Gonzaga @ Michigan preview

Michigan came to Paradise Island in the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis unranked, but can leave with a championship as the Wolverines meet No. 7 Gonzaga in the title game Friday afternoon. Michigan defeated Iowa State in the first round and used 19 straight points in the second half to knock off fourth-ranked North Carolina 73-64 on Thursday as Eli Brooks matched a career high with 24 points for first-year coach Juwan Howard.

“Granted, they’ve been very successful in the past,” Howard told reporters. “But to embrace a new staff and to be all in, I’m very thankful for that - because each and every one of them, they didn’t have to. It was a choice, but it was a choice because they trusted the staff, they trusted us as men to help lead them and teach them and develop them. … But I must say they’re inspiring to watch compete.” The Wolverines turned the ball over 38 times in the first two games of the tournament, but are shooting 53.7 percent from the field with 21 makes from 3-point range and will need more of the same against Gonzaga. The Bulldogs coughed up a five-point lead in the final minute of regulation, but rallied in overtime for a 73-72 victory over Oregon in the other semifinal Thursday as sophomore forward Filip Petrusev finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Gonzaga isn’t sure to have a full lineup for the final as freshman forward Anton Watson (ankle) did not play Thursday, senior guard Admon Gilder (undisclosed) was limited to 21 minutes and senior forward Killian Tillie (knee) scored seven points in the semifinal, but is still day-to-day.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT MICHIGAN (6-0): Brooks, a junior guard, connected on 9-of-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc Thursday while raising his scoring average for the season to 13.7 - second on the team behind junior forward Isaiah Livers (16.3). Livers has 29 points in the tournament and senior guard Zavier Simpson dished out 33 assists in the last three contests after scoring seven with six helpers before fouling out against North Carolina. Simpson averages 12.2 points along with 9.2 assists and 7-1 senior center Jon Teske has chipped in 12.3 points, a team-best 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks (four Thursday).

ABOUT GONZAGA (8-0): Petrusev drained 7-of-15 from the field and grabbed six offensive rebounds Thursday, improving his team-leading averages to 17 points and 8.8 rebounds. Junior Corey Kispert (14.1 points) matched a career high by scoring 28 in the first-round win over Southern Mississippi before adding 17 in the semifinals and the 6-7 forward is 12-for-16 from 3-point range the last two days. Freshman forward Drew Timme (11.1 points) hit the winning free throw in overtime Thursday and senior guard Ryan Woolridge had five points and seven rebounds in 41 minutes.

TIP-INS

1. Gonzaga sophomore G Joel Ayayi is averaging 17 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the past two games.

2. Michigan sophomore G David DeJulius has 25 points combined and is 10-for-15 from the field in the tournament.

3. The Bulldogs are shooting 40 percent from 3-point range while the Wolverines have connected on 40.8 percent of their shots behind the arc.

PREDICTION: Michigan 80, Gonzaga 78