Michigan got a clear early-season reality check Friday night in Boston.
In a rematch of the national title game, UConn handled the Wolverines 85-77 at TD Garden, and the gap between the two teams showed up in all the places that matter: physicality, shot quality and execution. Michigan battled back after falling behind by 13 at halftime and by as many as 18 in the second half, but the Huskies kept answering every push.
The biggest swing came from the way UConn controlled the game on both ends. The Huskies were the more physical team, and Michigan never really found a consistent offensive rhythm against Dan Hurley’s defense. UConn also turned Michigan’s mistakes into points, scoring 16 off turnovers while the Wolverines finished with 14 giveaways.
That pressure showed up early for Michigan’s backcourt. Elliot Cadeau had a mixed night and, while he was one of the Wolverines’ better players in the first half, he also forced several passes that turned into turnovers. Michigan had 11 turnovers before halftime alone, and that made it even harder to capitalize when UConn got into foul trouble.
Trey McKenney’s night followed a similar arc. The sophomore guard, who came back to Michigan with expectations of becoming the team’s star, looked out of sorts early.
He missed all seven of his first-half shots and also missed both technical free throws. But after the break, he finally started to settle in.
A layup and a three-pointer helped get him going, and he became the main reason Michigan was able to trim the deficit and make things interesting again. McKenney finished with 22 points, and the second half at least gave the Wolverines something to build on with him moving forward.
Still, the larger problem was hard to ignore. Michigan shot just 25% from three against UConn, and that’s been a recurring issue.
The Wolverines hit 25% from deep against Oregon State in exhibition play, 27% against Houston, and then 20% against Oakland before this game. Mike Boynton Jr. has repeatedly said Michigan will lean on its three-point shooting this season, but that plan only works if the shots start falling.
If the Wolverines keep living below 30% from beyond the arc, Boynton Jr. may have to rethink how often they launch from deep.
Michigan did show some fight, and that mattered. The Wolverines could have folded after falling into a big hole, but they kept competing and made UConn work for the final margin. Even so, the Huskies were the better team from start to finish, and this game gave Michigan a blunt look at where it stands right now.
It was a useful test, even if it was a disappointing one. The Wolverines still have plenty to clean up if they want to compete at a high level.
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