Five takeaways from Michigan’s 89-61 win over Villanova

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Another day, another 30-point blowout for the No. 2 Michigan men’s basketball team. Oh wait, this time, the Wolverines were relegated to a 28-point margin against Villanova.

But make no mistake, the Wolverines got off to a fast start in their fifth straight game and were able to coast to the buzzer. The Wildcats tried to slow things down, and Michigan didn’t even shoot the ball well. Their frontcourt dominated in the paint yet again, and one of the country’s best offensive rebounding teams, Villanova, got bested at their own game.

Here are five takeaways from the Wolverines’ drubbing of the Wildcats:

Michigan dominates the paint in the first half

At halftime, the Wolverines led the Wildcats by 30. That difference was almost entirely due to the disparity in points in the paint, as Michigan walloped Villanova 30-to-2 in that category.

The Wildcats didn’t, or rather couldn’t, attack the paint. They attempted just three shots at the rim in the first half, while a vast majority of their looks came from beyond the arc. The remainder was contested floaters and midrange looks that the Wolverines were content giving up.

Villanova’s tallest piece is 6-foot-10 forward Duke Brennan, who has attempted a team-leading 58 two-point shots this year. Brennan was responsible for the only basket the Wildcats had in the paint, but was otherwise not fed consistent looks down low or able to create at the rim for himself.

“We get to go against like … the number one defense in the country every day,” Tschetter said. “When we get out there and we’re playing against other teams (it’s) a little bit easier to go against those guys than having to drive in and you have (Mara) contesting you every time.”