Michigan Basketball: Power Ranking Wolverines' Potential Preseason NIT Opponents

The Michigan Wolverines blew out Slippery Rock, 100-62, in their season opener last Friday, which only added to the buildup and hype surrounding the 2012-13 team, as John Beilein and Co. prepare to host the North Region of the Preseason NIT Tip-Off at the Crisler Center.

The Wolverines will face the IUPUI Jaguars on Monday night, which will be a tune-up game for Michigan, but what other potential opponents are lurking in the field of 16 teams that could trip up the Maize and Blue?

Click ahead to find out the five opponents Michigan fans should be weary of as the Wolverines advance in the Preseason NIT!

No. 5: Lehigh Mountain Hawks

2011-12 Record: 27-8 (11-3, Patriot League), Lost in Third Round of NCAA Tournament

Why They Can Beat Michigan: C.J. McCollum

The Lehigh Mountain Hawks may not have one of the best teams in the country, but they have one of the nation's top players in C.J. McCollum, who dropped 36 points, dished out two assists and pulled down eight rebounds in a losing effort against the Baylor Bears last Friday.

Marquee opponents seem to bring out the best in McCollum, and the Michigan Wolverines could become his next target if the Mountain Hawks are able to get by the Robert Morris Colonials on Monday night and the Pittsburgh Panthers in the quarterfinals.

In games against the Michigan State Spartans, St. John's Red Storm, Iowa State Cyclones, Duke Blue Devils and Xavier Musketeers, the Canton, Ohio native averaged 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

McCollum helped lead the No. 15-seeded Mountain Hawks past Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to the Xavier Musketeers in the third round. 

Michigan will have to be cautious against Lehigh if the two teams meet up in New York for the semifinals, and if the Wolverines can't find a way to contain McCollum, they might wind up in the consolation round instead of the Preseason NIT title game.

No. 4: Cleveland State Vikings

2011-12 Record: 22-11 (12-6, Horizon League), Lost in First Round of NIT Tournament

Why They Can Beat Michigan: Balanced Scoring

Six players scored 10 or more points as the Cleveland State Vikings demolished the Grambling State Tigers 92-49 in their season opener at the Wolstein Center last Friday.

Sophomore Charlie Lee led the way with 20 points and seven assists, while power forward Anton Grady scored 14 points, pulled down nine rebounds, recorded three steals and blocked three shots.

Head coach Gary Waters has led the Vikings to at least 20 wins in four of the last five seasons and will have Cleveland State ready for a pivotal battle with the Michigan Wolverines in the quarterfinals if it's able to get by the Bowling Green State Falcons on Monday night.

The Vikings are versatile enough in the post and on the perimeter to give Michigan some problems if Mitch McGary and Jordan Morgan get in some foul trouble early.

No. 3: Kansas State Wildcats

2011-12 Record: 22-11 (10-8, Big 12 Conference), Lost in Third Round of NCAA Tournament

Why They Can Beat Michigan: Bruce Weber's familiarity with the Wolverines 

Jamar Samuels ran out of eligibility at the end of the 2011-12 season, but the Kansas State Wildcats return five of their six leading scorers from last year's team, and new head coach Bruce Weber is familiar enough with the Michigan Wolverines to have his team ready for a potential Preseason NIT Championship Game tilt.

Weber went 4-5 against John Beilein's teams, while the two were at Illinois and Michigan, respectively, and two of those losses were last season when the Fighting Illini were completely falling apart. 

Senior guard Rodney McGruder averaged 15.8 points per game last season, but struggled with his shot and finished 3-of-12 from the field in Kansas State's season-opening rout of the North Dakota Fighting Sioux.

Fortunately for the Wildcats, Thomas Gipson, Angel Rodriguez, Martavious Irving and Will Spradling all finished the game in double figures, and Kansas State managed to pull down 48 rebounds as a team, which is something that could give Michigan problems if they square off at Madison Square Garden.

The Wildcats are hosting the Midwest Region and will have to go through the likes of the Lamar Cardinals, North Texas Mean Green in the quarterfinals and the No. 2 seeded Virginia Cavaliers if the chalk holds through the first two rounds of the tournament.

No. 2: Virginia Cavaliers

2011-12 Record: 22-10 (9-7, Atlantic Coast Conference), Lost in Second Round of NCAA Tournament

Why They Can Beat Michigan: Style of play

The Virginia Cavaliers and Michigan Wolverines met a year ago in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and there were not too many pleasant memories for the Maize and Blue faithful after Tony Bennett's squad dominated the second half en route to a 70-58 victory.

The Wolverines were limited to one shot attempt on several of their possessions, which enabled the Cavaliers to go on a 19-2 run at one point, and Michigan lost the rebounding battle 36-26.

Virginia will not be able to keep up with Michigan in a shootout now that Mike Scott is gone, but if the Cavaliers are able to frustrate Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway, Jr. with outstanding defense like they did a year ago, the Wolverines could be in big trouble.

Joe Harris went off on the Wolverines last year for 18 points, and the 6'6", 211-pound junior guard will be looking for an encore performance if the two teams meet in the Preseason NIT.

The good news for Michigan is that Virginia is hosting the South Region, which means the Wolverines would not have to face the Cavaliers until the championship game. 

No. 1: Pittsburgh Panthers

2011-12 Record: 22-17 (5-13, Big East Conference), CBI Tournament Champions

Why They Can Beat Michigan: Strong front-court play

Even though the Pittsburgh Panthers lost three of their top four scorers from last year's team, which struggled in Big East Conference play and found themselves in the CBI Tournament at the end of the 2011-12 regular season, head coach Jamie Dixon has the right mix of players to give the Michigan Wolverines a tough test in the Preseason NIT.

Junior power forward Talib Zanna poured in 20 points on 10-of-12 shooting, while seven-footer Steven Adams added eight points and eight rebounds in Pittsburgh's 80-48 season-opening victory over the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers.

Michigan has had problems in the past against teams that are able to outplay it in the paint, and the Panthers have the big men to expose the Wolverines' key weakness.

Tray Woodall is also back for the Panthers backcourt, and shooting guard Trey Ziegler, who transferred to Pitt after averaging close to 16 points per game in two seasons with the Central Michigan Chippewas, should be able to make up for the losses Dixon's team suffered over the offseason. 

The Panthers are hosting the East Region of the tournament and would play the Wolverines in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden if they are able to get past the Fordham Rams in the opening round and likely the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in the quarterfinals.