When Michigan was looking to add a high-profile nonconference opponent before last season, coach John Beilein figured he should go with what he knows.
He knew Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun well since both were from the Northeast and coached against each other in the Big East for five years.

So scheduling a home-and-home series worked well, even in the middle of the conference season as it will be for Sunday's game at Crisler Arena.

"He mentored me when I first got in the (Big East) league a little bit, telling me how to approach coaching at this level, and it was good," Beilein said Friday. "The basic message was coach one team at a time. He told me an old story about (former St. John's coach) Lou Carnesecca. Coach one team at a time, don't worry about what other people are doing, worry what you're doing. It stuck with me a long time."

That's easier said when Connecticut is the opponent. While there might be potential for Beilein's knowledge of Calhoun to help the Wolverines -- it appeared to make a difference when U-M played the Huskies close in Storrs, Conn., last year -- it might not be significant.

"I don't think it's an advantage either way," said Beilein, 1-3 against Connecticut during his time at West Virginia. "We're not going to surprise each other, let's say that."