In a game that was only separated by 3 points, a true comparison of two programs emerged — one on the ascent while the other is rapidly declining.
Indiana men’s basketball entered the contest riding a four-game losing streak, and only a day earlier, head coach Mike Woodson had announced he would not return to the program at the end of the season.
The last time Indiana had played in front of the Hoosier faithful in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, it had been booed off the court following a 1-point defeat to Maryland on Jan. 26. So, when the Hoosiers trudged to the locker room trailing No. 24 Michigan by 16 points, the boos almost seemed expected.
However, that was the last time they’d be heard. An inspired second half performance brought Indiana right back into the game, with the Hoosiers tying the score at 59 with just over four minutes to go.
But when it came down to crunch time, Michigan showed why it was largely the better team, securing the 70-67 win over Indiana on Saturday in Bloomington.
The Wolverines, with 10 wins in the Big Ten and an 18-5 record under first-year head coach Dusty May, have already exceeded any expectations that had been set in the preseason.
Indiana has done the exact opposite.
The Hoosiers have crumbled in the hardest stretch of their season, one which was meant to help fill out a resume that lacked any marquee wins. Their 2-10 record in Quad 1 games is woeful, and there are still five more to be played in their final seven games.
Even more importantly, Michigan’s success reflects a troubling indictment of the Indiana program. The Wolverines finished last season with an 8-24 record, and May has already guided them to 18 wins — one fewer than the Hoosiers’ win total a season ago.
Neither offseason for Indiana nor Michigan differed that drastically. Both brought in physical big men, speedy starting guards and reliable bench pieces from the portal. Both returned a couple of valuable veterans, while emphasizing 3-point shooting and defense.
And yet, one squad is 18-5 — the other is 14-10. To many, it’s unclear why that’s the case, including Indiana’s head coach.
“I wish I knew,” Woodson said postgame. “As the coach, your roster is changing every year, and that's no excuse. And you think you're putting the right pieces in play. And I think our guys got wonderful intentions, man, and they do want to win. But it hasn't worked the last three, four weeks for our ball club.”
However, a deep inspection of Indiana’s struggles — and Michigan’s achievements — shows one program on the rise and the other stuck in a rut.
A major issue Indiana has encountered is the success of its transfer class, or lack thereof. Ranked as the No. 2 class in the nation according to 247Sports, the Hoosiers have not seen the same benefits from the class that it may have previously expected.
To be fair, each player has experienced positive stretches throughout the season. But most recently, when the games have continued to get harder and the season has gotten longer, those players have struggled mightily.
Saturday’s contest was no different.
Redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice scored 2 points in 12 minutes of action. Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo provided 6 points, four rebounds and a game-worst plus/minus of -16 in 20 minutes played.
Sophomore guard Kanaan Carlyle, a transfer from Stanford University and a starter for the first six games of the season, failed to reach the court despite suiting up.
To make up for the transfers’ lack of production, Indiana relied on its returners. Sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako, junior forward Malik Reneau and fifth-year senior guard Anthony Leal led the way as the Hoosiers’ only double-digit scorers.
While Indiana failed to generate any major help from Rice, Michigan’s transfer guard led the Wolverine attack. Junior guard Tre Donaldson tallied 18 points, four rebounds and three assists, all while showcasing the speed and acceleration that the Hoosiers sorely missed with a struggling Rice.
Similarly, Michigan’s two-big lineup of junior center Danny Wolf and graduate student center Vladislav Goldin dominated Indiana’s interior. The duo combined for 38 points and 17 rebounds, with Wolf also contributing 5 assists.
Neither Wolf nor Goldin were Wolverines a year ago. Now, Michigan is reaping the benefits of two transfer big men that have transformed their squad while Indiana can only watch and wish for the same in the future.
However, most important of all, Michigan found a way to secure a victory even when suffering from a terrible second-half performance. And when a game was there for the taking, with only 1 point separating the two teams, the Wolverines proved to be the team that was more adept at winning the close games.
Close contests have plagued the Hoosiers recently, with tight losses to Maryland and then-No. 10 Purdue. Losing a tight battle to Michigan almost seemed fitting, even with the 16-point comeback.
The Wolverines netted 43 points in the first half and only 27 in the second half. Their field goal percentage dropped from 51.9% to 37%. The five first-half 3-pointers were the only triples Michigan recorded in the game.
And still, the Wolverines found a way to win in a hostile environment. Or, maybe more accurately, the Hoosiers refused to win.
At this point, it’s customary to look ahead and comment on how Indiana may move forward and progress through the remaining games, typically with an optimistic view. But with seven games to go, five of which are Quad 1, the outlook is nearly disastrous.
Leal, Ballo and fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway won’t return after this season. As of now, neither will senior forward Luke Goode. The Hoosiers are 13th in the Big Ten, just outside the cusp of missing the Big Ten Tournament. A head coaching vacancy will headline Indiana’s offseason.
Finishing the season strong could provide momentum into the summer for most programs. But for Indiana, an offseason of uncertainty awaits — and it can only hope to have the turnaround that May and Michigan have experienced this season.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) and columnist Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer (@mateo_frohwer) for updates throughout the Indiana men’s basketball season.
