Despite offseason attention, late-game execution dooms Michigan again

Michigan spent its offseason attempting to address its near-kryptonite. It drilled late-game scenarios, dissecting the multitude of ways it let games slip last season. The Wolverines told reporters that they spent a portion of every practice drilling a late-game situation from last season. They even dedicated part of their open scrimmage for fans to practicing them. 

And yet, here Michigan is nine games into a new season, struggling through the same crisis.

With a 78-75 loss to Indiana in which the Wolverines once led by six, the Wolverines let another one-possession game slip. And after losing in overtime at Oregon on Saturday, the same trend as last season has yet to be bucked.

“We didn’t have enough to win a 15-round fight,” interim head coach Phil Martelli said. “Probably had enough to win a 12-round fight, but not a 15-round fight, and every night in the Big Ten is gonna be a 15-round fight, and a championship fight.”