The Wolverines were everywhere defensively against the Hoosiers early in the contest.
From the jump, the No. 2 Michigan men's basketball team (17-1 overall, 7-1 Big Ten) kept Indiana (12-7, 3-5) off the scoreboard. The Wolverines rode their defensive performance to a comfortable 86-72 victory.
Michigan’s energy out of the gates was elite. After three straight games with sluggish starts, the Wolverines weren’t taking any chances this time. On multiple possessions within the first four minutes, they forced Indiana into late-shot clock heaves, which predictably didn’t go the Hoosiers’ way.
Indiana lacks size on the interior, whereas Michigan has no shortage of it. Utilizing that size, the Wolverines opened on a 9-0 run. Considering Indiana started just 1-for-15 from the floor, including 0-for-10 from deep, Michigan’s 19-5 lead with just over 10 minutes left in the half wasn’t as large as it perhaps could have been.
In that span, the Wolverines collected six turnovers, most of which were self-inflicted, hindering their ability to open up a larger lead. Michigan shot the ball well in the first half, ending the period shooting 57.1% from the field and 50% from three, but the turnovers didn't allow their success to fully translate to the scoreboard.
After their 1-for-15 start, the Hoosiers flipped a switch and suddenly figured it out. They made their next six attempts from the field, cutting what was once a 17-point lead all the way back down to just eight points.
The Wolverines got the lead back up to 11 points before the end of the period, thanks in part to Elliot Cadeau's 12-point performance, and headed to the locker room winning 40-29.
There were a few blemishes on Michigan’s first half — namely its nine turnovers and the 1-for-8 clip from the free throw line — but the intangibles, such as energy and effort, were much improved from recent outings.
Out of the break, the Wolverines continued their efficient scoring. In the first five minutes of the half, they shot 5-for-7 from the floor, extending their already-double digit lead even further. Graduate forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who had been struggling in recent games, got involved in the offense. In the first six minutes, he scored seven points, going 4-for-4 free throw line.
By the time the under-12 minute media timeout rolled around, Michigan had pushed its advantage all the way up to 23 points at 63-40. It was the same story as the first half: The Wolverines were ultra-efficient on offense and suffocating on defense.
Michigan wasn't doing just one thing well on offense — it wasn't just paint dominance or perimeter prowess — it was an all-around, balanced attack. The Wolverines were shooting it well from three, and they were getting great looks in the paint. No matter what Indiana did, Michigan had a counter.
The Wolverines got a lot of their scoring from the free throw line in the second half, a drastic turnaround from the dismal showing in the first 20 minutes. In the second period alone, they shot 21-for-25 from the stripe, cashing in the free points Indiana was giving out. Michigan went cold from the field as the game wound sown, but the free throws kept them squarely 20 points ahead ahead.
Indiana showed some life down the stretch, taking advantage of Michigan's rough shooting, but there was nothing the Hoosiers could do to fully overcome the deficit.
Avenging their loss to Wisconsin the last time the Wolverines played at home, they picked up a convincing win over a solid Indiana squad. With three straight wins following the loss, they've proven that not letting that loss change the trajectory of the season.
