2020-21 wisconsin #1
100% complete annihilation
hoops game recaps
rampaging through the midwestern countryside [Marc-Gregor Campredon]

Michigan 77, Wisconsin 54 Comment Count

Ace January 12th, 2021 at 9:50 PM

Michigan went on a 43-6 run. Against Wisconsin. Sound, steady, obnoxiously consistent Wisconsin.

This didn't look like two Big Ten teams playing each other, let alone two Final Four contenders. Michigan was the varsity team to Wisconsin's JV squad, the lion to their antelope, the bully, the beast.

While the Wolverines held the lead for most of the first half, this was actually a close game for the opening 14 minutes or so. Then Michigan simply chose to choke the life out of Wisconsin's offense, going on a 14-0 run to end the half leading by 17 points, the biggest deficit UW had faced all season. It happened so fast that it's still hard to process. The Badgers looked like they'd been hit by a piano dropped from the heavens. They failed to so much as get a shot up on their final possession of the half.


Wagner stole a couple easy buckets [Campredon]

It didn't stop after the break. There were no lanes to the basket for Wisconsin's guards, no post position for their big men, no chance to do much at all except shoot over the defense and hope. Even with Juwan Howard emptying the bench down the stretch, as is becoming tradition, Michigan hounded UW into shooting 11/37 on two-pointers and 9/28 from three. The Badgers had more turnovers (ten) than assists (eight). Five Wolverines combined to block nine shots with Hunter Dickinson and Isaiah Livers recording three apiece.

Meanwhile, the offense hummed along at well over 1.3 points per possession before (extended) garbage time. Mike Smith had maybe his best game as a Wolverine, scoring 16 points—including an ankle-breaking stepback three against Brad Davison—and dishing out six assists. Franz Wagner needed only ten shots to score 15 points and was everywhere on defense, recording four steals, a block, and several deflections. Livers and Dickinson chipped in 13 and 12, respectively, to add to their rim-protecting exploits.


nowhere to run, nowhere to pass, nowhere to shoot [Campredon]

The lead touched 40—FORTY—midway through the second half on a Chaundee Brown layup from Austin Davis, who returned for his first minutes since injuring his foot against Toledo. A few minutes prior, Brown sent the bench into a fit of hysteria with a tip-slam. Terrance Williams pretended to resuscitate a prone Jace Howard. Howard lived; Wisconsin's dignity did not.

Michigan has a signature win over a quality team now. They checked that box as emphatically as possible. The only fluke here is the final score, which is at least ten points closer than it could've been. Yes, closer. These are your Big Ten favorites, and as the ESPN studio crew discussed after the game, they may very well be in the conversation with Gonzaga and Baylor for the best team in the country.

[Hit THE JUMP for more photos and the box score.]

All photos by Marc-Gregor Campredon. Full album is being uploaded right now to Flickr.

Comments

Joby

January 13th, 2021 at 12:04 AM ^

We need something to nitpick though, so here it is: Ace, when Terrance Williams was performing mock CPR, Jace Howard was lying supine, not prone.*

 

OK, that's all I got! This was a complete, and completely unexpected, annihilation. There is nowhere for subpar defenders to hide, and Michigan has, strangely enough, become remarkably consistent by being unpredictable. 

 

*Jace _is_ lying prone in the fourth photo from the bottom. 

Joined: 10/19/2011

MGoPoints: -1328

UMinSF

January 12th, 2021 at 10:01 PM ^

Final Wisconsin possession of the first half defined this game. Michigan just refused to allow Wisconsin to so much as put up a shot!

Beautiful, ruthless, joyful basketball on both ends of the court. Superb effort by everyone. Livers had fire in his eyes, and everyone else joined in the mayhem. Badger guts everywhere.

Go Blue!

Joined: 04/06/2009

MGoPoints: 18204

what would Bo do

January 13th, 2021 at 8:55 AM ^

He hit a long pull up 2 early in the shot clock, and at the time, I was disappointed because I wanted to run the offense and get a better shot, but then I saw the defensive intensity he was bringing on the other end, and it set the tone for the entire team.  He was LOCKED IN on both ends, and if he has to hit a single long 2 to unlock that intensity, that should be the very first play they run on offense every game.

Joined: 12/27/2011

MGoPoints: 1152

Michigan4Life

January 12th, 2021 at 10:01 PM ^

Honestly, after the first couple media timeouts in the last few games, Michigan seemingly downloaded what the opposing teams are doing and just dominated from there. Every game it was close until end of 1st half and Michigan went on a run and just blew the door open at 2nd half.

Credit to Juwan for the halftime adjustment and have his players playing hard until the buzzer. Speak a lot about the culture Juwan has created in his image. Beilein left Juwan a good team with good culture and Juwan had to navigate the transition in which he did it seamlessly. I know NBA will come calling for him but I bet he'll stay until both Jett and Jace are done with Michigan or he'll be a Michigan lifer.

Joined: 07/29/2010

MGoPoints: 25304

Erik_in_Dayton

January 12th, 2021 at 10:13 PM ^

That was extraordinary and thoroughly enjoyable. The extent to which it was built on defense, and not just hot shooting, makes it seem sustainable. It is such a relief for something to be fun.

Joined: 12/03/2008

MGoPoints: 59152

jmblue

January 12th, 2021 at 10:16 PM ^

We were up 17 at halftime and Dickinson had two points.    

The only disappointment about this season to date is that the guys can't play in front of a full house.  Imagine a packed Crisler tonight...

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102810

stephenrjking

January 12th, 2021 at 10:18 PM ^

I keep waiting for the hard test and the hard tests keep turning out to be laughers. Maybe Iowa? MSU will be tough because it's MSU.

Or not. 

This was great. Maybe the best moment? The whole team going crazy... after jailing Wisconsin for the last 40 or so seconds of the first half. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143884

ca_prophet

January 13th, 2021 at 4:43 AM ^

They'll come back to earth at some point, but until then I fully intend to enjoy the ride.  That kind of run against a real team is rare and worth savoring.  

Iowa is still out there and between Garza and a bad ref day, could harsh our calm.  And of course we don't really know how the tournament will go (if it happens), or how good Baylor, Gonzaga, Kansas, etc. really are.

But for today, we are as good as anybody in the country.  Go Blue!

 

Joined: 09/07/2010

MGoPoints: 7085

schreibee

January 12th, 2021 at 10:46 PM ^

The last 5 minutes of the 1st half - and in particular the final 27 seconds - were my favorite 5 minutes of Michigan hoops ever (and I'm including the incredibly gratifying but ulcer inducing OT vs Seton in '89).

Other such game segments I can put in for discussion are the tournament comeback vs Ucla by the Fab 5, and the comeback vs Kansas by Trey's team.

But I don't know if those were such neatly compartmentalized units of time as the 14-0 run, with the final cherry being not allowing a shot to end the half.

Beautiful, clean, hard-nosed, disciplined, passionate - anyone got a good adjective I left out?

Not kidding I had chills when the horn sounded to end the half, and the entire team stormed the court celebrating the defensive stop.

Great things I see coming for this team. Great things...

 

Joined: 11/02/2009

MGoPoints: 21143

UMinSF

January 13th, 2021 at 12:14 AM ^

That entire Michigan-Illinois semi was incredible. So much talent on the floor, teams that knew everything about each other, and supreme effort.

Probably the greatest basketball game I've ever watched - and best part was that I was at a wedding reception for two Michigan grads - they halted the reception, hauled in TV's, and everyone watched the game. Thank goodness for everyone Michigan won - party was on afterwards!

Joined: 04/06/2009

MGoPoints: 18204

AlbanyBlue

January 12th, 2021 at 10:25 PM ^

I have seen a few folks in the football threads say they're not really into basketball. Get into this team. Somehow. This has potential to be amazing. 

I can't even....I mean, I was concerned about this game. Lots of folks were. And....destruction. We could have won by 40 or more.

Joined: 09/11/2010

MGoPoints: 22040

jmblue

January 12th, 2021 at 10:40 PM ^

For anyone who hasn't paid much attention to basketball, this 2020-21 team is a great way to get you into it.  We've had some teams that would grind it out and win ugly (the Novak/Douglass teams, or even the 2018 Final Four team), but this one isn't like that at all.  This team is fun to watch, at both ends of the court.  

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102810

Blue_2008

January 13th, 2021 at 12:02 AM ^

This team is as good and balanced as any team we’ve seen in the last decade+ and there have been some damn good teams in that span. What this team brings on offense with an elite big, nba quality wings and good (and steadily improving!) guard play to go along with lockdown D is so rare. I’m just going to try to sit back and enjoy this season, should be a fun one. 

Joined: 04/10/2011

MGoPoints: 1623

BlueMetal

January 12th, 2021 at 10:35 PM ^

I only get a chance to watch Michigan and whoever Michigan is playing so maybe it's just a part of being a really good basketball team... But we dunk a lot. And I like that. 

Joined: 03/15/2013

MGoPoints: 5200

brendandavis22

January 12th, 2021 at 10:37 PM ^

I hope someone has a gif of the shot Wisconsin took with about 4 min to go in the first half with the shot clock running down. It missed by 15 feet...

 

The shot was worse than my double post

Joined: 09/14/2009

MGoPoints: 778

WolverineHistorian

January 12th, 2021 at 10:48 PM ^

That was amazing.  This is the third straight game where they played their worst stretch of basketball once they were up so big that it didn’t matter.  Against Northwestern, they were up 27.  Against Minnesota, they were up 37.  Against Wisconsin, they were up 40!!!

These teams had played some great basketball so far this year and I was expecting all of them to be close, stressful games.

There isn’t enough middle fingers to justify what Wisconsin basketball truly deserves.  But I’m giving them all right now.  The final score is nothing to what actually unfolded in the game.  Porn on the court. 

Go Blue!!!

Joined: 08/10/2009

MGoPoints: 55466

Baffin

January 12th, 2021 at 11:02 PM ^

This confirms a few sneaking suspicions:

Wagner needs an All-American crown on Seth's graphic. 

Livers/Wagner/Dickinson is the best front line in the country. 

Juwan Howard's Michigan is the best team in the country. 

This squad is up there with 1989, 1992, and 2013. 

And, with all due respect to John Beilein, the best way to beat Wisconsin isn't to value the ball and avoid mistakes – it is to unleash a live crocodile and then shoot flamethrowers at the retreating badgers. 

Joined: 01/12/2017

MGoPoints: 490