A reeling Michigan team needed a capricious squad like Northwestern to trounce and capitalize to right their season. No such luck for the Wolverines, as John Shurna paced the ‘Cats with 24 point en route to a 74-60 beatdown on the visitors Tuesday night. The win moves Northwestern to 12-5 (3-4 Big Ten) and sends Michigan further down the tubes to 11-8 (1-5 Big Ten).
Hero of the Game | Drew Crawford
John Shurna may have led the Wildcats with 24 points, per his consistent style, but Crawford’s eight points in the first four minutes of the game buoyed the stagnant offensive pace long enough for John Shurna and company to warm up. From the tipoff, the ball movement was tense and hesitant, and if not for his first two made 3-pointers, the tenor of the game probably would’ve turned into another grind. Crawford wouldn’t score again after that, but his early presence on the scoreboard set the rout in motion.
Stat of the Game | Michigan’s eight assists, seven turnovers, 23-of-58 field goal shooting
A pathetic 8:7 assist-to-turnover ratio highlighted Michigan’s putrid offensive performance and efficiency. The lack of efficient ball movement was compounded by a number of missed close-range shots and airballs, including a missed dunk by Jordan Morgan and airballs by Tim Hardaway Jr. and Zack Novak.
Those same eight assists also registered against 23 field goals, coming in at a subpar 34.8 percent clip. For a John Beilein-coached squad, the Wolverines wouldn’t have confused anybody for Beilein’s former West Virginia squads that were famous for their offensive killer instincts. Considering that both head coaches employ similar offensive and defensive systems, Bill Carmody certainly had Beilein’s number all night long.
Turning Point | Shurna’s third 3-pointer with 5:45 left in the first half
Shurna’s hat trick from beyond the arc put the ‘Cats up by 12 and more importantly, established a double-digit lead that would never fall below 10 after that point. The barrage would continue long after that, extending the lead to as much as 22 points on multiple occasions, but the Wolverines soon waved the white flag after Morgan’s missed dunk three minutes later.
What to Improve On | Student Crowd
There’s not a whole lot that the team could improve on. Tonight was about as perfect of a night as you could get from the Northwestern squad: tenacious defense, crisp ball movement, and an aggressive attitude that shut the door on the Wolverines early.
But the lack of a raucous student showing that should highlight most Big Ten games is an astonishing precedent that is quickly becoming alarming. While the crowds have been smaller in years past, the expectations of this year as “The Year” are undermined by the weak turnouts. For a star-crossed squad that suffered the Kevin Coble drama at the beginning of the year and Shurna’s lingering ankle injury, the tenacity of the squad deserves greater recognition than what is displayed at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Or are we all just waiting for football to start again?