Both Michigan and Wisconsin clearly showed signs of fatigue from playing their third day in a row. Big Ten basketball is rugged, and the wear of playing three consecutive days clearly showed. The battle tested Wolverines still found a way to win by a score of 59-53, capturing the Big Ten Tournament Championship to cap off an amazing run.
Shooting was abysmal and point-blank layups were less than guaranteed for most of the game. With their legs fatigued, both teams shot poorly from deep and the halftime score of 23-21 told the whole story. And while those struggles continued in the second half, it was the Wolverines who ultimately made enough plays to secure the win.
Here are three takeaways from Michigan's Big Ten Tournament Championship victory over Wisconsin:
1. The win may not affect Michigan for the NCAA Tournament
Michigan was predicted as the last 4-seed in the tournament prior to the Big Ten Championship game. Most pundits agreed that, regardless of the result, Michigan would stay in that 4-seed spot. They could sneak into a 3-spot with the win, but that seems unlikely. One of the biggest positives of the tournament run is the Wolverines staying healthy. Duke saw two of their stars suffer injuries in their conference tournament. Going into the NCAA tournament healthy is critical for a team like Michigan with less bench depth.
2. Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf have to be willing to take over
While fatigue was certainly a factor, Goldin and Wolf struggled mightily in the first half of this game. Michigan will have a tough time putting together a deep run in the NCAA tournament if that becomes a consistent issue. Goldin missed quite a few point-blank shots, and Wolf seemed lost and out of rhythm in the first half. For teams to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, the stars have to perform and be willing to take over. Hopefully, after some rest, Goldin and Wolf can get back to dominating.
3. Three-point shooting remains an issue
Wisconsin shot under 20 percent from three and Michigan was not much better shooting below 30 percent. Elite guard play and timely three-point shooting are a key aspect to NCAA Tournament success, and the Wolverines have struggled as of late from behind the arc. Again, fatigue was a factor in this game and some rest could mitigate much of that in the coming days. The maize and blue certainly have some capable three-point shooters in Donaldson, Burnett and even Wolf. If they can rest and reset before the NCAA Tournament, that three-point prowess could propel a deep run.
Michigan struggled in close games early in the season. But those struggles turned into a strength in the latter half of the season, as the Wolverines became comfortable in close games and consistently made the right plays at the right time to pull out victories. Going into the NCAA Tournament, all of those close games will bode well for the the maize and blue. Big Ten Tournament Champions once again, an amazing first year for new head coach Dusty May continues.
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