After losing control of Big Ten hopes, Michigan basketball becomes Iowa fans

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Dusty May spoke for the entire Michigan basketball fanbase late Wednesday evening, albeit in a joking way.

“Obviously, we’re big, big Hawkeyes fans,” the first-year U-M head coach said at Crisler Center after the Wolverines lost, 71-65, to Maryland.

That result, of course, meant Michigan (22-7, 14-5) no longer controls its fate in the Big Ten and needs Iowa to knock off Michigan State (which has clinched at least a share of the league title) on Thursday in Iowa City (8 p.m., FS1) in order for Sunday’s clash between the Wolverines and Spartans in East Lansing (Noon, CBS) to mean anything toward the Big Ten title.

As much as the Wolverines are crossing their fingers for that, they’re also aware of the bigger picture.

Michigan center Vladislav Goldin (50) celebrates a play against Maryland at a timeout during the second half at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

“All the guys in our locker room have a lot of evidence and background of playing basketball at a high level,” May said. “We’ve got to figure out a way to regroup, ground ourselves and find that energy and synergy that you need to play good basketball.

“When you’re not finishing (at the rim), turning it over and you’re not shooting it well from 3, you’ve got to try and find other ways. Our guys fought like crazy, dug in and tried to win an ugly one. We just came up short.”

Too many turnovers

Perhaps the most frustrating part of U-M’s latest loss is how it revolved around the issue plaguing the Wolverines mush of the season: turnovers.

Michigan had 16 giveaways vs. the Terps on Wednesday, leading to 21 points, and it was a back-breaking stretch in the second half that made the difference. U-M had trimmed a 12-point deficit to two, 59-57, on a 3-pointer by Danny Wolf and a defensive stop, with a shot at a tie or the lead with just under seven minutes remaining.

Instead, disaster struck.

Tre Donaldson threw a pass into the backcourt for an over and back, giving the Terps the ball back. Then Julian Reese hit a…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/losing-control-big-ten-hopes-110855802.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2025-03-06 11:08:00

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