For the second time this season, Michigan basketball has defeated a top-seven team on the road.
The Wolverines knocked off Michigan State in East Lansing by 12. They won in Mackey Arena by 11, and beat Gonzaga on a neutral court by 40.
There's no doubt that this team has what it takes to win a national championship. It's the best team in college basketball and is deserving of the No. 1 ranking. That's one thing we learned against the Boilermakers, in a 91-80 win for the Wolverines.
Here are three others.
Yaxel's impact goes beyond the box score
Yaxel Lendeborg only scored 13 points, but all of them were big. He knocked down a trio of 3-pointers, dished out 7 assists, had 2 steals, and recorded a key block late. His length was driving Braden Smith crazy in the first half so much that Smith was taken out of the game for a long period of time.
Lendeborg has tremendous court vision. He can play like a guard, but has the length and size of a big. It's an impressive combination of size, strength, and skill. There's nothing he can't do on the basketball court, and Tuesday should help cement his status as Big Ten Player of the Year.
It's national title or bust for Michigan
This is the best team in college basketball. Arizona is amazing. So are Duke and Houston. But Michigan can do it all. Last night, it made 13 3-pointers. That wasn't luck either. Michigan assisted on 24 of its 30 field goals.
Yaxel, Elliot Cadeau, L.J. Cason, and others constantly got to the paint. Purdue had to double Michigan's bigs, and the Wolverines made them pay.
The Boilermakers gambled that Michigan couldn't make enough 3-pointers to win the game. The Wolverines responded in kind by shooting 53 percent.
I believe this Michigan team can't be defeated if it makes double-digit 3s. We'll see if that holds up, but Tuesday was another major test that this team passed. Duke is another. But Tuesday's win was a championship-level win, and with the talent on this roster, it's clear it's built to win it all.
Anything less will be a disappointment, as harsh and unfair as that sounds.
Michigan's back court is as good as the front court
The first talking point about Michigan is the front court. That's understandable. The Wolverines have three dudes who are 6-foot-9 or taller and they could all be first-round picks.
However, the guards are showing that they are elite, too. Nimari Burnett has been the ideal three-and-D wing for the past two seasons. He's perfect for that role, and played it well again on Tuesday.
Elliot Cadeau was the real story, though. Just like in the second half against Michigan State, the North Carolina transfer took over. He finished with 17 points, seven assists, and was 3-of-5 from 3-point range.
We predicted that the bench would dominate, and it did. The Wolverines outscored Purdue 34-15 in bench points, thanks to 13 each from Trey McKenney and Cason.
McKenney looked like a seasoned veteran, instead of a freshman, as he made 3-of-4 from deep, didn't have a turnover, and made 4-of-7 shots total from the field.
Cason looked like one of the best guards on the floor. He's been on fire lately, and frankly, Michigan has two starting-caliber guards coming off the bench.
That's why this is the deepest and best team in college basketball.