Another game, another opportunity for Indiana men’s basketball to grab its first Quad 1 win and end its now three-game losing streak as the Hoosiers traveled back up to the mitten. This time, the opponent was No. 3 Michigan, KenPom’s No. 1.
It was another rough night for the Hoosiers as Indiana was no match for Michigan’s size and efficiency, dropping the game 86-72.
On paper, this was an unfavorable matchup for the Hoosiers, as Michigan is the second ranked defense in the country (KenPom moved the Wolverines down one spot last week) and has some of the nation's best size, featuring three players 6-foot-9 or taller and that was apparent from the opening tip.
Indiana won the tip and turned the ball over on its first possession which then led to an Aday Mara lay-in over Conor Enright, a 7-foot-4 on 6-foot-1 mismatch. It was a quick first shift for Tucker DeVries who picked up two fouls in just 80 seconds. Indiana was in a 9-0 hole as Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau picked up seven of that first nine. The junior from West Orange, New Jersey finished with 19, a game high. Indiana got its first points on Reed Bailey free throws at 14:28.
Michigan hasn’t been itself since Jan. 6 where it only beat Penn State by two points and then lost to Wisconsin its next time out. But after the under-16 timeout Michigan really poured it on, looking like the team it is touted to be and was before that date, hitting 3s, getting to the basket and making mid-range looks. Michigan had five 3-point makes before the under-8 timeout.
The Wolverines were suffocating Indiana to a point where it forced IU into a dreadful shooting performance, starting 1-for-15. With foul trouble to DeVries and an absence to Tayton Conerway who only played two minutes, the first two minutes of the first half (who was questionable on the Big Ten injury report before the game), head coach Darian DeVries was forced to play Aleksa Ristic, who averages two minutes per game, who had Indiana’s first 3-point make.
Indiana did string a nice run of field goal makes together around the eight and six and a half minute marks making six field goals in a row, but at the peak of that run, Indiana only cut Michigan's lead to eight. The Wolverines led 33-23 at the under-4 timeout.
After how well Michigan started, it finished the half with eight turnovers and only one free throw made with eight attempts. Indiana finished the half with three more long balls after the Ristic make. Two 3-pointers came from Enright and another was from Nick Dorn. The Hoosiers went into the locker room down 40-29.
The second half started with each team trading field goal makes until Darian DeVries called a timeout before Indiana could motor back down the floor and try for a third straight score. The two Hoosier buckets were made by Sam Alexis from close range. Alexis made his next attempt but after the field goal streak ended. NBC’s Robbie Hummel mentioned that Alexis was making some of the shots Michigan wanted the Indiana bigs to take. Michigan got Big Ten and National Player of the Year candidate Yaxel Lendeborg going with a long ball. Plus, Mara added a make and so did Nimari Burnett. Michigan led 52-35 with 15:30 to play.
Two microcosms of this game and seemingly matchup for Indiana came during subsequent Michigan possessions. The first started at the 15:11 mark of the second half: Lendeborg would attempt a 3-pointer, a miss, and Morez Johnson Jr. would still gather the offensive rebound and put up a hook shot, both over Bailey who had a four inch height advantage on Johnson. Michigan out rebounded Indiana 41-25 in the game.
The second was a Cadeau entry pass from the right wing into the block in the paint for Lendeborg. Tucker DeVries was guarding Lendeborg but all five Hoosier defenders faced and crashed down on Lendeborg who would pass to Burnett in the corner for a 3-point make.
Lendeborg free throws and an additional field goal make would help the Michigan lead extend to 63-40.
Alexis and Dorn were the lone heartbeat for Indiana all night. Combining for 25 points, the two created a spark, but no teammates would be able to back them up. Also, Alexis fouled out with 8:41 to go. The score was 70-51 at the under-8 timeout.
Once again, Tucker DeVries was a non-factor, even with a team leading 13 points, all coming in non-competitive minutes in the second half. It would be fair to say that defending Lamar Wilkerson was Michigan’s defensive game plan because it put its best defenders on No. 3, but all of Michigan’s rotational guys can defend at above average rates. Wilkerson was 3-for-10 from the field and had only eight points.
The Big Ten might be catching on to Indiana’s vulnerabilities, stopping Wilkerson and Tucker DeVries as little has gone right for Indiana since the restart of Big Ten play. Next, Indiana arguably has its easiest remaining game at KenPom No. 153 Rutgers.
That game will tip off Friday at 6 p.m.
