Michigan at No. 15 Indiana Preview: Must. Win.

Virginia. Kentucky. North Carolina. Michigan State. Iowa. Maryland. Purdue. Indiana. Wisconsin. Illinois. The Michigan Wolverines have let no fewer than 10 video games slip into losses and are actually paying the value for arising brief time and time once more. Had even simply a few these video games gone the opposite manner, the Wolverines can be all however assured an NCAA Match berth, however as a substitute they’re barely clinging on the bubble.

The mantra heading into final weekend was “win two out of the ultimate three” and that is the ultimate shot at getting that second win. The previous is painful, but when Michigan can transfer on, there may be nonetheless every part to play for. In all chance, it should come right down to subsequent week’s Huge Ten Match, however an upset on Sunday makes the outlook at lot extra rosy.

Michigan can actually beat the Indiana Hoosiers, even at Meeting Corridor. The Wolverines have loads of current success on this matchup regardless of giving the final two contests away, together with a one-point defeat in Ann Arbor final month. Win, and watch the tourney odds bounce over 50 %; lose, and hope for an enormous miracle in Chicago.

Michigan Wolverines (17-13, 11-8) at No. 15 Indiana Hoosiers (20-10, 11-8)

Date & Time: Sunday, March 5, 4:30 p.m.
Location: Meeting Corridor, Bloomington, IN
TV/Streaming: CBS
Huge Ten Standings: UM t-2nd, IU t-2nd

Drought and die

The primary matchup featured a five-minute scoring drought by the Wolverines, which by some means isn’t a singular prevalence this season. Whereas the variety of empty minutes was not as lengthy towards Illinois, this staff has an enormous problem forgetting the best way to shoot on the absolute worst moments and it practically at all times leads to a (crippling) defeat.

At Meeting Corridor, that completely can’t occur. This Indiana staff is just too good to endure extended scoreless stretches, and the group may show too powerful for the younger backcourt if that ought to occur. Although Kobe Bufkin has rapidly developed into an absolute stud, Dug McDaniel did take a step again on Thursday in one other powerful state of affairs and continues to be underdoing some rising pains.

Hunter Dickinson was largely up for the event within the Ann Arbor showdown, posting 16 factors on environment friendly capturing. Nevertheless, he was outscored by Hint Jackson-Davis (28) by a big margin, which was a problem towards star bigs earlier this season as properly. For Michigan to win, Dickinson has to remain a lot nearer to Jackson-Davis’ output.

All of it comes right down to this

Regardless of Indiana’s manufacturing from Jackson-Davis and Jalen Hood-Schifino (21), it was a reasonably good effort from the Michigan protection towards an excellent offense. The Wolverines might want to replicate this method and make the remainder of the Hoosiers accept contested jumpers as a substitute of feeding their star down low.

Michigan ought to really feel like its complementary items (Bufkin, McDaniel, Jett Howard, Tarris Reed) have improved greater than Indiana’s since final time, and maybe that may very well be the distinction. If the sport goes right down to the wire, although, it’s simply exhausting to really feel too optimistic after how this season has transpired.

It is a recreation that Michigan may win, however in all probability shouldn’t. Indiana is the higher staff and has had the higher season. Nonetheless, faculty basketball is a humorous sport. If the Wolverines put collectively a top quality 40 minutes — and even simply present up within the closing 10 — this staff is likely to be properly on its option to the NCAA Match, and possibly we may simply overlook about that miserable listing of heartbreaking defeats and by no means return to them once more.