Michigan Basketball: 3 things we learned in blowout of Wisconsin

The defense is elite

As a Michigan basketball fan, it’s hard to know what to be more about excited about: the offense or the defense. Both have been extraordinary.

The Wolverines, who are currently ranked 4th according to the Kenpom rankings, join Baylor as the only team to rank in the top 10 in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency.

Michigan is up to No. 10 defensively and it’s been part of a dominating trend. Wisconsin, one of the best offensive and shooting teams in the Big Ten, shot just 30 percent from the field. The Badgers also scored just 0.8 points per possession when they average 1.11.

Remember that Wisconsin is a team that starts five seniors and were the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten championship and are still possibly the biggest threat along with Iowa and Illinois.

So this wasn’t some run-of-the-mill team — this is a legit team with postseason aspirations and the Wolverines made them look silly.

That possession at the end of the first half when Wisconsin didn’t even get a shot off just shows the type of intensity this team plays with on that end of the floor. Michigan seems to win nearly every loose ball and really plays with that junkyard-dog mentality.

It’s really something to watch and the strides Franz Wagner has made defensively are just incredible. 15 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and a block. That was Wagner’s line against Wisconsin but his defense was still the most impressive thing.

Add his length to Dickinson, Eli Brooks, Chaundee Brown, Isaiah Livers and Brandon Johns, who when focused is a very good defender and rebounder, and this team’s defense is as intimidating as the offense, which is really saying something.