How Michigan rode a supersized frontcourt to No. 1

MarkFewlookedoutoverthepodiuminthepressroomoftheMGMGrandGardenArenainLasVegasinlateNovember,asifheweresearchingforanswers. With6-foot-9GrahamIkeand6-10BradenHuffanchoringGonzaga’sfrontcourt,FewwasaccustomedtohisBulldogsoverwhelmingopponentswiththeirsize.Theyhaddoneitina10-pointwinoverAlabama’shigh-tempooffenseanda39-pointblowoutofMarylandtoopenthePlayersEraFestival—thenthescriptwasflipped.MichiganhadjustbulliedtheteamthatleadsthecountryinpointsinthepainttowintheFeastWeek’stournamenttitleby40. “Look,we’reateamthatreallyscoreswellinside…Andweliterallycouldn’tgenerateanyscoringthereatallallnight,”Fewsaidofthemostlopsidedlosssincehistenurestartedin1999.“That’ssomethingthatjustdoesn’tordinarilyhappentous.” GonzagawasthelastofthreestraightPlayersEraopponentsMichiganhaddominatedby110combinedpoints,aharbingerofwhatwastocomeofthenowNo.1teaminthecountry.Veryfewopponentsh