Three Michigan transfers set for NCAA Tournament action, two in NIT

Three former Michigan Wolverines basketball players will play in the NCAA Tournament for the teams they transferred to, a pair with VCU (27-7) and one with Arizona State (22-12). Both squads are in the West Region.

VCU, a No. 12 seed, features former Michigan guard Zeb Jackson and forward Brandon Johns Jr. The Rams won their final nine games, including three in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, to make the Big Dance for the first time since 2019. They also won the Atlantic 10 regular-season title with a 15-3 record in the league and 27-7 mark overall.

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Johns is second on the team in both points (11.8) and rebounds (5.3) per game, starting at the power forward spot and also playing some center. He’s shooting 51.9 percent from the field, including 29.5 percent from beyond the arc (13-of-44). The 6-foot-8, 240-pounder scored in double figures 22 times this season.

Jackson, meanwhile, averages 17.3 minutes per outing off the bench, contributing 5.3 points, 1.8 assists and 1.5 rebounds on average. The former Michigan guard is shooting 40.3 percent overall and 10-of-51 from three-point range (19.6 percent).

VCU will play No. 5 seed Saint Mary’s Friday in Albany, N.Y., with the winner to take on either No. 4 seed UConn or No. 13 seed Iona.

The VCU program has a history of making runs in March, with former head man Shaka Smart leading them to the 2011 Final Four as a No. 11 seed.

Former Michigan point guard Frankie Collins and Arizona State were on the bubble most of the season and squeaked into the NCAA Tournament. The Sun Devils, who rank No. 28 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, are a No. 11 seed and will play Nevada Wednesday night in Dayton as part of the First Four. Collins’ squad was the second-to-last at-large team in the field of 68 and made the field thanks in part to an 87-62 win over Michigan Nov. 17 in Brooklyn.

Collins is averaging 10.1 points per contest on 40.4 percent shooting from the field and 35.1 percent on three-pointers (26-of-74). He’s struggled from the field as of late, making only 20 of his last 63 shots (31.7 percent). The former Michigan guard adds a team-best 4.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds per contest. He averages 2.1 turnovers per outing.

The winner of Arizona State-Nevada will play No. 6 seed TCU Friday in Denver. No. 3 seed Gonzaga or No. 14 seed Grand Canyon are the potential opponents in the next round.

This is Arizona State’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 2019.

Michigan could see Colin Castleton, David DeJulius in Las Vegas

Michigan is a No. 3 seed in the NIT and could face two of its former players this month. Guard David DeJulius and Cincinnati (21-12) are a No. 4 seed and have the potential to play Michigan in the semifinals (March 28 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas), while forward Colin Castleton, who’s out for the season with a broken hand, and his Florida Gators (16-16) are a No. 4 seed on the other side of the bracket. Michigan and Florida could play in the championship game March 30.

Castleton was selected as a first-team All-SEC performer this season, even after missing the final six games. The Gators went 2-4 without him. The 6-foot-11, 250-pound former Michigan forward averaged 16 points, 7.7 rebounds (both team highs) and 2.7 assists per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and 2-of-15 from three-point range.

Florida will host UCF Wednesday night. The winner plays either Oregon or UC Irvine.

DeJulius was named third-team All-AAC for the second straight season. He registered 14.5 points (second on team), 5.2 assists (team best) and 2.1 rebounds per contest, shooting 42.7 percent overall and 35.7 percent on threes (56-of-157).

Former Michigan guard Cole Bajema just finished his third season at Washington. The Huskies missed out on postseason play, going 16-16 and dropping their first Pac-12 Tournament game.

Bajema started 30 of 31 games, averaging 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest. He shot 39 percent overall, including a 36-percent clip from behind the long line (49-of-136).