Big Ten tournament all about finding its shot

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Orchard Lake St. Mary’s guard Trey McKenney is Michigan Mr. Basketball

Trey McKenney, of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, named Hal Schram Michigan Mr. Basketball winner at the Detroit Free Press office Monday, March 10, 2025.

Michigan’s shooting has been poor in recent weeks, with many players experiencing a significant drop in 3-point percentage.The Wolverines will need to rediscover their shooting touch if they hope to make a deep run in the Big Ten tournament.

In each of the past two seasons, Michigan basketball went one-and-done in the postseason, with a Big Ten tournament second-round loss in 2023 and a first-round loss last year.

No matter what happens, the Wolverines are guaranteed to last longer in the conference tourney this year, time-wise at least — as the 3-seed, they start in Friday’s quarterfinals (along with 6-seed Purdue) at 9 p.m. in Indianapolis as the final team to tip off the Big Ten’s postseason.

The tip time at Gainbridge Fieldhouse is late, but head coach Dusty May has no complaints about the extra few hours; as he pointed out, after five games in 13 days to end the regular season, his team certainly needed time to work on itself.

RELATED: Michigan basketball coach Dusty May wants a re-do on L.J. Cason’s season

“We haven’t lost faith; we know what type of players they are,” May said of his slumping squad. “(We) also let them know that you don’t have to come out and score 30 to help this team win. Just make a hustle play, get an offensive rebound.”

Of course, even if the Wolverines are one-and-done in the Big Ten again, they can top the past two seasons just by showing up next week: After missing the NCAA tournament in back-to-back seasons, the Wolverines are already locked into March Madness.

Still, U-M is in a unique spot — likely to be decently seeded for the NCAAs, yet in the middle of a downward spiral, having lost three straight, and four of their final six. Though it may not feel like it right now, as May knows, the postseason brings a clean…

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Source link : https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2025/03/14/michigan-basketball-big-ten-tournament-all-about-finding-its-shot/82384204007/

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Publish date : 2025-03-14 10:09:00

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