Fab Five: Thoughts & Takeaways From Michigan's Loss In Champaign

Michigan Wolverines basketball fell to Illinois tonight in Champaign, 71-62. The Wolverines suffer their second loss of the season, and are now 1-1 in Big Ten play.

Here's some takeaways from the game.

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U-M has been shooting at a nice percentage all season long, including from three-point range. Illinois knew coming into the game that stopping U-M from long distance was going to be a key. There were some good looks, including one from sophomore guard Adrien Nunez, four good looks that didn't go down by freshman guard Franz Wagner, an open look late by senior point guard Zavier Simpson and a host of other good shots that didn't fall.

When the Wolverines aren't hitting their threes, the production has to come from somewhere else. On two pointers, U-M shot very well, at 54.5 percent. But, they didn't get enough of those good looks to win them the game.

The Wolverines did find some success on mid-range shots, but a few of the ones they took down the stretch didn't go down.

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We said after U-M's win over Iowa on Friday night that the Wolverines would be tough to beat at Crisler this season (and anywhere). In Big Ten play so far, the home team is 10-0. Illinois has a great crowd and atmosphere at the State Farm Center. More importantly, this was an Illini group that was playing desperate. Some close to it, including the Illinois insider we talked to before the game, said this was as close to a must-win as you can get in the regular season. BTN's Andy Katz actually did label it a "must-win" for the Illini in this one, after they had lost two one-possession games in a row, to Miami (Fla.) and at Maryland.

Naturally, U-M didn't play with that same sense of desperation. The Wolverines learned tonight that they must remain the hunter, and not the huntee, especially on the road against solid teams. Illinois is more than solid, and they played well tonight at home. Such is life on the road in the Big Ten.