In East Lansing, Michigan receives 16-point loss and reality check

Hunter Dickinson stood in front of a backdrop of Michigan State logos, sweat dripping from his hair and speaking between long breaths. 

He looked drained. Defeated. Worn down from an afternoon full of swarming white-shirts and double-teams that did little to slow down his 25-point performance. Minutes after Michigan suffered a 16-point drubbing at the hands of their in-state rivals, Dickinson’s mannerisms mirrored his team’s momentum: zapped, fizzled, down the drain. 

The Wolverines stormed into the Breslin Center Sunday morning exuding confidence and for good reason. They had been playing their best basketball of the season, the enigmatic group of youngsters at last gelling after a season replete with frustration. They were riding a three-game winning streak, on the back of a pair of smackdowns and a hard-earned victory over ever-pesky Northwestern. 

In a nine-day span, Michigan had willed itself back in position to contend for an NCAA Tournament berth. 

Saturday, then, presented a prime opportunity. It was a chance to secure a much-needed win to bolster a meager NCAA Tournament resume. And, in the early going, they looked up for the task, matching the tenth-ranked Spartans blow-for-blow, settling in amidst a raucous crowd. 

Then the second half happened.