Three takeaways from Michigan’s upset win over Tennessee
With a chance to punch its ticket to the Sweet 16 for the fifth straight NCAA Tournament, the Michigan men’s basketball team upset No. 3 seed Tennessee, 76-68.
The Wolverines trailed by as many as six with eight minutes left, but a 14-4 run put them ahead and forced the Volunteers into a timeout. Fifth-year senior Eli Brooks played a major role down the stretch, while Hunter Dickinson scored a game-high 27 points to go along with 11 rebounds.
The Maize and Blue Review breaks down three takeaways from Michigan’s win:
Improved first-half 3-point shooting opens offensive doors
After failing to make a 3-pointer in the first half against Colorado State, the Wolverines knocked down a pair of triples in the first minute on Saturday.
Michigan knocked down four of its nine shots from beyond the arc in the first half. The expanded range stretched out Tennessee’s defense, creating more space for Michigan’s big men to go to work around the rim. Hunter Dickinson finished 3-for-5 from deep and totaled 27 points, propelling the Wolverines to victory.
Turnovers hurt Wolverines despite heightened awareness
Going into Saturday, Michigan knew exactly what it would face in the halfcourt set. The Volunteers are among one of the toughest ball-pressure teams in the NCAA Tournament, forcing an average of 15.9 turnovers and 9.4 steals per game. The latter mark is good for third-best among all Power Five teams, but the Wolverines’ film study of Tennessee offered plenty of warning.
“They definitely create a lot of turnovers, but we can’t give them extra possessions and we can’t come out in the situation without getting a shot up,” Terrance Williams said Friday.
Still, Michigan fell victim to the Volunteers’ ball pressure. The Wolverines committed nine turnovers in the first half and 15 total during the game, leading to 20 Tennessee fast-break points. The Volunteers, on the other hand, finished with just seven turnovers.
Michigan’s turnovers led to sudden changes, and its live-ball giveaways quickly swung the pendulum in Tennessee’s favor.
Frankie Collins impresses once again in relief of DeVante’ Jones
After missing Thursday’s game with a concussion, DeVante’ Jones rejoined the Wolverines’ starting lineup in the round of 32.
The return was short lived.
Jones suffered an injury after colliding with Moussa Diabate just a few minutes into Saturday’s game, forcing him to visit the locker room and sit on the bench for an extended period of time. He ultimately returned to the game in the first half but was ruled out for the second half due to an illness, per the CBS broadcast.
In his place, freshman guard Frankie Collins built on his solid round of 64 performance. After totaling 14 points and six rebounds against Colorado State on Thursday, Collins provided a steady presence and showed exceptional poise. He was a plus-3 in Jones’ first-half absence, whereas Jones finished the first half as a minus-9.
Though his freshman season is now over, Collins’ NCAA Tournament performance offered a glimpse of his bright future in Ann Arbor.
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