The season, as it was all said and done, ended with Michigan making an appearance in their third straight Sweet Sixteen, something just three other programs in the entire NCAA could say. Unfortunately for Michigan, this trip, like the first of the three, ended in heartbreak in that regional semi-final with a loss to Texas Tech. While the end of the season's disappointments may have blurred the overall brilliance of the season that was, it is important to step back and take a look at what went down over the season.
Early Hot Streak:
Unlike last season, where Michigan started off the season slow, these Wolverines did something a bit different. Michigan went 17-0 to open the season, breaking the school's record, and reached a peak of #2 in the country at one point. This opening stretch say Michigan lead every single game by double figures at some point, win fifteen of the seventeen by ten or more, and beat four teams who were ranked at the time of the game by a combined 74 points. After an opening couple of games that saw some rough offensive, but brilliant defensive, performances, Michigan came to in a 27-point blowout victory at Villanova to avenge their previous national championship loss against a much-changed Wildcats team. It was 44-17 at the half, and Michigan absolutely dominated the defending champions, forcing the nation to take notice. This was followed up by beating George Washington and Providence by an average of 22 points each in Connecticut. By the time the Wolverines would venture back home for their marquee non-conference game at home, they were already on a rampage.
That would continue. North Carolina was beaten by a deceptively close score of 84-67, only made close by a late Tar Heels surge. Michigan showed swagger, toughness, and confidence as they pummeled yet another team that beat them the season before. Over the two biggest opponents to that point, Charles Matthews led the way with forty points in the two games against North Carolina and Villanova on 14-for-25 shooting. Ignas Brazdeikis also chipped in with 42 points on 16-for-24 shooting as the two set the mood for the Wolverines early that they would not be messed with. They proved that again as they beat Purdue by nineteen at home, before needing a buzzer beater miss from Northwestern to hold on against the Wildcats. Michigan would continue to roll over opponents, but after that Northwestern scare nothing was as flashy. Indiana was the fourth ranked side to go down to Michigan, as Michigan scored 74 points despite just four threes. Things would change from there.
Consistency in Inconsistency:
Michigan were finally upended in Madison against Wisconsin. Ethan Happ took almost half of the Badgers' shots and finished with 26 points, the only Badger in double figures, as Wisconsin beat Michigan 64-54. Brazdeikis was shut down (zero points on five shots) and the bench's limitations were shown (fourteen minutes combined by players not named Isaiah Livers). Still, Michigan could march along and rattle off three straight wins -- a scare at home against Minnesota and two blowouts against Indiana (on the road) and Ohio State (at home). After that, though, Michigan would run into the buzz saw that was the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa seemed unable to miss, ending six-for-fourteen from deep, and Luka Garza and Joe Wieskamp carried a balanced Hawkeye offense to fifteen-point home victory. It was a tough pill to swallow for a team that rarely finds victory in Iowa City. There was a pattern taking shape, though.
From this point onwards, Michigan would go 'win-win-loss' through the season's end. They would go 10-5 the rest of the season, and 6-3 the remainder of the regular season. There was still certainly the good in the regular season: redemption at home against Wisconsin in a similarly-fashioned victory, a pair of well-controlled wins against Maryland, and a solid victory at Minnesota. The losses, though, were glaring marks on the team's regular season performance. Michigan was trumped by Penn State on the road after a first half where nothing could go right and John Beilein was ejected at halftime. The other two losses were against Michigan State and followed the same formula of get up early and then give away the lead in the second half between the fifteen-minute and five-minute marks of the half. Despite the Big Ten-share losing loss at Michigan State to close the season, Michigan still was in strong position. A 26-5 season with all five losses coming in Big Ten play, and just one coming at home, is absolutely nothing to scoff at. The hope was that a return to early-season form would be in order.
Postseason Peaks and Valleys:
Michigan's Big Ten Tournament, though, served as a microcosm of the entire season. Michigan started strong with an avenging victory over Iowa and then a dominant performance over Minnesota where the combined margin of victory topped in at 48 points. Things were balanced, Isaiah Livers was on fire off the bench, Zavier Simpson was at a 20:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and Michigan seemed ready for round three with Michigan State. Then the same formula happened. Michigan opened the game strong and entered the second half with an eight-point lead. They even countered well when Michigan State got into the downhill run. But Michigan simply could not collapse onto Matt McQuaid fast enough and he scored 27 points and finished with seven of the nine threes made by the Spartans. Cassius Winston hit a back-breaking lay-up that seemed destined to fall off the rim and into the hands of a Michigan rebounder, and Michigan would get beat for the third time this season by their in-state rivals. Simpson would finish with a 30:2 A:T ratio in the tournament, but the end result was not nearly as sweet as the previous two tournaments. It was a painful end to a Big Ten season that started with great promise.
The NCAA Tournament was much of the same. Michigan got a first round rematch with Montana and took care of business as easily as one would hope in a 2-15 match-up. After Florida toppled Nevada, Michigan beat them by fifteen as well, despite the Gators hitting nine threes over the course of the game. That led into a Sweet Sixteen match-up with one of very few defenses that could stake a claim to being better than the Wolverines in the Texas Tech Red Raiders. It was certainly a defensive struggle, but Michigan's sixteen-point first half was a harbinger for offensive woes to continue. When the Red Raiders turned their offensive pressure up, Michigan could not respond. The Wolverines went zero-for-eighteen until C.J. Baird hit a garbage-time three to put a 'one' in the three point make category. Brazdeikis finished with seventeen points and thirteen rebounds, but with no threes falling from Michigan, it was tough to counter anything from the best defense in the nation. Michigan would bow out to the eventual national runners-up, and it ended a season full of exciting highs and crushing lows.
In Summary, and the Future:
This season was almost the complete inverse of last season. Where Michigan shone (the postseason tournaments and tight late-game situations) last season, this season saw the opposite (early season games, 'style point' victories and big non-conference wins). In the future, the likelihood is that this may be looked at as a team that underachieved compared to their early-season successes, especially in the three games against Michigan State. That said, especially in the everyday immediacy of the season, the results that came throughout the season were a thrill ride to be on. Beating top-25 teams with regularity in a manner that was almost pedestrian in its form made Michigan perhaps just too hyped up early for its own good.
Of course, no look back is complete without a look forward. Things are still changing for the Wolverines, but there seems to be something resembling a roster now. Charles Matthews, Ignas Brazdeikis, and Jordan Poole have all declared for the NBA Draft and while Matthews and Brazdeikis seem to be near guarantees to remain in the draft, Poole is a bit more of a toss-up, but still seems to have more than just one foot out the door. Michigan's top returning minute-getters that could form a cohesive starting five, as of now, are Zavier Simpson, Eli Brooks, Isaiah Livers, Brandon Johns, and Jon Teske. Jalen Wilson will be expected to contribute as a freshman and Colin Castleton and David DeJulius will both also be looked at to take a big step forward. Michigan also are looking to fill their two open scholarship openings. Justin Pierce from William & Mary is a grad transfer and Lester Quinones and Franz Wagner (brother of Moritz) are three players being heavily pursued by Michigan. Both Pierce and Quinones are set for official visits. Michigan will hope to simply reload after losing three key pieces of their offense. Whatever the case for next season may be, though, the past seasons of excellence by Michigan continue to set the tone for whatever may come.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for plenty more Michigan basketball coverage, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Liverpool FC coverage as well!
Early Hot Streak:
Unlike last season, where Michigan started off the season slow, these Wolverines did something a bit different. Michigan went 17-0 to open the season, breaking the school's record, and reached a peak of #2 in the country at one point. This opening stretch say Michigan lead every single game by double figures at some point, win fifteen of the seventeen by ten or more, and beat four teams who were ranked at the time of the game by a combined 74 points. After an opening couple of games that saw some rough offensive, but brilliant defensive, performances, Michigan came to in a 27-point blowout victory at Villanova to avenge their previous national championship loss against a much-changed Wildcats team. It was 44-17 at the half, and Michigan absolutely dominated the defending champions, forcing the nation to take notice. This was followed up by beating George Washington and Providence by an average of 22 points each in Connecticut. By the time the Wolverines would venture back home for their marquee non-conference game at home, they were already on a rampage.
That would continue. North Carolina was beaten by a deceptively close score of 84-67, only made close by a late Tar Heels surge. Michigan showed swagger, toughness, and confidence as they pummeled yet another team that beat them the season before. Over the two biggest opponents to that point, Charles Matthews led the way with forty points in the two games against North Carolina and Villanova on 14-for-25 shooting. Ignas Brazdeikis also chipped in with 42 points on 16-for-24 shooting as the two set the mood for the Wolverines early that they would not be messed with. They proved that again as they beat Purdue by nineteen at home, before needing a buzzer beater miss from Northwestern to hold on against the Wildcats. Michigan would continue to roll over opponents, but after that Northwestern scare nothing was as flashy. Indiana was the fourth ranked side to go down to Michigan, as Michigan scored 74 points despite just four threes. Things would change from there.
Consistency in Inconsistency:
Michigan were finally upended in Madison against Wisconsin. Ethan Happ took almost half of the Badgers' shots and finished with 26 points, the only Badger in double figures, as Wisconsin beat Michigan 64-54. Brazdeikis was shut down (zero points on five shots) and the bench's limitations were shown (fourteen minutes combined by players not named Isaiah Livers). Still, Michigan could march along and rattle off three straight wins -- a scare at home against Minnesota and two blowouts against Indiana (on the road) and Ohio State (at home). After that, though, Michigan would run into the buzz saw that was the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa seemed unable to miss, ending six-for-fourteen from deep, and Luka Garza and Joe Wieskamp carried a balanced Hawkeye offense to fifteen-point home victory. It was a tough pill to swallow for a team that rarely finds victory in Iowa City. There was a pattern taking shape, though.
From this point onwards, Michigan would go 'win-win-loss' through the season's end. They would go 10-5 the rest of the season, and 6-3 the remainder of the regular season. There was still certainly the good in the regular season: redemption at home against Wisconsin in a similarly-fashioned victory, a pair of well-controlled wins against Maryland, and a solid victory at Minnesota. The losses, though, were glaring marks on the team's regular season performance. Michigan was trumped by Penn State on the road after a first half where nothing could go right and John Beilein was ejected at halftime. The other two losses were against Michigan State and followed the same formula of get up early and then give away the lead in the second half between the fifteen-minute and five-minute marks of the half. Despite the Big Ten-share losing loss at Michigan State to close the season, Michigan still was in strong position. A 26-5 season with all five losses coming in Big Ten play, and just one coming at home, is absolutely nothing to scoff at. The hope was that a return to early-season form would be in order.
Postseason Peaks and Valleys:
Michigan's Big Ten Tournament, though, served as a microcosm of the entire season. Michigan started strong with an avenging victory over Iowa and then a dominant performance over Minnesota where the combined margin of victory topped in at 48 points. Things were balanced, Isaiah Livers was on fire off the bench, Zavier Simpson was at a 20:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and Michigan seemed ready for round three with Michigan State. Then the same formula happened. Michigan opened the game strong and entered the second half with an eight-point lead. They even countered well when Michigan State got into the downhill run. But Michigan simply could not collapse onto Matt McQuaid fast enough and he scored 27 points and finished with seven of the nine threes made by the Spartans. Cassius Winston hit a back-breaking lay-up that seemed destined to fall off the rim and into the hands of a Michigan rebounder, and Michigan would get beat for the third time this season by their in-state rivals. Simpson would finish with a 30:2 A:T ratio in the tournament, but the end result was not nearly as sweet as the previous two tournaments. It was a painful end to a Big Ten season that started with great promise.
The NCAA Tournament was much of the same. Michigan got a first round rematch with Montana and took care of business as easily as one would hope in a 2-15 match-up. After Florida toppled Nevada, Michigan beat them by fifteen as well, despite the Gators hitting nine threes over the course of the game. That led into a Sweet Sixteen match-up with one of very few defenses that could stake a claim to being better than the Wolverines in the Texas Tech Red Raiders. It was certainly a defensive struggle, but Michigan's sixteen-point first half was a harbinger for offensive woes to continue. When the Red Raiders turned their offensive pressure up, Michigan could not respond. The Wolverines went zero-for-eighteen until C.J. Baird hit a garbage-time three to put a 'one' in the three point make category. Brazdeikis finished with seventeen points and thirteen rebounds, but with no threes falling from Michigan, it was tough to counter anything from the best defense in the nation. Michigan would bow out to the eventual national runners-up, and it ended a season full of exciting highs and crushing lows.
In Summary, and the Future:
This season was almost the complete inverse of last season. Where Michigan shone (the postseason tournaments and tight late-game situations) last season, this season saw the opposite (early season games, 'style point' victories and big non-conference wins). In the future, the likelihood is that this may be looked at as a team that underachieved compared to their early-season successes, especially in the three games against Michigan State. That said, especially in the everyday immediacy of the season, the results that came throughout the season were a thrill ride to be on. Beating top-25 teams with regularity in a manner that was almost pedestrian in its form made Michigan perhaps just too hyped up early for its own good.
Of course, no look back is complete without a look forward. Things are still changing for the Wolverines, but there seems to be something resembling a roster now. Charles Matthews, Ignas Brazdeikis, and Jordan Poole have all declared for the NBA Draft and while Matthews and Brazdeikis seem to be near guarantees to remain in the draft, Poole is a bit more of a toss-up, but still seems to have more than just one foot out the door. Michigan's top returning minute-getters that could form a cohesive starting five, as of now, are Zavier Simpson, Eli Brooks, Isaiah Livers, Brandon Johns, and Jon Teske. Jalen Wilson will be expected to contribute as a freshman and Colin Castleton and David DeJulius will both also be looked at to take a big step forward. Michigan also are looking to fill their two open scholarship openings. Justin Pierce from William & Mary is a grad transfer and Lester Quinones and Franz Wagner (brother of Moritz) are three players being heavily pursued by Michigan. Both Pierce and Quinones are set for official visits. Michigan will hope to simply reload after losing three key pieces of their offense. Whatever the case for next season may be, though, the past seasons of excellence by Michigan continue to set the tone for whatever may come.
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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