Going into the tournament, sports analysts circled the Michigan Wolverines as a likely upset. However, UCSD Tritons quickly learned that Michigan mulled over the pre-game doubt, leading them to drown in their own big-bodied mid-range paint. The Wolverines maintained control of the court by dominating passing lanes and defending driving lanes, ultimately leaning on these tactics to bring home a close 68 – 65 win.
Here are my thoughts from Michigan’s game on Thursday night.
- Turnovers are still an issue.
The lack of ball control has been an issue all season for the Wolverines. During their successful stretches, they managed to flawlessly control their attempts, leading to a healthy flow of ball possession. But when it’s clear that the Wolverines are attempting to play fancy free, they end up looking far too vulnerable for a team of their caliber. Michigan dominated the turnover stat, but settled into a calmer rhythm after the second half still, it’s no surprise why UCSD is known for being brutal on the turnovers. As Michigan heads on to the second round of the tournament, these lapses in control are going to be their downfall.
- Some basketball skills: Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin need to fight harder to get the ball.
They can post up, run the floor, double team and pass out creating a nightmare scenario for any opposing team. Consistent use of Wolf and Goldin’s talents (9 for Wolf and 14 for Goldin) on offense challenges even the best teams left in the tournament. To maximize his full potential, Wolf needs to work on staying engaged at the forefront of the action instead of slipping out of frame. If Michigan hopes to make a run in the tournament, that mindset has to change. He has foregone many opportunities to score, out of which Goldin has remained a reliable consistent offensive option for the Wolverines, but his load of touches will have to increase greatly if they intend to post season goals in sight.
- The Wolverines will second half slow starts will catch up to them.
The Tritons came out of the locker room like firecrackers, narrowing the lead to one point in just under four minutes. The Wolverines seemed to forget that their opponents shoot an almost 37% from three, as the Tritons pulled off a 17-3 run capped off by a few well-placed threes. Michigan didn’t help their case by throwing away a few silly fouls either. All in all, the Wolverines got another close win, but this time against a much tougher Texas A&M on Saturday. If the Wolverines need to tighten up, they need to do it in the second half or risk bowing out of the tournament early.
