Michigan Basketball: Highlights and reaction from win over Wisconsin

Michigan basketball beat Wisconsin, on the road Sunday, 83-72. Here is why that win is so important when it comes to the NCAA Tournament.

When the Michigan basketball team took the floor at the Kohl Center against Wisconsin Sunday, the Wolverines found themselves in a tough spot. They were without one of their starters in a game they absolutely had to win.

However, even with the win over Wisconsin, Michigan basketball won’t get much credit for beating a team that’s among the worst in the Big Ten. Essentially, it was a must-win game, simply because the Wolverines couldn’t afford such a bad loss.

And a loss to Wisconsin certainly would have been bad. When it comes to RPI rankings, only Illinois and Rutgers have ranked lower among Michigan’s Big Ten wins. The Badgers currently rank 142 in the RPI and that’s a loss the Wolverines didn’t need on their resume.

So thankfully, Michigan took care of business. A 15-2 run to start the game was huge and a stellar showing from Duncan Robinson, who was 4-of-7 from 3-point range for 16 points in Isaiah Livers absence, was a big help.

But more than that, Moe Wagner dominated. The junior has had some big moments this season and seems to play especially well on the road. Sunday, he helped make sure Michigan basketball would survive without Livers, its freshman power forward. The German big man dominated inside, scoring 20 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. He also blocked two shots and had two assists.

Wagner was 8-of-14 from the field and also connected on three 3-pointers. The Wolverines also got 15 points from Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and 11 from Charles Matthews.

After the hot start to the game, Michigan shut out the Badgers in the final minutes of the first half to build a 44-22 lead. However, the Badgers crept within 10 with just a few minutes left. However, Michigan hung on and got a road win at a time when every win matters.

The victory was important for a few reasons. First off, it improved Michigan to 19-7 against Division I teams. That means one more win will get UM to 20, which is always a good number to hit. Yet, it also kept the Wolverines within a game of Nebraska for fourth in the Big Ten race.

Fourth place is important because it’s the last spot that gets a bye in the Big Ten tournament. Michigan basketball is currently fifth, two games ahead of 7-6 Penn State. UM is 9-5.

With home games left against Iowa and Ohio State, as well as road games with Maryland and Penn State, Michigan has a few more chances to impress the selection committee. But thanks to the win over Wisconsin, the Wolverines probably need just another win or two to solidify a bid.

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Roads win are always important and this time of year, and avoiding a bad loss is almost as important as scoring a really big win. That’s why the win over Wisconsin was especially important. Now, it’s time for UM to focus on Iowa Wednesday, before hosting hated Ohio State next Sunday.