Sometimes a game ends and you know immediately after it ends that it feels significant. Sometimes because the stakes are obvious (The Game 2021-22). Other times because of a crucial injury (Michigan-Nebraska football 2012). And even more times because of the questions it poses about a team or an organization/program. That last group is where we're at with Michigan Basketball and their 63-61 defeat to the Central Michigan Chippewas tonight at Crisler Center. Favored in Vegas by 21 points and in KenPom by 20 points and with a week to prepare, the Wolverines were outhustled and outworked on the glass and out-executed in their finishing and in the process, lost to CMU. For the Chips, they are now 5-8, with wins over over Eastern Illinois, CSUN, Purdue Northwest, Alma... and Michigan. 

The Wolverines held a lead for much of the first half, but the problems that would prove to be fatal were there. At the under 12 media timeout, even as Michigan led 15-11, their offense had slammed into a ditch against the Chippewas' defensive structure, and were struggling to rebound on the defensive glass. Those issues would not get better. Jett Howard powered the Wolverines early on, knocking shots down from deep and helping drive the offensive flow. He was forced to take on the role of "point guard" after Dug McDaniel slammed hard into a screen, leading to an odd lineup of Howard, Isaiah Barnes, Joey Baker, Will Tschetter, and Hunter Dickinson. 

Michigan managed to get through those minutes, leading 18-13 when McDaniel returned, and he accentuated his return with a swished jumper. Michigan led 23-15 with 5:49 remaining in the first half, starting to seem in solid position, when momentum turned back towards the visitors. They would go on a 9-1 run over the next five minutes, with CMU continuing to lean on stifling defense and rebounding nearly half of their misses to fuel their success. When Reggie Bass connected on a 3 with 28 seconds remaining to make it 27-25, the Chips had their first lead of the game. Michigan closed well, with a nice pass from Jett Howard to Joey Baker in the corner to set up a response three, which gave them a 28-27 lead at the break. Still, it was not a show of confidence in the opening of 20 from the favorites. The Maize & Blue shot marginally better than their opponents, but Central Michigan's edge in offensive rebounding allowed them to attempt a few more field goals to draw it even. 

[Bill Rapai]

Michigan came out of the gate hot at first, a 7-2 run in the first 2.5 minutes thanks to two Kobe Bufkin buckets and free throws from Hunter Dickinson, but Central Michigan quickly erased that edge. An 8-0 run took 75 seconds to orchestrate and the Chips had a lead back, signaling what sort of half it would be: relatively even, but with CMU holding more leads than Michigan. The end of that 8-0 run was a five point possession for Central Michigan, which helps sum up the problems for Michigan. Reggie Bass was hacked by Kobe Bufkin shooting a three, made the first two free throws, missed the third which was rebounded by the Chips, then passed around to set up a made three by Jesse Zarzuela. 

As the minutes of the second half ticked away, the teams remained tight and the favored hosts could not consistently stitch together fluid offense enough to pull away or even build a significant lead. It was 45-44 CMU at the under 12, 49-49 at the under 8, and 60-58 CMU at the under 4. There did not seem to be a clearly better team, and Central Michigan continued to plug away at what they did well, bogging Michigan's half-court offense down and working harder in grabbing offensive rebounds. Out of the under four timeout, McDaniel made both free throws to tie the game at 60 with 3:14 remaining. Kobe Bufkin got a steal and on the ensuing possession, Dickinson would draw a foul and split a pair at the line. The score was now 61-60 with 2:27 left. As it turned out, those would be Michigan's last points. 

Central Michigan's Markus Harding attempted an odd three pointer that Michigan rebounded down, but their following possession never got going. Michigan passed the ball around until Kobe Bufkin jacked up an awkward corner three that wasn't close. CMU came up the floor but were unable to get points and Bufkin came down with a seemingly huge rebound. Up one with 53 seconds left, Michigan couldn't pad the lead as a Jett Howard triple was off the mark. CMU came up the floor and put the ball in the hands of Reggie Bass. He would pump oddly into a stepback three over Dug McDaniel and swished it. 63-61 CMU, with 11 seconds remaining. Michigan got one more possession, a missed three from Bufkin and a tip drill on the rebound that was unsuccessful. The horn sounded and the Chips had themselves a monumental win. 

[Bill Rapai]

You can go two ways for the culprit in this game. On one hand, there was the shooting. Michigan shot 35% from the floor and 27% from three. Their offense lacked any semblance of rhythm but they got open looks and failed to hit them, especially in the clutch. One additional made shot on those possessions up one in the closing moments would've won the game most likely. CMU didn't shoot the lights out, but were allowed to rebound 45% of their misses on the offensive glass, allowing themselves to shoot seven more FGs than the Wolverines. At different points it seemed as if the Chips wanted it more, best summed up by an OREB putback by Carrington McCaskill in the second half, which was snatched and converted over three different Wolverines. It was difficult basketball to watch. 

Michigan is now 7-5 on its season and begins the bulk of B1G play. With a loss to a wretched Central Michigan squad and a non-conference resume bereft of a single quality win, Michigan likely would need to finish with a top notch B1G record to have a shot at the NCAA Tournament, which seems like a longshot at this juncture. This is the ugliest loss of Juwan Howard's tenure and one that demands that difficult questions be asked about Howard and his regime. Last year's season was redeemed by a surprising tournament run, but it fell far short of expectations. Expectations were more modest this season, yet the current squad seems on pace to come in far below them. The program is in a demonstrably worse place than it was when Howard was hired and that is the big predicament at hand right now. Howard still has two months to figure it out with this team, but improvement will be needed. And fast. 

[Click the JUMP for the box score]