Michigan heads home from its Pacific Northwest road trip with a pair of business-like double-digit wins that are vital to the conference race but also somewhat underwhelming.
The Wolverines didn’t rediscover their best form on the trip. They aren’t going to be patting themselves on the back for a 10-point win over an Oregon team missing its two best players — arguably two of the most important players to any team in the conference.
But they didn’t lose either, and no team is good enough to complain about a pair of wins 2,000-plus miles from home. Michigan led for 36 minutes on the road and took care of business in an 81-71 win.
Over the course of a 20-game conference season, you have to take those, even if they aren’t the most impressive performances.
Michigan won a game comfortably away from home despite its head coach getting a technical, its two-way game-wrecker being whistled for three first-half fouls, its All-American making one field goal, and an Oregon role player having a career day.
That might not be cause for celebration, but it’s the type of result that keeps Big Ten title hopes alive.
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