Michigan lost their first game of the season Tuesday night against the first KenPom top-50 team they have faced in 2021-22. Seton Hall was KenPom’s #35 team entering the game in large part on the strength of their defensive game, which included leading the nation in eFG at 28.2%. Other defensive stats of note that will ring true to Michigan fans: 11.1 3P%, 42.4 2P%, and a 17.3% block rate.

The Wolverines worked ball screens to good effect in the first half, their guards were able to get the hoop, and the forwards were in good position to receive passes near the basket and convert. The offense was flowing similarly until the seven-minute mark of the second half, at which point things started to slip away from Michigan. A made Eli Brooks jumper pushed Michigan’s lead to eight, at which point the next made baskets were two Seton Hall 3-pointers and a layup. With the game tied, Michigan made two non-free throws over the game’s final 4:30. On a night of many paper cuts, here’s a quick look at a few that drew blood:

Michigan’s poor 3-point shooting sunk them

There were a number of good looks, but Michigan shot just 3-of-15 (20%) from behind the arc on Tuesday night. Michigan's highest-volume 3-point shooters of the game were forward Caleb Houstan (0-4) and Eli Brooks (1-4). DeVante Jones was 1-of-3 from deep and Terrance Williams was 1-of-2, and that short list includes every player who hit a 3 for Michigan against Seton Hall.

Michigan had been shooting 36.4% from behind the 3-point line. They got a couple of open corner looks and a number of good looks from the wing tonight, but the shots simply weren't falling. This doesn't seem likely to be an issue that lingers; after the game head coach Juwan Howard said he was pleased with the team's 3-point shot selection.

Seton Hall pressed and Michigan started to turn the ball over in the second half

Halftime adjustments don’t always show sustainable benefits for the entirety of the next half, but Seton Hall’s press did. Michigan turned the ball over three times in the first half, all of them on bad passes from the guards. In the second half, Michigan turned the ball over eight times, including a shot clock violation and a 10-second rule turnover.

To be clear, this isn't the reason Michigan lost. It certainly doesn't help matters, though, that all of the second-half turnovers came in the final 11:30, or that three of them came in the final 4:30; at that point the game was tied and Michigan would only get four shots off the rest of the game, so they needed every possible possession at that point.

Michigan sent Seton Hall to the line too many times in the second half

After committing just five fouls in the first half (and with no player picking up multiple), Michigan committed 13 in the second half and saw starting point guard DeVante Jones foul out. Seton Hall shot just 7-of-14 on free throws in the second half, so not only was fouling a problem for Michigan, the final score could actually have been more lopsided if Seton Hall was a better free throw-shooting team.

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