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When losses start to move from frustration to hopelessness, a season is turning for the worst. More realistically, it already has.

Michigan didn’t lose because it played particularly poorly on Thursday night at Maryland. It didn’t lose because its opponent played exceptionally well. It lost because there’s just not enough for this team to compete on the road in the Big Ten with Dug McDaniel suspended. Even against a Maryland team searching for answers.

It’s hard to muster frustration with a decision, play, call, or specific aspect of the game when the reality is that there aren’t the requisite horses available.

Jaelin Llewellyn battled through almost as many minutes as he’s played all season. He made some of his best plays of the year but also looked physically overmatched. Olivier Nkamhoua scored 18 points on 50 percent shooting with a shot diet that was almost entirely turnaround jumpers and isolations — the best look Michigan could create most of the night. The Wolverines even managed to fix their turnover issues at the half after a slapstick opening half.

In the end, there wasn’t enough there. Michigan led by 10 points at the half because Maryland shot 1-of-11 from three, but the Terps made second-half threes and the Wolverines didn’t. The Terps scored 43 points in the second half, and Michigan managed just 24.

Worst of all, Michigan has to play another five conference road games without their point guard—all against significantly better opponents.