WEST LAFAYETTE — As Manny Harris exited the Mackey Arena floor following his ejection early in the second half, the crowd inside the old, rickety venue was deafening.

Boilermarker fans seemed ready to jump out of their seats to hold a towel to Purdue guard Chris Kramer’s bloody nose and, um, “escort” Harris to the locker room.

I thought that might not be all that bad.

The Wolverines’ leading scorer hadn’t had a stellar game in awhile. And in such a hostile environment, maybe that could have been a spark for Michigan.

“I gathered the team that was there at the time,” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “I just said it was a great opportunity for the guys that had been waiting for time to actually step up.”

Maybe junior forward DeShawn Sims would use his agility in the post, or redshirt freshman Laval Lucas-Perry’s 3-point shot would resurrect itself.

Even without Harris, maybe the Wolverines would play solid team defense like they did to upset Duke last December.

Clearly, none of that happened, and Michigan’s then-two-point lead turned into a 67-49 loss.

There was adversity on the table, and the Wolverines didn’t respond.

As hundreds of fans stormed the Crisler Arena floor after Michigan's upset win over Duke on Dec. 6, Michigan looked like it might be the real deal.

Then came the expectations, the national rankings and the Big Ten schedule — things haven’t been the same since.

Since the Duke game, the Wolverines haven’t beaten anyone they weren’t supposed to, and more importantly, they’re 1-4 in conference road games. Let’s be honest. No one really expected an upset in West Lafayette, but a clutch road victory is a necessity for the team's NCAA Tournament résumé.

And for this team to make the Big Dance for the first time since 1998, something needs to change in opposing gyms.

Of the 34 at-large bids in last year’s Tournament, not a single one had fewer that two conference road wins.

The Wolverines don’t have to be perfect in their four final Big Ten road games, but they can’t let games unravel like Saturday.

Michigan matched the Bolilermakers’ intensity until Harris’s ejection. The Wolverines can usually count on Harris to take control of a game, but when he was gone, someone needed to make a play and it was obvious no one did.

“Winning on the road, especially in this conference, is pretty tough,” fifth-year senior guard David Merritt said. “When you have a chance to get one, you’ve got to get it. … (We need) to focus. Every single person has to be willing to give it, give it all for 40 minutes. You can’t have mental lapses.”

And if the Wolverines are going to erase their mental lapses, they need a mental leader.

Harris, Sims and Lucas-Perry have shown their ability in opposing venues. Combined, they’re averaging just 0.2 points less on the road than at home in conference play, but their effort needs to be timely.

Someone needed to take control of Saturday’s debacle. The Wolverines must have a leader on the road, whether it’s Harris, Sims or someone off the bench.

And what’s Beilein’s role in this? His system emphasizes team offense, but in these situations, he needs spark. His plays should allow his star players to shine.

Michigan has Northwestern, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota on its remaining conference road schedule. Trips to Evanston and Iowa City looked like easy wins at the beginning of the season, but now nothing seems guaranteed.

Every road game needs to be treated like a must-win. The Wolverines need someone to step up away from home, and they can’t make the NCAA Tournament without it.

— Lincoln can be reached at lincolnr@umich.edu