Michigan basketball vs. Villanova: The good, bad, and MVP

Michigan really beat itself in this one.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbzardvge799bm2 player_id=01f1jz09x182sckzve image=https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Michigan found itself playing in the Sweet-16 for the fifth-straight time on Thursday evening against the Villanova Wildcats. The game is a rematch from the 2018 national championship game when the Wildcats defeated the Wolverines, 79-62.

Would Michigan be able to get revenge four years later?

In the first half, the maize and blue found themselves trailing 31-28 at halftime. The Wolverines played extremely sharp defense, save for a few possessions where they left Collin Gillespie wide open. The only big downside was from the charity stripe, where Michigan only shot 1-for-6 from the free-throw line. Hunter Dickinson led the team with eight points at the half, where he could use his size advantage at full force, but he did pick up two fouls during the first 20-minutes.

The Wolverines trailed for the entire second half, but Michigan continued to battle with ferocious defense which kept the Wolverines in the game. Michigan found itself down eight to nine for most of the second half, and then all of a sudden it was a four-point game with two minutes left in the game. But, the Wolverines had too many self-inflicted wounds to win the game with missed shots, missed free throws, and untimely turnovers. The Wildcats defeated Michigan, 63-55 — the Wolverines season is officially over.

Here is the good, the bad, and the MVP from the defeat.

[listicle id=59747]