Photos by: Aaron J. Thornton
Another second half splurge pushes the Michigan Wolverines past the UCLA Bruins and to a program best 24-1 record. Michigan is also the new No. 1 team in the nation this week as previously unbeaten and top team Arizona lost not only one but two games last week. The Wolverines moved to the AP rankings top spot in college basketball for the first time since 2013 and only the second time since 1992.
Saturday’s Valentine’s Day game was a “white out” at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor and the atmosphere was most definitely electric. The hope for Wolverines fans was that their team wouldn’t be looking ahead to Tuesday night’s match against No. 7 ranked Purdue and add a disappointing loss.
What began as a tightly contested matchup quickly transformed into another showcase of Michigan’s second half dominance. UCLA, intent on springing an upset, shot an efficient 48 percent from the field and 45 percent from three in the opening half. Even with seven turnovers, the Bruins trailed by only two at the break, setting the stage for a tense final 20 minutes.
But if recent history offered any warning, it was that Michigan is at its most dangerous after halftime. Just days removed from an extraordinary 28 point second half swing against the Northwestern Wildcats, the Wolverines once again flipped the switch. They blitzed UCLA 46–18 after intermission, turning a nail biter into a runaway and making a statement for why they now sit atop the college basketball world.
The surge was fueled by depth and balance, which is really the strength of the team overall. Nine Wolverines scored in the second half alone, overwhelming the Bruins with substitutions bringing fresh legs and unselfish execution. Michigan won the battle on the glass 19–8 after the break, dominated in assists by more than doubling UCLA in the game, and shot a game best 62 percent from the field, dismantling the Bruin’s defense with precision ball movement, fast breaks and opportunistic scoring.
Michigan also committed just nine turnovers in the game, a decisive factor for a team that has battled inconsistency in ball security all season. When the Wolverines take care of the basketball, especially keeping their turnovers in single digits, they are almost unbeatable.
Despite having three players score 10 or more points for the Bruins (Trent Perry -14, Tyler Bilodeau -10, and Donovan Dent -10), the Wolverines controlled just about every statistical category in the game. Michigan also had multiple players in double figures, led by Yaxel Lendeborg’s game high 17 points and 8 rebounds. While Morez Johnson Jr. was nearly flawless, scoring 15 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting for the Wolverines.
Head Coach Dusty May has put together a powerhouse in just his second year at the helm behind savvy transfer additions and emerging young talent such as freshman Trey McKinney and sophomore L.J. Cason. Much of the success stems from how deep they are, where there is little drop off from starter to bench, and any of the top nine players is capable of delivering a double digit scoring performance and sound defense. That versatility has made the Wolverines not only favorites to win the Big Ten conference and tournament title , but legitimate contenders for the national championship.
The road ahead, however, will test their No. 1 ranking. Michigan faces a daunting stretch that includes road games at No. 7 Purdue and at No. 10 Illinois, sandwiched around a neutral site showdown in Washington, D.C., against the No. 3 ranked Duke Blue Devils. And don’t forget they still have to close the regular season out hosting their rival, No. 15 Michigan State, a team eager to avenge last month’s defeat.
No. 1 Michigan (24-1) will travel for their next game on Tuesday night against No. 7 Purdue (21-4). UCLA (17-8) will stay on the road in the State of Michigan and battle No. 15 Michigan State (20-5).
Final Score: Michigan 86 – UCLA 56
