Second-Half Collapse Exposes Deep Issues in Latest Loss
It was a tale of two halves-and the second one was brutal.
After a promising start, things unraveled fast. The team went ice cold offensively, missing eight unguarded threes in the second half alone.
That kind of shooting drought is tough to overcome anywhere, let alone on the road against a high-powered opponent. But the problems went deeper than just missed shots.
“We were God-awful,” the coach said bluntly postgame. “We missed eight unguarded 3s-unguarded. If you're going to come in here and win, you've got to score.”
The numbers back up the frustration. The opponent shot a staggering 78% from the field in the second half-something the coach called the worst defensive field-goal percentage he’s seen in 23 years on the sidelines. And he didn’t need to check the stat sheet to know it was that bad.
“They were getting layups,” he said. “I'd probably shoot a high percentage too if I was getting layups.”
Yaxel, who had been struggling from deep recently, found his rhythm and knocked down some key shots. Meanwhile, the visitors couldn’t buy a bucket.
The team shot just 7-of-27 in the second half-at one point going 3-for-19. That’s about 16%, and it felt even worse.
But the offensive woes weren’t just about missed shots. The coach pointed to a lack of ball movement and effort.
“We have some guys that won’t pass the ball-that’s frustrating,” he said. “Refusal to pass or screen or execute anything. I’m really frustrated with some of the guys on our team, but I’ve been fighting it all year.”
The rebounding numbers told a similar story. After holding a plus-10 advantage on the glass in the first half, they ended up losing the rebounding battle overall. When shots don’t fall, defensive boards pile up for the other team-and that’s exactly what happened.
Lineup Changes Looming
Asked whether changes might be coming, the coach didn’t hesitate.
“I’ve addressed it all year, and it will be addressed with one lineup change-maybe more,” he said.
He wasn’t trying to make headlines, just stating the reality of a team still searching for its identity deep into the season. “It’s not like we’re No. 1 in the country,” he added. “I’m searching for guys that will play for the team and not for stats.”
He pointed to shot selection as a key issue, noting that the game plan was simple: don’t take bad shots and don’t turn the ball over. For a stretch, they executed that and looked like a solid team. But when the bad shots returned, so did the struggles.
“Donny and Book missed eight unguarded 3s-I mean literally unguarded,” the coach said. “You have to make shots to beat this team. Wisconsin came in here, Nebraska came in here-you’ve got to make double-digit 3s.”
Skyy Returns, Perry Battles
There was at least one bright spot: the return of Skyy. The guard was on a minutes restriction and played just 15, but he felt good postgame and the hope is that his role will grow as he builds stamina.
“I’m just happy that he’s getting to play,” the coach said. “We’ve just got to try to build on it.”
Trent Perry also addressed the media after the game, confirming that the cramp he suffered in the second half was minor. “I’m fine. I’m 100 percent fine,” he said.
Perry didn’t sugarcoat the loss. “We just collapsed, to be honest,” he said.
“There’s no other way to explain it. We got 30-pieced in their home gym.”
He echoed his coach’s frustration with the team’s second-half performance-especially on defense.
“They felt very comfortable,” Perry said. “They beat us totally in the second half and we just laid down.”
A Familiar Struggle
The team’s inability to respond when shots aren’t falling has become a recurring theme. When the offense dries up, the defense often follows.
“When the ball didn’t go in for us, we fell apart,” the coach said. “We started taking hard shots and we quit playing defense.”
Body language was another issue. “We acted like somebody stole our dog,” he added. “That’s not how you respond.”
The opponent’s talent was never in question. The coach gave credit where it was due, calling them possibly the most talented team in the country. “They’ve done it to everybody but one team this year,” he said.
Still, that didn’t lessen the sting of the loss-or the urgency to fix what’s broken.
Perry on Passing, Skyy’s Return, and Moving Forward
Perry acknowledged that ball movement has been a problem.
“The ball was sticking,” he said. “We weren’t really moving it as much. With their defensive switching, they just kept us out on the perimeter and kind of played in their favor.”
Asked about Skyy’s return, Perry was glad to have his teammate back in the mix.
“It was good to just have my boy back,” he said. “It’s going to be a work in progress for him… but ultimately, I’m glad that he’s back with us.”
Perry also reflected on facing Aday Mara, a familiar face who made his presence felt in the paint. “He did what he did against us and showed why he’s improving Michigan,” Perry said. “All credit to him.”
As for what’s next? Perry kept it simple.
“I just want to be a part of winning,” he said. “This is not what it’s gonna take, so whatever it takes for us to win and get a nice little win under our belts, gotta do what we gotta do.”
Bottom Line
This team still has talent, but the margin for error is razor-thin. When the effort dips or the shots stop falling, things can spiral quickly. And against a team as good as this one, that’s a recipe for a blowout.
The coach is clearly ready to shake things up. Lineup changes are coming.
Accountability is being demanded. And with the season heading into the home stretch, the time for talking is over.
It’s about who’s ready to compete-on both ends of the floor.