Michigan Men’s Basketball regular season title earned them the number one seed in the Big Ten Tournament this weekend at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Illinois upset Indiana 64-54 as Michigan watched during its bye, earned by their, Big Ten leading, regular season conference record. In addition to the favorable seeding for Michigan in the tournament, the team also was entering the quarterfinal matchup against Illinois on a 5 game winning streak – including a win against Michigan State and just coming off an inspiring, senior-night 84-80 win over Indiana with Jordan Morgan having a huge, final home game in his University of Michigan collegiate career with a 15 point, 10 rebound, double-double.
Michigan squeaked by Illinois in the quarterfinal game 64-63 on a Jordan Morgan bucket with 7.9 seconds left in the second half, which proved to be the game winning shot as Indiana’s ensuing drive resulted in an open floater that fell short. Giving respect to where it was due, Illinois came into the Big Ten Tournament after having gotten dismantled by Michigan in Champaign on a night where Michigan appeared to be a team that could beat any in the country with the field goal percentage and efficiency – prior to a three game winning streak including Michigan State away, all of which they held their opponents to less than 50 points per game. That being said, Michigan looked nowhere near the same team that went into Champaign and emphatically claimed the Big Ten regular season title.
The most evident weaknesses of this Michigan team is that they don’t have much depth among their big men. To this point in the season, Michigan has been able to rely on Jordan Morgan and Jon Horford to establish and maintain an inside presence on both sides of the ball, however it was clear from this game that more players will have to crash the boards for Michigan to remain competitive at the highest level of collegiate teams. Michigan’s offensive efficiency is well known and respected, along with the minimal fouls they commit and turnovers per game. However, Michigan’s weakness is glaring, as emphasized by an unranked Illinois team taking the first-seeded Wolverines to the final shot, which, to be blunt, was a very clean look from inside 18 feet.
Nevertheless, Michigan escaped Illinois and faced Ohio State (24) in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal game where the team showed signs of the team that had beaten this Ohio State team earlier in the season going up double digits early in the first half. However, although they maintained a lead until four minutes left in the second half, they still eventually surrendered the lead back to Ohio State down as the deciding final minutes approached. Michigan took care of business, dispatching the Buckeyes 72-69, capped by, from a Michigan fan’s perspective, a laughable Aaron Craft three point attempt.
Looking like a team that seemed not to be playing at its potential, but well enough to win, Michigan was set to take on Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament final. Michigan had beaten State both home and away this season, however State had starters limited or out in both of their previous matchups, and today Michigan met a different State team.
State: dominated the glass 38-28, held Michigan to a season-low 31.5% field goal percentage, limited themselves to just 10 turnovers to Michigan’s 9, and shot 50% from the field themselves. There is no question that Michigan State was the better team on the court at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Sunday.
What Michigan will take away in this disappointing, but can be useful, game is to keep balance on the offense during press and creating good looks. Michigan was stifled by State’s defense on many occasions and took a very low percentage of their shots uncontested, leading to their worst shooting performance of the season. Also, Michigan is known to make use of the three and do so effectively, but this afternoon they shot a dismal 26.1% from beyond the arc (6-23) and that highlights execution and preparation. Early foul trouble for Jordan Morgan and Jon Horford also burdened Michigan in how they could play defensively for the duration of the game.
Defense has been an issue for the Wolverines all season, but the team relies on Jordan Morgan to be the vocal and physical anchor to its unit and when his minutes are cut due to foul trouble, the defense mentally and physically. His experience is another quality that makes him invaluable to an, otherwise relatively young, Michigan Wolverines basketball team.
In retrospect, I think this defeat will do more good than harm for the Wolverines, as I expect this loss to motivate them to execute in the tournament. There is no question that this team has the talent to be the best in the country, but they will have to look for more than contested jump shots. Bench scoring was also a factor in Michigan’s clash with Michigan State, with Zach Irvin, Jon Horford, and Spike Albrecht all having, to be blunt, mediocre game’s, in one of the biggest of their season – knowing that Michigan with a win in all likelihood would have gotten a number one seed in the NCAA tournament (they were named a number 2).
All in all, no one likes an ugly loss like Michigan had this afternoon, but there are lessons to be learned from this and correcting them could be instrumental in the Wolverines making a deep NCAA tournament run.
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