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ANN ARBOR – Michigan aide Phil Martelli said Minnesota provided a roadmap for how to beat the Wolverines.
Maryland tried to follow him on Tuesday, only to knock the car into a ditch.
Michigan, three days after losing for the first time this season, responded with an 87-63 win over Maryland at the Crisler Center that was just as impressive as the score suggests.
“We have learned from our mistakes,” said Michigan point guard Mike Smith.
Several Saturday lessons were applied against Maryland. Michigan started their previous game without the focus or intensity to win the Big Ten. Hunter Dickinson blocked the game’s first shot on Tuesday. At the other end, Franz Wagner drove for a layup. Michigan led 8-0, 17-3 thanks to an aggressive defense and five 3-pointers.
Dickinson had the worst game of his young career against the Minnesota doubles teams, scoring a season low of nine points and committing five turnovers. John Wooden said, “Be quick, but don’t rush.” Dickinson was delayed and rushed. It took too long to process what was going on and then sped up. As a result, Michigan made 20 turnovers and scored just 57 points.
Michigan forward Brandon Johns Jr. used the words rushed, agitated and hectic to describe his team’s offensive performance on Saturday. Dickinson needed to play better, but so did his teammates.
When the Terrapins deployed double teams, and they often did, Michigan had a plan. Dickinson was calm, patient and decisive. And the other four Wolverines on the field were ready to respond.
Michigan had 12 3 points (out of 24 attempts). Not all of those 3 started with a pass from Dickinson, but the attention he got on the inside opened up the perimeter. He assisted in the attack despite only three shots.
Having a big, dominant man and quality shooters puts opponents in a bind, especially smaller teams like Maryland.
“They’re really tough to keep,” said Maryland coach Mark Turgeon. He had chosen to play Dickinson straight in the first meeting, only for the big man to score 26 points in a Michigan win. “If you don’t pass them, they score on you (inside). If you overtake them, they can shoot 3s. “
In other words, choose your poison.
As beautiful as Michigan’s ball movement has been most of this season, the defense has been just as good. Only two teams nationwide have top 10 offense and defense, according to kenpom.com: Michigan and Baylor. Turgeon said it’s the Wolverines’ defense – how tied to the game plan and their ability to make adjustments on the fly – that “makes them even more special.”
That balance and versatility is what Michigan’s Big Ten opponents have grown used to this season. Minnesota found cracks. Part of that was because starting goalie Eli Brooks missed the game with a foot injury. (He returned on Tuesday.) It’s just the nature of college basketball, too. In a long season, even the best teams will have misfires. Michigan will likely have a few more.
The important thing is growth. Head coach Juwan Howard has seen it in recent practice. The Wolverines, he said, “weren’t looking for excuses. It was all about solutions. He wasn’t surprised at how his team bounced back.
“The guys were just locked in and focused,” said senior forward Isaiah Livers, who scored a game-high 20 points. “We should play like this all the time, no matter what, no excuses, but I think it was the postponement of that loss on Saturday.
The Wolverines studied the film, dissected the issues, and sought to apply their findings.
They have proven to be quick learners.
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