At the Buzzer: Michigan 82, Washington 72

Share

Tweet

Print

Email

Rapid reaction to Michigan’s 82-72 win at Washington. 

The Moment

Throughout nearly the entirety of Wednesday night’s contest between No. 4 Michigan men’s basketball team and Washington, the Huskies stayed right within reach of the Wolverines. Although Washington’s only lead of the game was 3-0 at the beginning of the game, it took over 36 minutes for Michigan to pull away.

The play that finally did it was with 3:48 remaining in the game when junior center Aday Mara rolled off a screen to dunk it home and score his 20th point that gave him a new season high in points. And on the next possession, Mara found sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. over his head for a layup for Johnson.

This sequence of two plays was flashy and emblematic of the clinic Michigan put on down low throughout the entire game, and was the moment the Wolverines finally pulled away.

The Takeaway

Despite the last three performances not living up to the standard of the non-conference and early Big Ten blowouts, Michigan’s defense has remained largely intact. Still ranked atop the country in defensive efficiency in KenPom, the Wolverines proved their productivity by limiting Washington to 30 first-half points and dominating down low defensively, allowing just 28 points in the paint.

The combination of Mara and Johnson has been relatively quiet as of late, with one or the other playing well but not both. Wednesday night, Johnson displayed his strength down low while Mara displayed his finesse to create the complementary play that made the duo successful earlier in the season.

Mara finished the game with a team-high and season-high 20 points, but didn’t make as much of an impact on the boards as Johnson did, as Johnson finished with a career-high 16 rebounds.

Nonetheless, the duo proved why Michigan’s defense has been rated so highly and why dominating in the paint has been crucial for the Wolverines’ success all season long.

The Star

With just under six minutes remaining in the first half, Johnson lurked in the lane before going up for an emphatic put-back slam. That rebound and subsequent dunk already gave Johnson his 10th rebound of the game, and he ended the first half two points away from a double-double with eight.

Johnson finished the game with a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double and was a key factor behind Michigan’s strong game on defense and in the paint. Although he didn’t score as much as Mara, Johnson contributed to the win through both his rebounding, defense, motor and other intangibles.

In a game where Michigan displayed its defensive fortitude, Johnson’s double-double — along with his two steals and even more disrupted passes — exemplified the Wolverines’ bruising ability to lock down defensively and crash the boards.

Michigan coach Dusty May has commended Johnson’s ability to bring the intensity and energy up on the court all season long. And against Washington, Johnson provided that same spark to help the Wolverines stay on track and get back in the win column.

The Stat

Throughout the game, Washington had to constantly shuffle lineups and find different players to keep up with the Wolverines because of foul trouble.

Michigan finished the game with just 13 fouls compared to the Huskies committing 20 throughout the evening. Forward Hannes Steinbach and center Franck Kepnang both picked up four fouls midway through the second half, and when their team needed two of their best players the most, they couldn’t play due to fouls.

The foul trouble and Michigan’s many trips to the line allowed them to stay just ahead of Washington’s pace all game long and the Huskies shot themselves in the foot far too many times.

Four Factors