Five reasons Michigan cruised to a 77-54 demolition of Wisconsin – Badgers Wire

In the game preview leading up to this top ten tilt, I wrote about Michigan freshman Hunter Dickinson going up against the best frontcourt he has faced in college. Wisconsins Micah Potter was perfectly suited to both slow the Wolverine star down, and thats exactly what he did throughout the first 8 minutes.

While stopping Dickinson with his size and strength near the rim, Potter also scored five quick points before being pulled out before the first half under 12 timeout. With Nate Reuvers struggling mightily on both ends, Gard could not afford to leave Potter on the pine for long and went back to him with just over 11 minutes left in the first half.

Then, within the span of just over 40 seconds, the Badger big picked up a pair of fouls. The second came on a moving screen call with 8:18 left in the half, and Gard quickly inserted Reuvers back in.

It was a nightmarish first half on both ends for Reuvers, who finished 2-7 in the period and gave up numerous easy looks on the defensive end. He looked a step slow from the start of the night, allowing Isaiah Livers to prance to the rim for an easy layup on Michigans second possession.

With Potter on the bench, Wisconsins offense fell apart and the Badgers found themselves down 17 at halftime. The game was over by the time he came back in. Like this entire performance was, Potter sitting after an incredible start cant be blamed on a coach or a player, but instead shared between the two.

A cheap moving screen just isnt a foul that Potter can afford to pick up, knowing he already has one to his name. At the same time, with the game clearly slipping away at the under four timeout in the first half, there is no reason for Gard to leave his second best player on the night sitting. Its a steadfast rule of Gards (and many other college coaches), at least it has been for nearly every situation like this, that a player with two fouls sits in the first half. This wasnt the situation to stick to that rigid rule, but instead one where an analysis of the circumstances would show that Potter had to be out there. He wasnt, and Wisconsin paid the price.

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Five reasons Michigan cruised to a 77-54 demolition of Wisconsin - Badgers Wire