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Posted on Sun, Jan 17, 2010 : 6:07 p.m.

Consistency leads to A's and a marquee win for the Michigan basketball team

By Michael Rothstein

Michigan picked up a non-conference signature win in a 68-63 victory over No. 15 Connecticut in its most consistent game of the year.

Offense: There were flurries of productivity and three players in double figures, led by Manny Harris’ 18 points, but Michigan didn’t shoot particularly well (37.3 percent) and were average from beyond the 3-point line (32.1 percent). The Wolverines had assists on just 14 of their 22 baskets and committed 13 turnovers. But the shots they did hit were timely. Grade: B

Defense: Michigan forced Connecticut into 17 turnovers, kept the Huskies from swinging the ball often and stole the ball 10 times. They excelled in man-to-man and in a small amount of the 1-3-1 zone and the 2-3 zone. Michigan also dealt with Connecticut’s huge size advantage and made it pretty much a non-factor. Grade: A

Coaching: Everything John Beilein did worked. The bench came through and he made the right substitutions at the right time. He managed foul trouble to Zack Novak and DeShawn Sims well and made the defensive switches at the right time. Michigan was prepared well and sharp. Grade: A

Comments

azwolverine

Mon, Jan 18, 2010 : 11:08 a.m.

As I said previously, Michigan has won 4 of their last 5, including big wins over OSU and UCONN. Keep it up!

JadedBlackDepth

Sun, Jan 17, 2010 : 11:01 p.m.

They beat a OSU team without their best player, but that will have impact at least in March. Then they beat UConn, who lost 4 of their las 5. Haven't beat a ranked team all year, and now have lost to two unranked teams. A UConn team, that if UM was to beat tomorrow would have been an unranked UConn team. Unless they change alot before March, I'll mean nothing. Then the court was stormed? This would have been an embarrasement in the early 90's. My how far the program has fallen.

azwolverine

Sun, Jan 17, 2010 : 7:06 p.m.

Michigan's now won 4 of their last 5 including big wins over OSU and UCONN. Keep it up!