5 Takeaways From Michigan’s Loss To Duke

It wasn’t the result that Michigan wanted, but the top-3 showdown in Washington D.C. delivered high-intensity basketball.

Both teams played strong defensive games, but ultimately, Duke made more shots when it mattered. The Blue Devils snuck by the Wolverines, winning 68-63.

The game was a simulated March Madness bout: a neutral site, two of the best teams in the country, and a raucous crowd. Regardless of the outcome, both squads gained valuable experience as tournament season quickly approaches. 

Here are five key takeaways from Michigan’s second loss of the season…

The biggest culprit to the Wolverines’ defeat was its lack of rebounding. There have been times this season where Michigan has been out-rebounded, but Duke took it to another level. The Blue Devils collected 41 rebounds to the Wolverines’ 28. Duke also scored 18 second-chance points.

Outside of giving Duke second chances, Michigan’s rebounding troubles limited its ability to get out in transition. The Blue Devils play slow, and they forced Michigan to play that way too. When the Wolverines are at their best, they’re grabbing the board and immediately running the floor, but with Duke’s offensive rebounding prowess, they had to focus on simply securing the board.

Down three with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game, the Wolverines forced a miss. But instead of getting the ball back with a chance to tie the game, they were unable to corral the rebound, ultimately slashing any chance they had at a comeback.

It’s not often a team as big as Michigan gets out-rebounded, but Duke pulled it off.

In the first half, it was the Yaxel Lendeborg show. The graduate forward scored 10 of the Wolverines’ first 14 points and finished the half with a game-high 16 points. While he slowed down in the second half — finishing the game with 21 points, seven rebounds, and three assists — he was Michigan’s heart and soul on offense.

Nine of his 15 shot attempts came from beyond the arc. Most of those were good looks, though, and he wasn’t forcing the issue. Duke was daring him to shoot, and he did, knocking down three of those nine. 

The confidence to take those shots is a good sign for the Wolverines. While it probably shouldn’t be nine attempts every game, Lendeborg making teams respect his jumper opens up the offense for his teammates. 

Junior center Aday Mara only played six minutes in the first half, because in those six minutes, he picked up three fouls. And when sophomore forward Morez Johnson Jr. picked up his second foul, the Wolverines were forced to play very small down the stretch of the first half. 

Mara also had to sit to start the second half, with senior guard Roddy Gayle Jr. taking his place. While this isn’t a big deal on paper, it threw off head coach Dusty May’s usual rotations and hindered Michigan’s defense.

Even when Mara did get back out on the court, he couldn’t be as physical as he normally is, fearing he would pick up his fourth foul. It wasn’t the singular thing that doomed the Wolverines, but it threw them out of their normal routine.

In the second half, Michigan shot 8-for-28 from the field, good for just 28.6%. On the other hand, Duke shot 13-for-29 (44.8%). It’s very difficult to win a close game with second-half splits like that.

The Wolverines missed a few easy ones, but a lot of the credit goes to Duke’s defense. The Blue Devils are ranked second in the country in defensive efficiency — behind only Michigan itself — and they showed why on Saturday night. 

They made Michigan’s guards uncomfortable with constant ball pressure, and they recovered very nicely down to the Wolverines’ forwards. Michigan didn’t get many open opportunities, and when it did, it couldn’t take advantage.

At this high level of basketball, there really isn’t such a thing as a moral victory. Still, this game can be very valuable for the Wolverines moving forward. 

The environment very closely resembled that of a March Madness matchup, and they got to take on a fellow top-ranked team outside of the Big Ten. The loss doesn’t hinder their push for the Big Ten title, and it provides a bench mark for where they stand as of right now.

Michigan learned that it isn’t unbeatable, and it still has to grow if it wants to make a push for the national championship.