Michigan Basketball: 3 takeaways from win over Loyola-Chicago

This still isn’t good enough

Michigan was able to scrape by with another win despite sub-par shooting. The NCAA Tournament is about surviving and advancing, and Michigan basketball has focused especially on the survival aspect.

With Villanova on the docket, Michigan won’t be able to merely survive.

Loyola’s defense was tough to break; Villanova’s defense is even tougher. Loyola had an offense where everybody on the court was a scorer. Villanova’s scoring ability is like that on steroids.

Michigan can’t scrape by on its athleticism. Michigan’s defense is better than Villanova’s, but this is a team that can score on just about any defense. The Wildcats never let up. They just keep scoring until the other team gives up. Michigan has kept all of its opponents under one point per possession in the tournament. That’s unlikely against Villanova.

The Wolverines aren’t going to be able to shoot like they have in the past two games and beat Villanova. Simpson and Abdur-Rahkman can’t go a combined 2-for-17 from the field. The team can’t keep missing wide open 3-point attempts.

Michigan won’t be able to win a championship on the backs of a few good individual performances like it has a few times in the tournament. This is going to have to be a complete team effort, like the Michigan State and Purdue games were.

This Michigan basketball team can leave San Antonio with its first NCAA Championship since 1989. It will be hard, but it’s extremely possible. It just won’t happen if the team plays like it has for much of the tournament.