The undefeated-in-conference Michigan basketball team waltzed into The Barn in Minneapolis, Minnesota to take on the winless-in-conference Golden Gophers in what was expected to be a comfortable victory for the Big Ten-leading Wolverines.

Through one half, despite sloppy play from Danny Wolf and the rest of the team, Michigan appeared to be in prime position to secure its sixth Big Ten win of the season and stay perfect in conference play.

But in the second half, Michigan's offense went quiet, and Minnesota's Dawson Garcia and Lu'Cye Patterson took the game over.

It took a late 3-pointer from Wolf to send the game into overtime, but the Wolverines were outmatched and ultimately fell after Garcia hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from just inside half-court.

In front of 8,877 fans — a good chunk of whom were Michigan fans — the last-place Golden Gophers stunned the league-leading Wolverines.

"I thought their fans provided a nice jolt, but I thought their players played determined and desperate, with great physicality," May said after the loss. "And we didn't match their energy and physicality. And that's the most disappointing part of it all."

"Credit them (Minnesota)," May said. "I thought they played — they had some guys that really made some fantastic individual plays, capped off by the long shot at the end."

"For a team that shoots 2-pointers as well as we do, for whatever reason, we didn't finish around the rim near as well tonight as we typically do."

Vlad Goldin was one of the Wolverines who shot particularly poor around the rim. Michigan's 7-foot center converted on just 4-of-13 2-point shots, including a missed wide-open dunk.

"He (Goldin) will put his hard hat back on tomorrow," May said. "These guys are entitled to have subpar games, like anyone is, so he'll bounce back. He'll be much, much better on Sunday."

Michigan looked disinterested at times, a symptom that oftentimes comes with weeknight road games in the Big Ten.

But Thursday's loss was inexcusable. It will go down as a Quadrant III loss for Michigan, and it will be a huge blemish on the team's résumé come March.

From a macro level, it may not only hurt their seeding in the NCAA Tournament, but it may also cost them a shot at a Big Ten championship and a great seed in the conference tournament in mid-March.

"It's a road loss. We have to regroup quick, because obviously, as all of us know, in this league, it doesn't get any easier."

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