After two months of blowouts, Michigan had to hold on late at Penn State on Tuesday night. The Wolverines led for the final 30 minutes, but never pulled away entirely and watched a potential game-winning shot by Freddy Dilione clang off the iron at the final horn to stay perfect on the year.
For most of the year, it felt like everyone on the Wolverine roster played a great game every night. The opposite problem applied on Tuesday; everyone was a few possessions short of their best effort.
Early on, the Wolverines struggled with turnovers, turning it over five times in the first seven minutes. Then, defensive rebounding issues bubbled up, and uncharacteristic foul trouble kept the door open in the middle third.
Down the stretch, the Wolverines went cold from 3-point range, failing to make a triple in the final 12 minutes and missing their final six attempts.
When the game got close, Aday Mara’s free-throw shooting problems reared their head. Mara missed two front ends in the final six minutes, and then split a pair of free throws in the final seconds that allowed Penn State a chance to win.
A Big Ten road win is a Big Ten road win, and 14-0 is 14-0, but this Michigan team has set the standard higher and was well short of its best effort.
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