absence of Chet Holmgren. They are 12-3 without Holmgren after going 8-2 with him.

Milwaukee’s run in the Cup

The Cup has been a turning point for the Bucks, who used the tournament to reignite their season after a rocky 2-8 start. Improved shooting and more aggressive defense have propelled them to impressive rankings in offensive and defensive efficiency during Cup play. The return of Khris Middleton adds another layer of intrigue.

With both Antetokounmpo and Gilgeous-Alexander in contention for both the Kia MVP and the tournament MVP, this final is poised to be an instant classic. Who will emerge victorious? Will experience prevail, or will youth reign supreme?

Bucks vs. Thunder showdown: First-time NBA Cup clash too close to call

The highly anticipated Emirates NBA Cup final is finally here, and predicting the winner is proving impossible. For the first time this season, the veteran Milwaukee Bucks will square off against the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This is the teams’ first meeting of the season, with their two regular-season games scheduled for February 3 in OKC and March 16 in Milwaukee. Last season, the teams split their two matchups, with the most recent coming on April 12, when the Bucks fell to OKC while missing their superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

Despite the Bucks’ pedigree, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault believes a loss earlier in 2023 proved pivotal for his rising team.

Reflecting on their March 24 defeat in Milwaukee, Daigneault said, “They really took it to us, and it was a great game for us. It was like water in the face for us. … It really informed us [of] the level of physicality, focus, everything you need to win against a good team.”

Lillard is the Bucks’ X factor

Both squads enter the final riding hot streaks. The Bucks have been closing out tight games behind their superstar duo of Antetokounmpo and Lillard, while the Thunder are firing on all cylinders with breakout performances from their young core.

Lillard remains Milwaukee’s X-factor, capable of dominating the scoreboard, while OKC’s forward Jalen Williams has drawn comparisons to a young Scottie Pippen for his versatility and clutch play.

Milwaukee dominates the deep game

One key stat could tip the scales: Milwaukee thrives from behind the arc, boasting a deadly 38.9% three-point shooting percentage. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City allows opponents to take 44.6% of their shots from deep — a troubling sign if the Bucks get hot from long range.

Oddsmakers give OKC a slight edge as 4.5-point favorites, but in a matchup this close, it could all come down to who catches fire on the night. One thing’s for sure — this NBA Cup final is shaping up to be a thriller.