Five thoughts on Michigan’s loss to Purdue and what it means in the NCAA Tournament

Michigan took one on the chin on Sunday in Chicago, falling to Purdue 80-72 in the Big Ten Tournament Championship.

In lieu of a typical recap, we’re going big picture after this one. Looking at the game and three games in Chicago, but also trying to take stock of Michigan ahead of the games that matter in the NCAA Tournament.

1. This loss is a warning sign, but it comes at the right time

Nobody wants to lose a game for a trophy, and Purdue punished Michigan’s No. 1-ranked defense in the second half. The Wolverines got outplayed, outphysicaled, and will have a long bus ride home thinking about that loss.

All of that being said, losing in this spot isn’t the worst result. The best-case scenario for this week in Chicago would be to play three perfect games and enter the NCAA Tournament on a heater.

Even if Michigan won this game, that wouldn’t have been the case. The reality is that the Wolverines have been just okay — by their standards — over the last five games. That’s not the end of the world, but winning this game might have only given a false sense of security.

Instead, the Wolverines should be woken up by this result. They aren’t invincible; they can lose to anyone, and there was jeopardy in all three of their games in Chicago this weekend. They learned a lesson that you can’t afford to lose in the NCAA Tournament.

If Michigan wants to make the Final Four — or even advance to the regional in Chicago — it will need to perform at a higher level. This loss should be a reminder of what needs to be done.

There’s no question of what this team is capable of when it plays well, but this week in Chicago wasn’t at that level.