Michigan Basketball: 3 takeaways from resume building rivalry win
By Nick Popio
Michigan basketball was locked in from the tip and they pieced the puzzle altogether today for a significant triumph over the Spartans.
With the return of Isaiah Livers to the starting lineup, the Michigan basketball team looked like the capable tournament team that it resembled earlier in the season. The intensity the Wolverines brought to the court was felt consistently throughout Crisler all game long. They knew that they couldn’t afford another home loss to a bitter enemy in the same week.
Michigan basketball was hitting on its p’s and q’s today. The defense was especially exceptional for the most part. The Wolverines held all-Big Ten superstar Cassius Winston in check in the first half. For the game though, Winston went 5-18, a major difference entirely from the first go around. The turnaround over the last few weeks for Michigan defense is a massive reason why they got the job done over the hated Spartans.
Isaiah Livers with helluva lift for his team, X turned in his best showing vs Sparty in several games, and Franz & eli brooks with key contributions on both ends. Kudos all around. Big win for this team, big win for @JuwanHoward, and big win for recruiting (huge visit weekend).
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) February 8, 2020
Zavier Simpson snowballed off of his recent hot play. He made four critical three-point tries while having 16 points. His leadership in this important victory cannot be understated. With everything that he’s going through off the court, this has to be a very satisfying moment in this young man’s life.
The Wolverines put a halt to their three-game home skid with an eye-catching tier-one win. They now hold five quality wins over similar tournament competition. That will be quite noteworthy when evaluating what this squad has accomplished over the course of the entire season when it comes to next month’s selection process.