NCAA Tournament Big Ten report— Michigan wins big vs Alabama
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It was an exciting night of Sweet 16 basketball on Friday. Both teams from the state of Michigan gave it their all; unfortunately for the Michigan State Spartans, it was not good enough to take down the UConn Huskies. For the Michigan Wolverines, their best ball put them on a totally different level than their opponent, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Here are the scores and the rest of my analysis from the Big Ten games in the NCAA Tournament from the Sweet 16 games on Friday:
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No. 1 Michigan 90-77 vs No. 4 Alabama
Alabama's hot-shooting offense falls flat versus Michigan. Michigan's defense showed up and showed out. The Wolverines held Alabama's offense to only 28 points in the second half to cruise to victory. Coming into this game, Alabama's offense was one of the best and most efficient in the country. This game, they were held in check. It was the defense and the great play from the Wolverines bench that made the difference in this one. Getting 33 points off the bench was huge, and Trey Mckenney really made a name for himself, showing that he very soon can be one of the best scorers in the country, whether it is at Michigan or somewhere else. Labaron Philon Jr. went off with 35 points, shooting 6-14 from 3, but he couldn't do it by himself. Michigan had production from everywhere, and of course, Yaxel Lendeborg led the way without another star performance. Last night, Michigan looked at a different level.
No. 2 UConn 67-63 vs Michigan State
UConn was the better team in this matchup, and they had to fight off some late-game heroics from the Spartans to seal this victory. The Spartans got off to a terrible start, down 20 points early in the game, and Dan Hurley was coaching circles around Tom Izzo. Tom Izzo was a big reason for this Spartans team making it to this point, but this game did not bode well for him. The Spartans did not help either, as they could not knock down easy shots. Tarris Reed Jr. handled Michigan State's size very well, and he iced this game. While the Huskies' other best player, Alex Karaban, went to work and drilled big-time shots late, he had 17 points. The Spartans did what they had to do to give UConn a scare, but the Huskies are the real deal.
Top performers from Friday
Michigan is at its best and most dominant when Yaxel Lendeborg is an aggressor. Lendeborg dropped 23 points, had 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. His impact was huge for the Wolverines, both on offense and defense. It seems recently Lendeborg is really coming into his own and playing his best basketball in the biggest stretch of the Wolverines' season.
Tarris Reed Jr. came up big for the Huskies, and the Spartans' defense did not hold down UConn's star. Reed Jr. managed to have 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks in this game. When UConn needed an answer, Reed Jr. wanted the ball in his hands, and he was able to get an easy bucket in the paint. Reed also closed the game out with clutch free throws to put an end to the Spartans' late comeback.
Overview
Both Michigan teams ended the day with two totally different outcomes. The Wolverines dominated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second half, and the Michigan State Spartans gave UConn everything they had in the second half to give UConn a scare. Michigan State went down with a fight, but now that there are only 8 teams remaining, it is hard not to think Michigan is in that top 2 of teams left.
What's Next
It is the end of the road for the Michigan State Spartans, and an end to another great season for Tom Izzo and his squad. The Michigan Wolverines now have a match against the Tennessee Volunteers, who handled a really good Iowa State basketball team. Tennessee has great size, and its big guys can not only rebound but score as well. Tennessee should be able to match up very well with Michigan.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Big Ten basketball winners & losers in March Madness Sweet 16, part 2