Turnovers, miscues doom Michigan basketball vs. MSU
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The last time Michigan basketball faced a rival at home, it surprised by downing Ohio State. Despite losing in a blowout to Michigan State in East Lansing, could the Wolverines get the win in Ann Arbor in the rematch?
Michigan would have to work without Terrance Williams II who was out with an undisclosed illness. Jaelin Llewellyn was thus inserted into the starting lineup and he came out strong, with an early and-one continuation and 3-pointer. The Wolverines shot well early, but turnovers slowed them down as they nursed a tenuous lead.
The hot shooting for both teams cooled off by the under-12 media timeout, as both struggled with two-plus minute scoring droughts. MSU broke the stalemate first, and with just under 11 minutes, the score was knotted at 16.
The Spartans had a one-point lead but after a steal, Coen Carr was on a breakaway and drew a flagrant one foul on Michigan forward Will Tschetter, but he only hit one of the two free throws.
The maize and blue continued to struggle on both ends of the floor, finding themselves down nine, and unable to finish at the basket. The Crisler Center crowd erupted — but because the MSU contingent on hand was becoming more and more boisterous and bloodthirsty as the Wolverines faltered.
But after MSU’s 7-0 run, Michigan guard Dug McDaniel went on a 7-0 run of his own, hitting a floater, two free throws, and a 3-pointer to pull within two points with three minutes left in the first half. It took all of a minute for the Spartans to go back up six, but Nimari Burnett hit a clutch 3 followed by a turnaround jumper by Olivier Nkamhoua. Michigan retook the lead with 38.7 left in the first half with a Llewellyn 3-pointer. MSU tied it back up on ensuing free throws and McDaniel had a disastrous sequence — turning the ball over, and then fouling with 0.4 seconds left in the half, sending the Spartans to the line to retake the lead, 39-37.
Michigan was in striking distance, but given how the maize and blue have tended to play in the second half, it was worth wondering if there was any chance. But the script could have been flipped, as MSU had a two-point lead at the half this time around, whereas Michigan had one in East Lansing.
At least the beginning of the second half was a script-flipped, as the Wolverines went from down two to up five in the first three-and-a-half minutes. Michigan pushed the lead to six, but the Spartans clawed back with some Wolverine miscues, and with 12:43 remaining, it was a one-point game. By the under-12 media timeout, it was a tie game, once again.
The Spartans retook the lead and went up five after the Wolverines continued to be turnover-prone. Michigan had 16 turnovers with McDaniel and Nkamhoua having a shared 11 giveaways at that point of the game. Considering that MSU had 19 points off turnovers while Michigan outshot the Spartans, it was the difference in the game as the maize and blue were down five.
Michigan took a quick timeout and scored five unanswered points to tie the game, but MSU took the lead back on a putback dunk with just under eight minutes remaining.
Tschetter tied the game back up at 63 coming out of the under-eight media timeout. Shoddy defense mixed with anemic offense and turnovers allowed the Spartans to take the lead again with under six minutes to go — 67-63, MSU.
After more miscues, MSU had an eight-point lead and possession at the under-four media timeout. Michigan was imploding — albeit later than usual. Cries of ‘Go Green, Go White’ drowned out the marching band playing ‘The Victors.’
Michigan immediately turned the ball over after running a slow-developing offensive set. Though MSU couldn’t capitalize, time was running short, up eight with 90 seconds remaining.
Alas, it wasn’t to be, as Michigan lost, 73-63, to rival Michigan State.
The Wolverines finished with 22 turnovers in the game, giving the Spartans 25 points in return. This despite out-shooting and out-rebounding MSU in the matchup. The Spartans finished the game on a 10-0 run.
