Playing No. 2 Michigan on the road was an uphill climb to begin with for Northwestern. Playing the Wolverines without Vic Law made it Mt. Everest.
Northwestern suffered its fifth Big Ten loss in six games on Sunday night, falling to Michigan 80-60. The Wildcats played without the services of Law, their leading scorer, who was sidelined with an ankle injury.
Michigan opened the game on a 10-0 run, carving up the Northwestern defense with ease as the Wildcats struggled to deny penetration while covering open shooters. Northwestern was able to fight back, combining two Dererk Pardon layups with a Ryan Taylor four-point play to cut the Michigan lead to four. The Wildcats eventually got the lead down to 2 at 16-14, but that surge didn’t last long.
Michigan proceeded to boat race the Cats, outscoring them 34-12 for the rest of half to go into the break with a 50-28 lead. The result of the contest was never in question in the second half.
Jon Teske was the main weapon for Michigan in the first half, scoring all 17 of his points, including three 3-pointers, just two fewer than he hit over the first 16 games of the season. Northwestern helped the Wolverines’ cause by turning the ball over 10 times in the first 20 minutes.
Michigan’s starters combined for all but 8 of the team’s 80 points, with Zavier Simpson leading the way with 24 points on 17 attempts, to go with five rebounds and four assists.
Dererk Pardon’s 20 points and Ryan Taylor’s 15 accounted for the majority of Northwestern’s scoring, but five other Wildcats were in single-digits. A.J. Turner’s six assists represented more than 50 percent of the team’s output in that category, and Anthony Gaines led the team with 10 rebounds.
Here are our three pointers on the loss that dropped Northwestern to 10-7 overall and 1-5 in the Big Ten:
This Michigan team played to its reputation: Michigan entered the game as the only undefeated team in the Big Ten and the second-ranked team in the nation. The Wolverines advertised those lofty rankings throughout the contest, dominating Northwestern on both sides of the ball.
Offensively, Michigan was able to attack Northwestern in a multitude of ways. By feeding Teske or Ignas Brazdeikis in the paint or utilizing the pick-and-pop to get both players open jump shots, the Wolverines were able to attack Northwestern’s big men, resulting in the two big men to go a combined 12 of 18 from the field.
Michigan’s guards were also able to exploit their Northwestern counterparts, creating separation on the ball. After finding that separation, Northwestern’s inside defenders were forced to either allow an open shot or contest it. Often, when they chose to contend the shots, Michigan was able to kick it out to an open shooter, resulting in 11 3-point field goals.
Defensively, the Wolverines smothered Northwestern. They forced 13 turnovers, generated 10 steals and blocked 4 shots. It seemed as though Northwestern couldn’t find an easy look all day, and it showed, as the Wildcats shot 43 percent from the field.
Michigan is one of the best teams in the country, and while it’s easy to point out the flaws in this Northwestern team, the Wolverines deserve a hefty share of the credit for this one.
The Cats couldn’t shoot the 3: As has been a common theme this season, Northwestern struggled from beyond the arc. The Cats combined to go 4-for-17 on 3-pointers (23.5 percent) and struggled to create open looks all game. Law’s absence was a significant factor in this output, but it was nonetheless disappointing for Northwestern.
Beyond Law, the team lacks reliable 3-point shooters, and it was evident against the Wolverines. The team has shot the 3-ball at a 33 percent rate this year, and it ultimately limits the capability of the offense. Without a threat of getting burned from deep, Michigan was able to help off of the ball on drives frequently, making it harder to create and convert on looks inside the lane.
Taylor was the lone bright spot in this category, converting on four of his seven attempts, but it wasn’t nearly enough for the Cats to stay in the realm of contention.
Where does Northwestern go from here? Northwestern sits at 10-7 and 1-5 in the conference. The Wildcats are not on pace to qualify for any form of postseason play, but there is time to turn the season around to an extent. One thing is certain: if the team continues to move along its current path, it’ll be a long season for Northwestern fans.
After getting through arguably the toughest run of competition that it’ll have all season, with road games at Michigan State and Michigan, Northwestern has a slightly more manageable slate ahead. Rutgers is on the docket twice and is next up on Friday, and the Wildcats also have matchups with Illinois and Penn State remaining. Those two teams are a combined 0-11 in conference play.
The Wildcats did have a couple positives tonight they could build on. Freshman Pete Nance, making his first start, wound up with four points, four rebounds and three blocks, and gave the Wolverines some problems defensively. Fellow rookie Miller Kopp made some big shots in the first half and finished 4 of 5 from the field for 8 points, to go along with three assists – though he also had four turnovers.
