INDIANAPOLIS — The stigma followed the Michigan women's basketball team like a dark cloud every game.

The Wolverines couldn’t close games. After three tough losses in a row earlier in the season — to Wisconsin, Michigan State and Minnesota — it became worrisome. Why couldn’t they finish?

It was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Michigan was identified as a team that struggled down the stretch, and eventually, it was how the Wolverines identified themselves.

“You try not to think about it, but you can’t help it,” senior forward Carly Benson said. “It’s hard to get over so many things that didn’t go our way all year.”

This mentality caused Michigan to break down in close game after close game this season, ending with last night's 68-50 loss to Indiana in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.

The games followed a distinct blueprint: The Wolverines would play very well in the first half and often into the second. Then, something bad happened (missed shots piled up, the other team implemented a full-court press, etc.), and they got down on themselves.

“This year, we just couldn’t finish games,” junior center Krista Phillips said. “I think our biggest goal for next year is going to be finishing games.”

The Wolverines' late-game problems caused late-season problems. Michigan ended the year on an eight-game losing skid. It started the season 7-4 and beat two ranked teams in that span, but they opened Big Ten season with a 20-point loss to Ohio State and it didn’t get much better from there.

Michigan had six- and seven-game losing streaks in conference play and finished 3-16 against Big Ten teams.

The way the Wolverines finished their season mirrored the way they finished games, but it didn’t have to. They had the players to hang with any team in the conference. They proved it by playing so many teams so close.

And the Wolverines' loss yesterday was a microcosm of their season.

Their problem was mental. At times, it was amazing how quickly they could be taken out of games mentally. After Indiana implemented its full-court press early in the second half and turned Michigan’s 12-point lead into a six-point advantage of its own, you could almost see the Wolverines wilt.

At that point, the six-point deficit might as well have been 600.

And that problem is coachable. It's Michigan coach Kevin Borseth’s job to make sure his team is mentally ready for every game. This season, there were times it clearly wasn’t.

When asked what he needed to do as a coach to stop his team from getting down on itself, he seemed like he hadn’t given the mental aspect of the game much thought.

“You got to be able to dribble around somebody,” he said. “This isn’t rocket science.”

Maybe not. But that wasn’t the issue.

This wasn't a mentally weak group, but losing so many times in so many close games will make any team question its own ability. And it’s the coach’s job to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Borseth didn’t.

Borseth is a good coach who knows the Xs and Os as well as anyone and is a good recruiter. But if he doesn't become more aware of his team's mental state, he can look forward to more seasons like this one.

The players don’t deserve that, and neither do the fans.

“You have got to be able to score in this game,” Borseth said. It was his last comment of the press conference.

That’s true. But your athletes also need to know they can.