Leaving Las Vegas, it felt like Michigan set an unattainable standard. The Wolverines were so dominant over three contests that sustaining that level of performance would be impossible.
Instead, the machine has kept on churning and picking up momentum. The Wolverines did it again on Monday night, rolling McNeese by a final score of 112-71. The Cowboys were a top-65 KenPom team entering the game, but it didn’t matter.
Michigan led by 31 at the break and 46 at the first media timeout of the second half. Yet again, reserves and scout team players were required to mop up the final quarter of the game.
Michigan reached that Vegas standard again, and they’ve reached it consistently in the five games since. Michigan hasn’t shown flashes of matching that level; they’ve maintained it.
The Wolverines have tougher tests ahead, but they are playing at a level that is hard to put into words without hyperbole — reaching 100 points in six of the last seven contests — and showing no signs of slowing down.
The advanced stats that usually provide a helping of reality and pessimism are instead beaming with optimism. The Wolverines aren’t just No. 1 in the country on KenPom; their 38.71 NetRtg is 4.6 points ahead of No. 2 Arizona. That gap is bigger than the gap between Arizona and No. 9 Illinois.
Michigan is off to one of the best 12-game starts that the sport has ever seen. Now, the only question is how far they can take it.
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