If Michigan basketball shoots the ball in Big Ten play like it did during the last two non-conference games, the Wolverines will be tough to beat.
In back-to-back games, Michigan basketball, playing a team ranked outside the top 100, blitzed their opponent with suffocating defense and stellar 3-point shooting to win in blowout fashion.
The Wolverines have won all of their buy games in that fashion. They have won all such games (paying a team to play at Crisler) by at least 20 points and Sunday was another blowout.
Western Kentucky likes to score in transition but that rarely happened on Sunday. The Hilltoppers didn't have a single assist in the first half, something else Michigan basketball has done to an opponent in back-to-back games.
The Wolverines average just over 8 3-pointers per game coming in, but had 11 by halftime. After six more in the second half, the U-M lead was 81-44 (the point spread was 18.5 in favor of Michigan).
At that point, nine different Michigan basketball players had made a 3-pointer. Five Wolverines had hit twice from deep including Nimari Burnett who had five 3-pointers. Michigan assisted on 18 of its first 26 field goals. On the other side, they had allowed just five on 24 field goals.
The only drama in the closing stretch was whether Michigan basketball would tie or set a new program record for 3-pointers, which they tied with 19 3-pointers (tied). The Wolverines were sharp, to say the least, in another blowout win. Vlad Goldin and Burnett led the way with 17 points each and here are the gut reactions.
Gut reactions to Michigan basketball blowout win
- When Michigan shoots well from 3-point range, there aren't many teams that can beat the Wolverines.
- I love how Michigan basketball dominated Western Kentucky and other teams like it. The Wolverines left no doubt and a lopsided win like that will help the NET ranking.
- You have to love the way Dusty May's team doesn't play down to an opponent. The Wolverines attacked the gameplan and the Hilltoppers like they were a top-10 team.
- I didn't see this team tying the school record for 3-pointers in a game. The Wolverines played some beautiful basketball against a solid defensive team.
- There wasn't much to learn from the past two games, but Michigan basketball at least built some confidence heading into the final 18 Big Ten games.
- Go Blue!