auburn gonna auburn

2/12/2020 – Michigan 79, Northwestern 54 – 15-9, 6-7 Big Ten

I remember Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I remember a packed arena losing its mind for Dererk Pardon on that thing he did, you know, that one. I remember worse Northwestern teams that didn't sniff the tournament but were still close enough to turn Chris Collins into a dog.

Playing Northwestern anywhere other than Crisler has been a brutally frustrating experience for Michigan of late. Michigan won 62-60 in Northwestern's building just last year. The year before the Wildcats won; the year before that was the Pardon thing. There was no game at Welsh-Ryan in 2016; instead Michigan scraped out an OT win in the Big Ten Tournament.

A distinct air of "here we go again" descended over the Michigan fandom during a nearly six minute stretch without points immediately after tipoff. Then Northwestern gave up a 31-5 run with Zavier Simpson on the bench. In the second half there were possessions were Simpson just threw it to Brooks or Livers for wide open threes. No action, no screens, just guys standing by themselves outside the three point line.

It took Northwestern over a half to get an offensive rebound. Jared Jones, the backup post you may remember canning off the dribble jumpers, seemed like the only guy on the court who wanted to be there. It obviously sucks to be on a team that's 1-12 in conference play but after watching Rutgers nearly fight all the way back against Ohio State in the game immediately preceding Michigan's it was hard not to compare the two teams.

Rutgers is still pretty much Rutgers. They can't shoot (318th in 3P%, 329th in FT%). Their offense is still a series of isos with very little team basketball (311th in assist rate). They're an island of misfit toys, and they play balls to the wall at all times. It's impossible to rattle them. They play in the RAC. Two years ago they went 3-15 in league play. So what if Geo Baker misses 12 straight shots and you're down 15 to, yep, Northwestern? Been there. Lived there. Gonna win anyway in the jankiest way possible.

Northwestern just wants to go home.

[After THE JUMP: Big Country!]