The highly anticipated Final Four preview between and the quickly turned into exactly what many expected — a physical, grind-it-out slugfest. Instead of a high-scoring showcase, both teams clawed just to reach the 60s in a bruising battle that felt more like March than February.
Michigan shot 40 percent from the field, a number that might seem serviceable on paper. But dig deeper and the problems become clear. The Wolverines converted just 53 percent of their 2-point attempts and an alarming 24 percent from beyond the arc.
“It’s hard to win a game when you shoot 24 percent from 3-point range,” and while that certainly hurt, it wasn’t the true deciding factor.
There were jokes about the Nike basketball and whether Michigan struggled adjusting to a different game ball — especially considering they will be shooting with a different ball in March than they use at home. Maybe, just maybe, they really do need more reps with it.
Still, missed threes weren’t why Michigan walked away with the loss.
How Michigan Basketball Lost the Game Against Duke
The real damage happened in the paint.
Aday Mara and Morez Johnson both battled foul trouble in the first half, disrupting Michigan’s interior rhythm. Mara logged just 22 minutes but was efficient, making all four of his shots and scoring 10 points. One can’t help but wonder: if he had played five to 10 additional minutes, could the outcome have shifted?
That’s not to say Michigan would have won. Duke dominated the interior metrics that matter most.
The Blue Devils won the 2-point percentage battle, 57 percent to 54 percent. They scored more points in the paint. They controlled second-chance opportunities. They simply imposed their will inside.
Duke grabbed 12 offensive rebounds compared to Michigan’s seven. The Blue Devils secured more than 30 percent of their missed shots, while U-M barely cracked 20 percent. That disparity told the story. Extra possessions. Extra opportunities. Extra physicality.
In many ways, Duke did to Michigan what the Wolverines have done to 25 other teams this season — overwhelm them with size, strength, and second-effort plays. But unlike those previous opponents, Michigan couldn’t counter with hot perimeter shooting or suffocating defense. The offense never looked comfortable — at least not as comfortable as Duke’s did.
Now comes the bigger concern.
What happens when Michigan faces another team built like Duke?
There aren’t many. But fits the mold. They have comparable size, and they shoot the ball extremely well. And they’re up next Friday.
Head coach spoke about the lessons the Wolverines can take from this loss. Adjustments can be made. Schemes can be tweaked.
But can they learn to be more physical than Duke?
Because if these two heavyweights meet again, the same factors that decided the game on Saturday will decide it in March.
Michigan better be ready.
They weren’t Saturday night.