From the opening tip, this game had a déjà vu feel for Michigan fans. Ohio State drove to the basket time after time, encountering little pressure from Wolverine defenders. Defensive breakdowns were coupled with stagnant offense for Michigan, as players had trouble moving the ball against Ohio State’s aggressive man-to-man defense. The Wolverines were down 26-16 with six minutes to play in the half, and as a Michigan fan used to disappointments in hostile road environments, this game felt over, even with 26 minutes to play.
Something odd happened. Michigan clamped down defensively, received clutch three pointers from Zak Irvin and Caris LeVert, and ended the half on a 10-4 run to cut the lead to 30-26 going into the break. Michigan had awakened.
What was a sluggish first half turned into an offensive showcase for Michigan in the second stanza. Michigan scored at a 1.42 PPP clip, putting up 44 points in the half against one of the nation’s best defensive teams. With Nik Stauskas being shadowed by Aaron Craft, freshman Derrick Walton Jr. simply took over the game for the Wolverines. Whether it was his dribble penetration, shooting, or rebounding on the defensive end, the Buckeyes had no answer for the smallest player on the floor. Finishing the game with 13 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and just one turnover, he played like a seasoned veteran in one of the more hostile environments Michigan has played in all year.
The recently maligned Nik Stauskas would not let constant face guarding from Aaron Craft completely remove him from the game. High ball screens allowed Stauskas to hit three triples on his way to a quiet 15 points, on just nine shot attempts. He wasn’t allowed the space to create for teammates, but Walton Jr. and others were there to pick up the slack.
Not normally world-beaters rebounding the basketball, Michigan completely controlled the boards on both ends of the floor in this game, especially on the offensive end. Michigan rebounded 42% of its misses (!!) on the offensive glass, and translated many of these rebounds into points. Jordan Morgan (six offensive rebounds) and Glenn Robinson III (four offensive rebounds) both were efficient on the glass, and combined for 15 points on the night. Robinson III has struggled as of late, but hit a huge three pointer with just under three minutes left in the game to stretch the Michigan lead to seven, effectively ending any chance of an Ohio State comeback.
Zak Irvin (10 points) and Caris LeVert (nine points) also made significant contributions, whether it was a clutch perimeter shot or finding the open man (two late assists for LeVert). Jon Horford also chipped in eight points on 4-5 shooting.
Michigan remains a half-game atop the B1G standings with just six games to play. Wisconsin makes its way to Ann Arbor for a showdown this Sunday, followed by Michigan State a week later. Don’t be surprised if the B1G regular season championship is won or lost over the coming week and a half. Tip is set for 1 PM this Sunday.
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