CHARLOTTE -  The first shot of Saturday’s practice session missed its mark, nobody boxed out and a Michigan scout team player swooped in for an offensive rebound.

“Coach was concerned with that,” Michigan basketball coach John Beilein deadpanned.

On the same Time Warner Cable Arena floor one day earlier, Michigan pulled down 10 more rebounds than Tennessee in a 75-45 win and limited a Volunteer team that averaged 13 offensive boards to less than half that total.

“You just took a Tennessee team that is a ferocious rebounding team and gave them six offensive rebounds,” Beilein said, repeating the message he sent his team. “Now, all of a sudden, we stop doing that?”

After the Tennessee win, Beilein said his team had boxed out as well as it had all year. On Saturday, he said they’ll need the same effort against Duke.

“This is a bigger challenge. This is longer, more experienced players,” Beilein said. “It’s just really a challenge to keep (Duke) from having the easy points and second opportunities.”

It’s nothing new, of course. Saying Michigan’s four-guard lineup will be undersized in Sunday’s third-round NCAA game (2:30 p.m., CBS) is akin to saying the Wolverines will be dressed in maize and blue.

But Duke’s starting frontline of 6-foot-10 junior Miles Plumlee and 6-10 sophomore Mason Plumlee - who rotate with 6-11 sophomore Ryan Kelly - is as physically imposing as any the Wolverines have seen this season.

Plus, preseason Player of the Year candidate Kyle Singler (6-8) plays inside and outside.

“We’re undersized every game. Tennessee is a great offensive rebounding team and we did an all-right job. We know what we’ve got to do,” said Michigan’s Zack Novak, a 6-foot-4 junior who pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds against Tennessee.

“We have to box out and make it a priority to get rebounds because they are great at that. I think we know we’re going to have to play a good game and we’re prepared.”

Beilein said Blue Devil’s size can cause problems defensively because they’ll deny passing lanes, force you inside and then block shots.

The goal for Michigan is to create its own matchup problems.

“They’ve gotta guard us, too. I think we’re going to try to equalize that a little bit,” Novak said. “If you’ve got a 6-10 guy guarding Tim Hardaway on the perimeter, that’s just as much of a disadvantage.”

Duke is clearly aware of that scenario.

“Our size is an advantage, especially if we get the ball inside,” said Mason Plumlee. “But at the same time, they have a four man (Novak) who can really shoot it and when they bring in the big man off the bench (Evan Smotrycz), he can shoot it, too.

“If we do our part on the defensive end and do it right, it should help us on the offensive end.”

Rich Rezler covers sports for AnnArbor.com. Contact him at 734-623-2553 or richrezler@annarbor.com.