The cliché when it comes to the postseason is often that momentum is often built within a tournament, not before it. Michigan basketball fans will hope that’s the case given the Wolverines’ play the last two weeks.

U-M ripped off five straight wins and played outstanding defense during a five-game win streak that salvaged the season. Teams with a stretch five, however, gave them fits, and that was the case again in an 83-70 loss at Maryland.

The Wolverines lost cutters and three-point shooters, allowed a few players to get too comfortable and were beaten to loose balls and rebounds. They were dominated on the glass (senior big man Jon Teske managed only three and has been struggling in that area) and saw their leader, point guard Zavier Simpson, struggle on defense.

“Lack of communication,” head coach Juwan Howard said, though he questioned a non-call on a push-off during one of Eric Ayala’s two critical triples down the stretch, noting a nudge “looked like an offensive foul.”

But the whistles weren’t what cost Michigan the game. It was an ability to make shots (6-of-20 from three, three from sophomore guard David DeJulius) and to get stops when needed.

Every time U-M made a run, Maryland answered. And when freshman Franz Wagner, arguably the Wolverines’ most consistent player on both ends of the floor the last several weeks, went to the bench early in the first half with his second foul, U-M was in trouble.