There's no question that one win can change a season, and for Michigan basketball, that win might have come on Friday night against Purdue in the Big Ten tournament.
The 22nd-ranked Wolverines entered the Big Ten tournament on a three-game losing skid. They lost four of their last six games. 20th-ranked Purdue had been slumping a little too, but still has two first-team All-Big Ten players, as well as the Player of the Year (Braden Smith).
Yet, for the second straight game, Michigan basketball beat the Boilermakers, one of the elite programs in the Big Ten, 86-68. Last time, it was a narrow win. This time, it was a butt-whopping.
Michigan's defense was spectacular. Trey Kauffman-Ren and Braden Smith combined for 36 points, which sounds great, unless you consider the 42 shot attempts it took to get there. The rest of the starting lineup was 1 of 11 from the field as Purdue shot 34 percent overall and 32 percent from the 3-point range.
In some ways, Michigan flipped the script on Purdue. The Wolverines only turned the ball over six times compared to 25 assists. 25 assists on 30 made field goals. Purdue had 11 assists but shot just 34 percent on 2-point attempts. The Wolverines shot 68.
That was the difference in the game, although it didn't hurt that the Wolverines shot 31 percent from 3-point range (8 of 26) which felt like a heat wave.
Tre Donaldson was special. He had 13 points, four rebounds, five assists, and just one turnover. He also knocked down three 3-pointers. Danny Wolf led U-M with 18 points, 11 boards, and six assists. Vlad Goldin pitched in with 15 and eight rebounds, while Roddy Gayle added 11 off the bench. Seven different players registered assists.
Four players hit triples and three made multiple shots from deep. That includes Rubin Jones who hit both attempts from beyond the arc on his way to eight points.
An 86-68 win isn't what many Michigan fans expected. But the postseason is the start of a new season, and it was great to see the Wolverines look like the team that won 22 games during the regular season.
We haven't seen that team in a while and here are the gut reactions.
Gut reactions: Michigan crushes Purdue to reach Big Ten semfiinals
- Dusty May and his positive mindset, publicly and surely behind closed doors, seemed to make a difference. Shots had to start falling at some point, but it would have been easy for his team to lose their belief. May was stubbornly optimistic about his team's ability to make shots, and it paid off.
- Coaching isn't always about Xs and Os. It's about leadership and May showed he can lead during a difficult time.
- One more win and this team is playing for a trophy. That's incredible.
- Michigan's Big Three delivered. They combined for 46 points, 23 rebounds, five 3-pointers, 12 assists, three blocks, and most importantly, three turnovers. When Wolf, Goldin, and Donaldson played like that, the Wolverines can play with and beat just about anyone.
- Did Michigan find its mojo? Will it be able to sustain it beyond one game? Those are good questions and we'll find out Saturday.
- Proud of this team. It's been a fun season, with ups and downs, but this was as fun a win as Michigan basketball has had all season.
- LJ Cason was an energizer bunny. He needs to stay in the rotation.
- Momentum in March is always a good thing and Michigan has it.
- Go Blue!