LAWRENCE, Kan — Ten games into an unexpectedly rocky season, the Michigan men’s basketball team’s recurring problems followed them over 750 miles to Allen Fieldhouse against top-ranked Kansas on Saturday.

The outside shooting still did not materialize. The defense still could not put together two consecutive halves of solid execution. And a nightmare of a 10-minute stretch in the first half was far too much for a team that was already overmatched on paper. Michigan fell 75-64, in its fifth loss in seven games.

After trading baskets and taking a one-point lead seven minutes into the contest, the Wolverines were outscored 31-9 over the course of the next 10 minutes. Michigan found itself down 21 points with just over three minutes remaining in the first frame, a deficit that handcuffed the Wolverines for the rest of the game.

Kansas (10-0) shot 12-of-14 during that stretch. Seven of those made baskets were on dunks or layups, as the more athletic Jayhawks powered their way through the Wolverines' man-to-man defenders for high percentage shots. Michigan's woes were compounded by its 3-of-14 shooting during that span and committing four turnovers that each led to Kansas baskets.

“They really converted (in the first half), and you expect that,” freshman point guard Darius Morris said. “They did what they were supposed to do, and a couple of our shots went in and out. We had a couple mistakes, and you can’t really have that at their house.”

Michigan fought their way back to a 42-31 deficit at the half, thanks to Morris and senior DeShawn Sims pouring in a combined 11 points in the final three minutes of the first stanza.

The Wolverines (5-5) carried the momentum from that run into the second half. The effort on defense – plus an extended period of success deploying the 1–3–1 zone – was particularly sharp, and it was obvious the raucous crimson-and-blue crowd of 16,300 was having no effect on the players.

“That could’ve gotten real ugly, real quickly,” Michigan coach John Beilein said. “We hadn’t been in that situation yet, where we were really getting blown out early, and nothing was going well. I like that we at least fought back and stayed in the game. It could’ve been even closer.”

Michigan could not pull within single digits throughout the second half, largely because the Wolverines could not convert defensive stops into baskets at the other end. Michigan made just 2 of their 15 shots from behind the arc in the final 20 minutes. The offense flowed quite smoothly through its progressions, as the Wolverines cycled the ball well along the perimeter and created relatively good looks from long range throughout the second half.

But junior forward Manny Harris was the lone Michigan player to make a three. Seven other Wolverines attempted a shot from behind the arc, missing all 10 of their combined shots in the half.

Those missed shots kept the Wolverines from pulling to within single digits throughout the afternoon (Kansas kept an 11-15 point lead the rest of the way).

Michigan shot 36 percent against Kansas. But despite dismal shooting percentages so far this season, some of the players seemed optimistic going forward.

“It’s a matter of just going in there and getting your confidence up, making shots and putting in your time when people are not watching,” Morris said. “I feel like we have great shooters here, proven shooters. They’ll get it together.”

Harris said he was encouraged by the number of good looks the team created against the Jayhawks, but added that there is not much more the players can do to break this cold streak outside of having shorter memories. He said all the Wolverines can do is shoot until the slump goes away.

“I think that’s the image that our team has right now,” Harris said.” That will continue to keep being a problem, because we can drive all we want, but we can’t make shots. And that’s something our team is about: hitting threes and making shots.”

Beilein believes that if his team can cut back on a handful of contested three-point attempts each game, the improved selection will soon translate into points – and hopefully some optimism as the Wolverines’ begin their Big Ten schedule in a couple of weeks.

“We’ll learn,” Beilein said. “We just learn slowly sometimes.”