With its opponent sporting throwback uniforms, the Michigan men’s basketball team decided to do a little throwback of its own.
Last night against UTEP, the Wolverines extended their season thanks to a return to the inspired play that propelled them to a 16-3 record to start the season. Balanced scoring and an assist-to-turnover ratio near two helped Michigan cruise to an 82-67 victory against the Miners in the first-round NIT game.
“I was very pleased and happy for our kids because they showed a lot of character (last night),” Michigan coach Tommy Amaker said. “I think so many people were asking, predicting and wondering whether or not they were even going to have some spirit or life to play . I think our kids deserve a lot of credit (for showing up last night).”
The Wolverines will next face Notre Dame in the third round of the NIT. They defeated the Fighting Irish 71-67 at South Bend earlier in the season.
Two games after the backcourt trio of Daniel Horton, Dion Harris and Jerret Smith combined for one assist and 13 turnovers against Indiana, the group made a complete 180-degree turn. They dished out 20 assists compared to just three turnovers. In all, Michigan tallied 23 assists against 13 turnovers.
“I thought our kids shared the basketball very well, and we certainly tried to take care of it,” Amaker said. “I thought that, for us, that was the difference tonight.”
Said senior Chris Hunter: “That’s something we wanted to emphasize, just sharing the ball. I think we’re a much better team when we share the ball and just look for an open shot.”
The 3-point shooting that was non-existent during the majority of Michigan’s late-season losing streak also reappeared in the Wolverines’ return to Crisler Arena. Four Wolverines scored in double figures, thanks in large part to their shooting from beyond the arc. Harris made four treys, and Horton and Hunter made three and two, respectively. All three scored in double figures. Hunter led the team with 20 points.
What was the inspiration for this turnaround? The media and many fans – as evident by a season-low 4,400 figure – thought that this team had packed it in for the year.
But the Wolverines wanted to extend their season, especially for the seniors.
“Coach was really on us about that, just going out and giving it all you have for the seniors, and we did that (last night),” Harris said.
With nearly a week off following its four-point loss to Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament that ended up bursting its NCAA Tournament bubble, Michigan had a lot of time to worry about the basics at practice.
“As soon as practice started, the intensity really picked up,” Harris said.
Said junior Courtney Sims: “We wanted to basically emphasize energy because a lot of people in our situation who didn’t make the (NCAA) Tournament would normally put their heads down, but we are looking past that. We’re not even thinking about the (NCAA) Tournament anymore, and we’re trying to make the best out of this opportunity.”
Apparently seizing this opportunity included returning to the swagger that became synonymous with the team during its solid start to the season.
The team that looked tight and tentative in games past finally disappeared. A much looser team came out of the tunnel for its return to the NIT, and junior Brent Petway became the biggest benefactor of the team’s revived swagger. The forward went 4-for-4 on the night and added two free throws to be the fourth Wolverine in double figures. All four of his field goals were the result of him being on the receiving end of alley-oops.
“It might be the most alley-oops I’ve had (in one game) here at Michigan,” Petway said. “It was fun; they were looking for me tonight.”