The Michigan Wolverines went 2-for-2 out west, winning games they were supposed to win in unmemorable fashions. Over the course of a 20-game conference season, the victories over Washington and Oregon
may not jump to the top of the list, but recovering from the first loss of the year is a tricky landmine that the team did well to avoid.
Back in the Midwest, Michigan actually gets five straight games in the state of Michigan, starting with a visit from the Indiana Hoosiers on Tuesday. Though this is a football school, the hoopers are trying to turn the program around under new head coach Darian DeVries. Too bad they we not able to get one of the hottest names in the sport who happened to be an Indiana alum!
Indiana (12-6, 3-4) at No. 3 Michigan (16-1, 6-1)
Date & Time: Tuesday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m. ET
Location: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, MI
TV/Streaming: Peacock
Dusty May’s highly anticipated return to Bloomington last February was nearly a disaster for the No. 24 Wolverines. Michigan jumped out to a 16-point lead but the Hoosiers came all the way back and tied it with under four minutes remaining. Like most wins last season, the Wolverines had to hang on for dear life, but May was able to escape Assembly Hall with a positive outcome.
Two Stats to Watch
Indiana 3PT Shooting: 36.7% (3rd B1G)
Unfortunately, it is going to take a little while before Michigan fans can ignore an opponent’s ability from deep. While Washington and Oregon hit under 30% combined, the Wisconsin bloodbath in the previous game at Crisler is still fresh, and Indiana is another team that likes to launch threes often with good success. The Hoosiers have the fourth-highest three-point rate and third-highest three-point accuracy in the conference, and though they actually are better inside the arc (2nd in twos), the blueprint has been given to them by the Badgers.
Indiana hit just 25% from deep the last time out, and is making only 31.8% of its long-range attempts during its current three-game losing streak, but there are still tons of reasons to be nervous here. Lamar Wilkerson and Tucker DeVries each launch from three at will, having over double the attempts of the Michigan leading distance shooter (which is somehow Trey McKenney?). Get ready for some peppering.
Indiana 2PT Defense: 58.1% (15th B1G)
If long-range shooting is becoming the Hoosiers’ identity, then the opposite is true for the Wolverines. Michigan is still the best in the entire country inside the arc (63.9%) thanks to its relentless commitment to take good shots only, but even those looks near the basket are starting to ever-so-slowly regress, which cannot be the case. The Wolverines are too talented down low for this to not be the cornerstone, and Tuesday offers a chance to really reset in this area.
The Hoosiers are not good defending the paint, and opponents consistently feast inside the arc. The last three opponents made a combined 62.5% of their twos — nearly identical to Michigan’s mark in conference play — and it is hard to see this trend not continuing. There is the question mark around Yaxel Lendeborg’s health, and Saturday was a reminder of what happens when a forward gets in foul trouble, but the best way to prevent an upset here is to just lean on the bread and butter.
