The Michigan basketball team dropped its regular-season finale against Indiana on Sunday afternoon, 75-73. Juwan Howard's team finishes the Big Ten with an 11-9 record in what has been an extremely disappointing season.
Hunter Dickinson led the way in scoring for Michigan with 24 points on 10-17 shooting. The Big Ten Tournament now awaits, but U-M's seed is still to be determined.
Here are three takeaways from yet another close loss.
U-M flipped a switch
Through the first 15 minutes of the game, Michigan's offense looked about as bad as it has all season. At one point in the first half, the Wolverines were shooting 25% from the floor, 12.5% from 3-point range and 50% from the free throw line.
With just over four minutes left in the first half, Michigan totaled just 13 points, and it was being doubled up by Indiana on the scoreboard. Things were looking awfully bad for a Michigan team that was fighting for its season.
Down 14 points as the first half was winding down, Michigan's Kobe Bufkin and Hunter Dickinson combined to lead U-M on a 14-2 run to close the opening period. The terribly looking Wolverine offense was suddenly clicking on all cylinders.
The momentum carried into the second half, too, as Michigan quickly took the lead from Indiana. The Wolverines opened up a 12-point lead with 12:26 to play, and, in a matter of minutes, Michigan's offense went from looking as bad as it has all season, to as good as it has looked all season.
Same story, different game
How many more of these games can Michigan go through? The Wolverines have certainly gone through their fair share of tight losses, and Sunday's game was just another addition to a long list of heartbreaking defeats.
Juwan Howard's team led by 12 points with just over 12 minutes remaining in the second half, but much like the Illinois game, Michigan slowly gave up its lead throughout the duration of the second half.
The matchup with Indiana was scarily similar to the loss to Illinois on Thursday, and it's been a game Michigan fans have grown accustomed to watching.
Big Ten Tournament success or nothing
Entering Sunday afternoon's matchup, Michigan was in need of, likely, two more wins in order to feel comfortable with its NCAA Tournament hopes. A win over Indiana meant Michigan would've needed, likely just one win in the Big Ten Tournament to reach the NCAAs.
Unfortunately for Michigan, it ended in another close loss, but close losses aren't factored into the NCAA Tournament selection process.
The Wolverines will be either the No. 5 or No. 8 seed in next weekend's Big Ten Tournament, and they will need to make some serious noise in order to have a case at making the NCAA Tournament.
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