It was tough sledding for the first 32 minutes or so. Michigan had yet to lead by double-figures, until Isaiah Livers hit a mid-range jumper to force a Binghamton timeout. Michigan was able to maintain control from there and eventually build their lead up past the twenty point mark, and they ultimately blew out their worst team on the roster (according to KenPom) according to the score. But it was more than that.
Game Story:
Michigan's hot start, taking a 9-3 lead on three-for-three shooting from deep, in the first two minutes seemed as if it could be the start of a quick blow-away day for the Wolverines. It was not meant to be. Instead, the Wolverines, getting ample looks mid-range looks in the zone, missed nine straight shots allowing Binghamton to take an 11-9 lead over a scoring drought that lasted exactly six minutes. It was Jordan Poole hitting his third three of the day to break the skid, but Chancellor Barnard's first three-pointer taken of the year was a miracle three that went in with no time left on the shot clock. Isaiah Livers was able to dunk over two Bearcats for the first two-pointer, and Michigan started to get a touch of momentum back. Jon Teske's outlet pass found Poole, who lobbed it up to Livers for the alley-oop to give Michigan a 25-18 lead with seven minutes left in the first half. Still, Binghamton hung around, thanks to Michigan's inability to capitalize in the middle of the zone. Charles Matthews hit a free throw for the last point and gave Michigan the slim five-point halftime lead, by the score of 34-29.
The second half saw Poole hit a pair of threes in the first six minutes of the half, giving Michigan a 44-37 lead, but once again, Binghamton refused to go away. A mini 6-2 run with a pair of twos from Everson Davis and a Sam Sessoms lay-up let Binghamton go down 46-43, and at the 11:30 mark Livers missed a jumper and the Bearcats had the chance to tie with a three, but Davis missed a two. From there, it turned out to be all Michigan. Charles Matthews was found underneath for a dunk and despite a two-minute stretch of no scoring from either side, Ignas Brazdeikis finished a lay-up through contact putting Michigan up 50-43. Three straight threes, one from Livers and two from Brazdeikis, put the Wolverines ahead 63-46, and not even a flagrant foul on Zavier Simpson on a loose ball could slow the momentum. The bench was able to empty, Eli Brooks hit a three to put Michigan up twenty, and David DeJulius provided the capper with a steal and lay-up to give Michigan the win, 74-52, in their final non-conference game of the season.
What Happened:
Michigan started off slow against the zone. The open looks were available, but Michigan just could not get the touch from the free throw line or elbow. Instead of burying the open looks, Michigan got cold from two. Jordan Poole's four first half threes gave Michigan a massive lifeline in the first twenty minutes. Eventually, though, Michigan wizened up to the smartest strategy against the zone when those shots are not falling: drive to the block. Michigan got a few in a row to drop and even through contact the finishes were strong. It was almost as if a switch flipped and Michigan realized it was time to pull away in the game.
On their defensive side, they stuck with a man-to-man, putting Jon Teske when in on Chancellor Barnard. The driver is elite from two and while he also hit a circus shot from three, he also went five-for-eight from two with several strong takes. Michigan would hedge the Barnard screens with Teske when Bernard went to screen for Sam Sessoms, and Sessoms was able to find him two times on that wide-open roll for the finish. It was a good read from the freshman point guard, who was held to a quiet seven points and five assists on three-for-eleven shooting, including a circus lay-up, and zero-for-three from three. Michigan game-planned for this Binghamton team well. Caleb Stewart hit a pair of threes in the first half but was silenced in the second. Likewise, just he (with thirteen points) and Barnard (with fourteen) were the only Bearcats in double-figures and the side as a whole were forced into fourteen turnovers by the Michigan defense.
On offense, Michigan had three huge scorers, all three coming up big at different times. For the first 25-30 minutes, it was Poole. His six threes lofted Michigan up when they could not seem to buy a bucket at times. Many of them were from long-range, and on the season Poole is now shooting 50% after a six-for-ten day this afternoon. Next was Isaiah Livers. Livers had six in the first half, but he really heated up in the last ten minutes of the game to the tune of a pair of a three and several other twos that in the early stages of the game simply would not fall for the Wolverines, be it luck (like the tip-in he had) or poor shooter's touch. Livers went eight-for-ten and was vital in providing the energy off the bench that a sleepy Michigan side needed to be productive enough to close out the game. Finally, Ignas Brazdeikis. Brazdeikis almost quietly contributed 21 points to the game's cause, including a perfect three-for-three night from three along with eight rebounds. When it came to missing mid-range jumpers, Brazdeikis was a key culprit, but his threes and strong takes to the basket in the second half made up for it. He went nine-for-eighteen and continues to put up stellar numbers as just a freshman. These three players did the vast majority of scoring for the Wolverines, and it was crucial.
Someone else who needs recognition is Zavier Simpson. The point guard took just one shot, missing a floater in the lane, but it was not about scoring for the Ohioan. Simpson finished with a whopping ten assists and nine rebounds, just one shy of an impressive double-double. His hustle kept a key ball alive and his pair of steals do not accurately represent just how good he was on the defensive end of the court. He locked down a star freshman in Sessoms, which was crucial to the Michigan game plan. It is not often that point guards flirt with that sort of double-double while also taking just one shot, but it goes to show what sort of court general Simpson is, and he is just a junior. Michigan are most pleased with his performances like these, even if he has just a pair of points.
Some final wrap-up notes about the game:
1. Charles Matthews went just three-for-twelve for seven points. He played great defense, as usual (with three steals), but played only 25 minutes as a result of the offensive struggles. His mid-range jumpshot was simply off for the day, those are shots he generally hits. He needs to be more consistent with that for Michigan to blow teams out for a full forty minutes.
2. Jon Teske also missed some open looks, ending just two-for-six with four points. Playing just 21 minutes, Michigan went small against a smaller Binghamton team whose biggest player, Caleb Stewart, is solid from three. Some games favor Teske, others don't, but he needs to go up strong and finish well.
3. Eli Brooks also saw extended time with the smaller line-up without Teske and Matthews. He played sixteen minutes and went just one-for-four, with his three pushing the lead to twenty points. He was open when shooting, the shots just would not fall. Still, it was an encouraging outing as Brooks did well to silence Sessoms on defense while moving the ball and handling it well on offense.
What's Next:
Big Ten play finally awaits. Penn State will enter Crisler on January 3rd at 7 P.M. in the first encounter of the new year. Indiana is the next opponent on Sunday the 6th at a time TBD. Following the first two games, Michigan does not play back-to-back home games but once more this season, those two being the final two of the year against Nebraska and Michigan State. Winning at home is key for the Wolverines who have made it a habit, and will hope to continue to do so starting back up in 2019.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for plenty more Michigan basketball coverage, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Liverpool FC coverage as well!
Game Story:
Michigan's hot start, taking a 9-3 lead on three-for-three shooting from deep, in the first two minutes seemed as if it could be the start of a quick blow-away day for the Wolverines. It was not meant to be. Instead, the Wolverines, getting ample looks mid-range looks in the zone, missed nine straight shots allowing Binghamton to take an 11-9 lead over a scoring drought that lasted exactly six minutes. It was Jordan Poole hitting his third three of the day to break the skid, but Chancellor Barnard's first three-pointer taken of the year was a miracle three that went in with no time left on the shot clock. Isaiah Livers was able to dunk over two Bearcats for the first two-pointer, and Michigan started to get a touch of momentum back. Jon Teske's outlet pass found Poole, who lobbed it up to Livers for the alley-oop to give Michigan a 25-18 lead with seven minutes left in the first half. Still, Binghamton hung around, thanks to Michigan's inability to capitalize in the middle of the zone. Charles Matthews hit a free throw for the last point and gave Michigan the slim five-point halftime lead, by the score of 34-29.
The second half saw Poole hit a pair of threes in the first six minutes of the half, giving Michigan a 44-37 lead, but once again, Binghamton refused to go away. A mini 6-2 run with a pair of twos from Everson Davis and a Sam Sessoms lay-up let Binghamton go down 46-43, and at the 11:30 mark Livers missed a jumper and the Bearcats had the chance to tie with a three, but Davis missed a two. From there, it turned out to be all Michigan. Charles Matthews was found underneath for a dunk and despite a two-minute stretch of no scoring from either side, Ignas Brazdeikis finished a lay-up through contact putting Michigan up 50-43. Three straight threes, one from Livers and two from Brazdeikis, put the Wolverines ahead 63-46, and not even a flagrant foul on Zavier Simpson on a loose ball could slow the momentum. The bench was able to empty, Eli Brooks hit a three to put Michigan up twenty, and David DeJulius provided the capper with a steal and lay-up to give Michigan the win, 74-52, in their final non-conference game of the season.
What Happened:
Michigan started off slow against the zone. The open looks were available, but Michigan just could not get the touch from the free throw line or elbow. Instead of burying the open looks, Michigan got cold from two. Jordan Poole's four first half threes gave Michigan a massive lifeline in the first twenty minutes. Eventually, though, Michigan wizened up to the smartest strategy against the zone when those shots are not falling: drive to the block. Michigan got a few in a row to drop and even through contact the finishes were strong. It was almost as if a switch flipped and Michigan realized it was time to pull away in the game.
On their defensive side, they stuck with a man-to-man, putting Jon Teske when in on Chancellor Barnard. The driver is elite from two and while he also hit a circus shot from three, he also went five-for-eight from two with several strong takes. Michigan would hedge the Barnard screens with Teske when Bernard went to screen for Sam Sessoms, and Sessoms was able to find him two times on that wide-open roll for the finish. It was a good read from the freshman point guard, who was held to a quiet seven points and five assists on three-for-eleven shooting, including a circus lay-up, and zero-for-three from three. Michigan game-planned for this Binghamton team well. Caleb Stewart hit a pair of threes in the first half but was silenced in the second. Likewise, just he (with thirteen points) and Barnard (with fourteen) were the only Bearcats in double-figures and the side as a whole were forced into fourteen turnovers by the Michigan defense.
On offense, Michigan had three huge scorers, all three coming up big at different times. For the first 25-30 minutes, it was Poole. His six threes lofted Michigan up when they could not seem to buy a bucket at times. Many of them were from long-range, and on the season Poole is now shooting 50% after a six-for-ten day this afternoon. Next was Isaiah Livers. Livers had six in the first half, but he really heated up in the last ten minutes of the game to the tune of a pair of a three and several other twos that in the early stages of the game simply would not fall for the Wolverines, be it luck (like the tip-in he had) or poor shooter's touch. Livers went eight-for-ten and was vital in providing the energy off the bench that a sleepy Michigan side needed to be productive enough to close out the game. Finally, Ignas Brazdeikis. Brazdeikis almost quietly contributed 21 points to the game's cause, including a perfect three-for-three night from three along with eight rebounds. When it came to missing mid-range jumpers, Brazdeikis was a key culprit, but his threes and strong takes to the basket in the second half made up for it. He went nine-for-eighteen and continues to put up stellar numbers as just a freshman. These three players did the vast majority of scoring for the Wolverines, and it was crucial.
Someone else who needs recognition is Zavier Simpson. The point guard took just one shot, missing a floater in the lane, but it was not about scoring for the Ohioan. Simpson finished with a whopping ten assists and nine rebounds, just one shy of an impressive double-double. His hustle kept a key ball alive and his pair of steals do not accurately represent just how good he was on the defensive end of the court. He locked down a star freshman in Sessoms, which was crucial to the Michigan game plan. It is not often that point guards flirt with that sort of double-double while also taking just one shot, but it goes to show what sort of court general Simpson is, and he is just a junior. Michigan are most pleased with his performances like these, even if he has just a pair of points.
Some final wrap-up notes about the game:
1. Charles Matthews went just three-for-twelve for seven points. He played great defense, as usual (with three steals), but played only 25 minutes as a result of the offensive struggles. His mid-range jumpshot was simply off for the day, those are shots he generally hits. He needs to be more consistent with that for Michigan to blow teams out for a full forty minutes.
2. Jon Teske also missed some open looks, ending just two-for-six with four points. Playing just 21 minutes, Michigan went small against a smaller Binghamton team whose biggest player, Caleb Stewart, is solid from three. Some games favor Teske, others don't, but he needs to go up strong and finish well.
3. Eli Brooks also saw extended time with the smaller line-up without Teske and Matthews. He played sixteen minutes and went just one-for-four, with his three pushing the lead to twenty points. He was open when shooting, the shots just would not fall. Still, it was an encouraging outing as Brooks did well to silence Sessoms on defense while moving the ball and handling it well on offense.
What's Next:
Big Ten play finally awaits. Penn State will enter Crisler on January 3rd at 7 P.M. in the first encounter of the new year. Indiana is the next opponent on Sunday the 6th at a time TBD. Following the first two games, Michigan does not play back-to-back home games but once more this season, those two being the final two of the year against Nebraska and Michigan State. Winning at home is key for the Wolverines who have made it a habit, and will hope to continue to do so starting back up in 2019.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for plenty more Michigan basketball coverage, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Liverpool FC coverage as well!
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