Michigan’s basketball team, currently 14-5 in the Big Ten, faces challenges in their pursuit of a conference title after a loss to Maryland and needs Iowa to beat Michigan State for help. Coach Dusty May criticized his team’s performance, emphasizing a lack of discipline and connectivity. Despite recent struggles and concerns about peaking too soon, players like Danny Wolf remain optimistic about their potential in the upcoming games and the NCAA Tournament. Michigan must improve their team play and reduce turnovers as they prepare for crucial matchups, hoping to stay alive in the title race and secure a good tournament seed.
ANN ARBOR — To clinch a Big Ten title, Michigan is counting on assistance from a team striving to secure a spot in the conference tournament.
“Naturally, we’re huge Hawkeye supporters,” said Michigan coach Dusty May following his team’s loss to Maryland at Crisler Center on Wednesday.
With a 14-5 record in the league, Michigan has fallen two games behind Michigan State in the loss column. The Spartans are set to face the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday night (8 p.m. ET on FS1 for those cheering from a distance alongside May). Michigan is scheduled to take on Michigan State in East Lansing on Sunday.
The Wolverines require support due to their recent challenges.
Following a disastrous second half against Illinois that resulted in a 20-point home defeat on Sunday, they suffered another setback with a dismal first half on Wednesday. They managed only 22 points, marking a season low for a half, while trailing by 11. Careless turnovers characterized their start to the second half, and they continued to trail by 11 with 12 minutes remaining. Despite a couple of comebacks, they couldn’t draw closer than two points in a 71-65 defeat.
“We didn’t demonstrate the necessary discipline,” stated May. “Against a defense like this, one-handed hook passes can be detrimental. I do believe when we penetrated, they collapsed on Vlad (Goldin), and we failed to respond effectively to those penetration reactions against a team like this.”
Goldin and Danny Wolf each contributed 20 points; however, Goldin needed 17 shots to reach that total, and Wolf recorded five turnovers.
As a team, Michigan committed 16 turnovers, achieved a modest shooting percentage of 7 for 20 from beyond the arc, and missed numerous opportunities near the basket. “Kudos to our guys,” said May. “They fought hard and did their best to win an ugly game, but we fell short.”
Ranked No. 13 nationally, Maryland displayed greater shooting prowess, landing several crucial three-pointers to maintain their lead.
Some observers are expressing concerns that the Michigan team may have peaked too early. Since their 16-point victory over Washington on January 12, the Wolverines have recorded a 9-4 record, with all victories coming by margins of four points or less. While wins in the Big Ten should never be undervalued, the Michigan players and coaching staff have consistently acknowledged that they haven’t performed at their best during the past month.
“Clearly, it’s not ideal to go through a slump at this point in the season,” remarked Wolf. “We were in contention for a Big Ten championship, and now we need a few things to fall into place for that to happen. But let me share a quick story…”
Wolf recounted his experience from last season when his Yale team suffered a buzzer-beater loss at the end of the regular season, costing them a title. However, Yale turned the tables in the Ivy League Tournament championship with their own buzzer-beater, securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
“And I shared this with my teammates after the game,” Wolf said. “‘Guys, the most exciting part of college basketball lies ahead of us. We have all the talent, coaching, and resources we need.’”
This belief stems from the fact that even amid recent struggles, Michigan still has a shot at the title. The games played earlier in the season remain significant for their NCAA Tournament résumé.
Before the Wolverines can contemplate banners or a deep postseason journey, they must enhance their performance.
“We need to revert to playing quality team basketball,” May emphasized. “We must strengthen our connection as a collective.”
May hopes the current adversity will strengthen team bonds. At this stage, he noted, it’s essential to remember why he recruited these players “and work to bring out their best.”
Michigan is relying on an Iowa victory on Thursday to remain in contention for a share of the Big Ten title, which could still happen if Michigan also triumphs over Michigan State. Iowa entered Wednesday tied for 15th in a league where only 15 out of 18 teams can qualify for the tournament. Michigan, for its part, remains in the hunt for any of the top four seeds, which would grant them a double-bye to the quarterfinals as of the beginning of the day.
While inconsistent performances and losing games at this time of year are far from ideal, it’s preferable to experiencing such issues once the single-elimination phase begins.
Wednesday was an opportunity for Michigan to regain its rhythm. Perhaps they’ll find it on Sunday in East Lansing. If not, there’s always Indianapolis next week and wherever the Wolverines may end up as the real madness unfolds.
“It’s all about the team coming together and maintaining confidence in our approach,” remarked Wolf. “I’m eager to see what we can achieve over the next few weeks.”
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