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Michigan and Indiana entered Sunday’s matchup as two teams headed in opposite directions of late.
The Wolverines have rebounded from a four-game losing streak to win four of their past five games. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers recently suffered through a four-game skid of their own, which they halted on Thursday with a win over Iowa.
On Sunday, those trends continues as the Wolverines won their third in a row, while Indiana dropped their sixth game in nine outtings.
Both teams shot the ball well in the opening half, but Michigan used a strong 12-minute stretch in the midst of the half to build a 41-34 lead by halftime.
The second half was completely controlled by the Wolverines however, as they stretched their advantage throughout the half to ease to a 89-65 victory.
1. Wolverines climb a rung in the big ten
Michigan and Indiana entered this contest tied for ninth in the league standings — alongside Minnesota as well — but with the win, the Wolverines move up into a tie for fifth place with Ohio State league play at 7-7. Michigan recent surge is coming at an important time, as conference teams are jockeying for seeding position in the upcoming Big Ten tournament in mid-March. For much of the conference season, the Wolverines have sat in the 11-14 range in the league standings, which force them to begin their run on Wednesday of tournament week. There’s still a long way to go, but Michigan has positioned themselves for a potential bye on Wednesday and perhaps a more favorable matchup on Thursday of tournament week.
2. Zavier Simpson handed out dimes
Zavier Simpson was up to his usual tricks in this one, as he handed out 11 assists while orchestrating the Wolverines offense. The senior has dwelt amongst the top of the nation in assists throughout the season, and entered the game third in the country in total assists with 185, and second in assists per game at 8. Simpson added 12 points for a double-double, and committed just one turnover. The senior’s passing was phenomenal on Sunday.
3. Franz balls out in front of Big Bro
Michigan fans were treated to a nice surprise when former forward and fan favorite Moe Wagner was shown on the video board, sitting courtside. The one-time Wolverine is in the midst of the NBA All-Star break. With big brother in attendance, Franz Wagner played one of the best games he’s had in his young career. The freshman finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and added 8 rebounds. It’s unknown whether or not big brother was impressed by the performance, but it’s one Michigan and it’s fans will take every time out.
4. offensive RESURGENCE
Michigan’s offensive struggles toward the end of December and throughout January were well-documented. February has brought somewhat of a reprieve to the offensive struggles, but they were nowhere to be seen on Sunday. The Wolverines shot 57 percent from the floor, and 53 percent from the three-point line in one of their best shooting performances of the season. We’ve seen Michigan shoot at a high percentage for stretches, but the Wolverines shot the ball well start-to-finish in this one. That’s an encouraging sign moving forward.
5. big road games ahead
Michigan has pulled themselves out of the bottom of the Big Ten standings, but an important stretch of games lies ahead. The Wolverines will play three of their next four games away from the Crisler Center. Michigan travels to Rutgers and Purdue next week, before returning home for a matchup with Wisconsin. That’s followed by a road trip to rival Ohio State. At worst, the Wolverines need to split those four games or risk giving away the ground they’ve gain in the league standings over the past couple weeks.