Michigan basketball is playing so well that it doesn't even need to be firing on all cylinders to blow out a ranked opponent.
The Wolverines were suffocating on defense against USC. They also beat USC at their own game, attempting more free throws, notching more steals, and blocking more shots than the Trojans in a 96-66 win.
Michigan dominated in the paint. In the first half, the Wolverines made 88 percent of their dunks and layups. USC made 44 percent. Late in the second half, Michigan had three times as many buckets at the rim (19) than USC (6).
The Trojans led college basketball in free-throw attempts per game and were right on par with 33 free throws. The problem is that Michigan basketball shot 39. U-M, the top-ranked defense in the country, according to the Kenpom rankings, forced 19 turnovers. The Trojans made five 3-pointers and shot 34 percent from the field.
Michigan shot 47 percent thanks to a dominant effort inside the arc that saw the Wolverines make over 70 percent of their 2-point attempts. USC made 42 percent. That was the difference in the game.
If Michigan basketball had shot the ball well from deep, it would have been another 40-point win. That was the only thing that kept the Wolverines, still ranked second in the AP poll, from scoring 100 points for the eighth time this season.
The only drama was whether or not Michigan basketball would cover the spread. It did, easily by nearly eight points. Here are some gut reactions from another impressive win for the Wolverines.
Morez Johnson controlled the game
The former Illinois transfer gets more dominant, seemingly every night. On Friday, he made 10-of-12 shots from the field, 8-of-10 at the line, hit a three, and notched two steals, on his way to a 29-point, six-rebound effort.
Johnson might spend just one season in Ann Arbor, because he's played like a first-round pick. Friday's win was just the latest example of that.
Michigan's 3-big lineup is a nightmare for offenses
Forget about what the Wolverines can do offensively; the three-big lineup has been a massive success. Dusty May had patience when things were a little clunky earlier in the season, but with two forwards who are 6-foot-9 and 6-foot-10, who can switch everything, and a trio of shot blockers, and some elite perimeter defenders such as Roddy Gayle and Nimari Burnett, there are no weaknesses.
It wasn't hard to tell that Michigan was off shooting-wise. The defense was just so damn good it didn't matter. Michigan shot 21 percent from 3-point range and beat a ranked by team 30.
This team should be No. 1.
The bench was key
Four players came off the bench to score in double figures, led by Roddy Gayle with 12 in 18 minutes. Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney, and L.J. Cason each had 10. It often gets overlooked, but the depth of this team is one of the things that makes it special.