It was a sluggish start in the first half for Michigan basketball against Marquette, but a strong finish to the first half and a strong start to the second wrapped up the 84-70 win for the Wolverines.
Marquette is ranked 31st, according to the Kenpom rankings. Michigan is 26th. Yet, the Wolverines won the game going away.
Michigan finally had a good night from 3-point range. True freshman Quinn Costello buried five shots from beyond the arc. We also got our first real look at J.P. Estrella and Moustapha Thiam on the floor for an extended period of time, with both players at 100 percent.
Michigan's defense was impressive. Many of the same things the Wolverines were able to do last season, they did in this game. It might not end up as a quadrant-1 win, but it was a nice win for Mike Boynton and the Michigan basketball team all the same.
Here are four buckets (winners) and a brick (losers) from the 14-point win.
Bucket: J.P. Estrella
Estrella might be the best pickup for Michigan out of the portal. He's been an effective low-post scorer, rebounder, and defender.
The Tennessee transfer asserted himself in the first half, helping Michigan pull in front. He was 8 of 12 from the field for 18 points. He grabbed eight rebounds and dished out two asists. The 6-foot-11 big man blocked three shots and only had three fouls.
Estrella even made a 3-pointer. It felt like he could be this kind of player, but after just three games, it feels like the Wolverines got another big who is even better than expected thanks to the role that Michigan is asking him to play, which is eight more minutes a game so far this season.
Bucket: Quinn Costello
The freshman scored 15 points in 25 minutes. Michigan has struggled to shoot from three, shooting less than 30 percent in the first two games.
Costello, known for his shooting, helped turn that around on Wednesday, making 5-for-6 from beyond the arc. Costello, a 6-foot-10 McDonald's All-American, was active on defense. He had four rebounds and blocked a shot.
Costello isn't on the same level as Trey McKenney yet, but he could have a similar impact this season, coming off the bench at a different position as Trey did last year.
Bucket: Moustapha Thiam
The other transfer in the frontcourt, 7-foot-2 center Moustapha Thiam didn't shoot the ball well, making 3-of-9 shots. Yet, he blocked three shots and pulled down 12 rebounds. Michigan was +23 when he was in the game.
Thiam is a better offensive player than he looked on Wednesday, so we haven't come close to seeing him at his best in these first two games. The defense was active, though. His length is a problem.
Bucket: Defense
Marquette shot 38 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range. Giving up 12 3-pointers is more than what you want. However, the Golden Eagles only managed 10 assists on 21 field goals. They also shot just 34 percent on 2-point attempts.
The Golden Eagles made some tough shots. They also had double-digit turnovers, only shot nine free throws and had to work really hard to get 70.
Brick: The guards
Trey McKenney, Elliot Cadeau and Roddy Gayle were just 5 of 15 from the field. Those three also struggled with turnovers, combining for nine of Michigan's 15.
Those three guys will have to play much better to close out better teams later in the season. It was just one game, though. McKenney, Gayle, and Cadeau are the least of my worries.
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