Michigan basketball hosted Keisei Tominaga and the Nebraska Cornhuskers streak on Wednesday night, and Juwan Howard’s team finished off the ‘Huskers rather easily to establish its first three-game winning since it opened the season at 3-0.
Tominaga was coming off a career-high 30-point performance against Penn State, and the junior guard was fantastic yet again, but he was no match for Michigan’s high-powered, well-rounded offense.
Here are three takeaways from the impressive 93-72 victory.
Taking care of business
Nebraska basketball isn’t exactly the most feared Big Ten basketball team, and Michigan entered the game against the Cornhuskers with a “can’t lose” attitude. For Michigan, a team that is already on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament field of 68, a loss to the lowly 11-13, 4-9 Cornhuskers would be catastrophic, and it would likely derail any tournament hopes.
Luckily for Michigan, the “can’t lose” attitude didn’t end after the pregame warmups. The Wolverines came out firing, and they started 3-6 from 3-point range. The momentum would only continue from there, though, as Michigan went on a 30-5 run in the middle of the first half.
Michigan led by as many as 24, and although the first half didn’t end in the most ideal fashion, Howard’s squad took care of its business in the second half to defeat the inferior Cornhuskers.
The win doesn’t exactly boost Michigan’s tournament résumé, but it’s obviously better than a disastrous loss.
Three in a row
Michigan now has its first three-game winning streak since it opened the season with three wins. It’s coming at the right time, too, as the Wolverines are looking to make a push toward the NCAA Tournament.
But before the NCAA Tournament comes the Big Ten Tournament, which is scheduled to start in exactly one month. It’s quite unbelievable, but with the win, Michigan is right in the mix for a double-bye in the conference tournament.
This year’s Big Ten is truly an anomaly. The possibility is certainly there for Michigan to earn a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament but still be on the outside looking in of the NCAA Tournament.
Opportunities ahead
Michigan’s three-game winning streak will be put to the test on Saturday at the Crisler Center against No. 18 Indiana. A win will drastically improve Michigan’s résumé, and it will also put the Wolverines in prime position to secure a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
Not only does Indiana bloom, but Michigan is also set to host Michigan State and Wisconsin, as well as venture out on road trips to Wisconsin, Rutgers, Illinois and Indiana. Needless to say, there are plenty of opportunities for Michigan to bolster its record and reputation.
If Michigan can go 5-2 over its last seven games, its odds of making the NCAA Tournament should improve significantly.
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