Michigan Shreds BG Defense

 Well, it didn't turn out to be the dangerous opener that we hoped it would be.

Not dangerous for Michigan, anyway.  

As it turned out, it was no contest.  UM jumped out to a 10-2 lead.  BG got back in the game, but the Wolverines had the lead up to 10 and led 8-10 for most of the first half.  BG had it down to 3 with 4 minutes left and then trailed by 7 at the half.

Michigan opened the second half on a 6-2 run to get the lead back to 10 and it was never closer than 8 for the remainder of the game.  BG trailed by 10 or more for the last 13 minutes of the game minus one possession.  They trailed by as much as 19 and lost by 14.  BG never led.

There wasn't a lot of mystery as to how it happened.  On UM's offensive end of the court, the game was no contest.  UM scored 1.3 points per possession, which is the most in a couple years for the Falcons.  It was a combination of two things--Michigan had a ton of open looks from 3 (I'm talking OPEN) and then their big men operated in the low post with complete impunity.

BG's post defense was hampered by Dylan Swingle getting two fouls in the first 2 minutes of the game and play only 7 minutes.  He was replaced by Jacob Washington, who ended up playing only 14 minutes.  And the Falcons won't play many teams with these big men...but it was no contest.

UM did a great job moving the ball and invariably found someone who was wide open with two Falcons on a pell-mell close out.  BG was disorganized on defense and never fixed it.

UM shot 68% from 2 FG...worst since the Akron debacle at the end of the season a couple years ago.  As you can see below, BG had the advantage on turnovers but UM still had an effective game, and then won the offensive rebounding and free throw battles.  BG committed 24 fouls without fouling at the end.

BG's offensive game was not bad.  Trey Diggs...OMG.  More on that.  BG scored 1.11 points per possession, which is normally a winning number.  Over this season and the previous two, BG has only lost twice scoring at that rate.  It was a normal formula for BG....OK shooting but creating extra possessions by taking care of the ball.  BG made only 34% of their 2FGs, which you'd like to see improve.  Rebounding was a little low and the FTs were not bad and BG made 18-22.

Individually, you have to mention Trey Diggs.  Diggs went on a streak in the second half where he made five straight 3s.  And not just made.  They didn't hit the rim of even come close.  Every shot snapped the net.  Honestly not sure I have seen a Falcon with that kind of a streak.  Diggs ended up with 21 on 6 of 11 shooting overall and 3-3 at the line.

Justin Turner had 24 points on 24 shots, so that's big volume but it's a lot of possessions, too.  He shot 9 of 24 and 3-3 at the line.

Daeqwon Plowden had 15 points, shooting 2 of 7 and both of the baskets being 3FG.  He also led the team with 7 rebounds.

From a personnel standpoint, there were a couple surprises.  First, Matiss didn't play due to injury and Josiah Fulcher was out on what Coach said was a disciplinary issue.  

As I expected, Swingle started and then hardly played after that...he was in foul trouble.  The biggest surprise was that Kaden Metheny started at PG with Zeigler coming off the bench.  It wasn't just a change of pace, either.  Metheny played 24 minutes and Zeigler 15.

Jacob Washington played 15 minutes, scored 4 points on 2 of 3 shooting and had 5 rebounds.

So, the opener is in the book.  Saturday's game should present a much easier challenge.  As for this, I think we all thought this was possibly a game that a good team from BG--we hope our best in a generation--was capable of winning, as past BG teams have done.  In that sense, it was sobering.  Which is fine.  The final verdict will come later this year and be delivered at the Q...if that all happens.  For now, it was not the start we'd been working for.