When the five minute, twelve second-long scoring drought came to a merciful end — not because of Michigan actually scoring a point, but because of the final buzzer blaring to indicate an Indiana victory — the droves of Michigan fans fleeing Crisler Center were likely left with the same thought: What just happened?
“I don’t know,” Hunter Dickinson said, shaking his head while speaking at a slow, monotone pace. “I really don’t know.”
It seems impossible to go that long without a mere point, let alone to endure such a stretch with a game — and a season — hanging in the balance. But that’s the unadmirable feat that Michigan managed to accomplish Saturday night, just when it seemed like the Wolverines might really be turning the corner towards NCAA Tournament contention.
With 5:12 to play, Hunter Dickinson’s lay-up gave Michigan a three-point lead and whipped Crisler Center into a deafening frenzy. Sure, the Wolverines had blown an 11-point first-half lead, but they withstood repeated blows from the Hoosiers and seemed to be re-establishing control of the game.
And then everything went wrong.
In the game’s final nine minutes, Michigan netted just two field goals.
How did that happen?
“Organization,” Juwan Howard offered bluntly.
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