With accurate passing from their post players, the Badgers forced Michigan out of its preferred defense in the second half of their 60-55 victory.
The Wolverines spent the first half in a variety of zone defenses, mostly playing a 1-3-1 trap that put pressure on UW's guards as soon as they crossed the half-court line. This ploy yielded several turnovers, as Michigan came back from an early deficit to built a lead as large as four.
However, ball movement through Wisconsin's post players caused Michigan to use the 1-3-1 only once in the second half.
""When you have [Marcus] Landry and [Jon] Leuer … they look right over the top [of the defense],"" Michigan coach John Beilein said. ""We're still not tall enough sometimes, even [Joe] Krabbenhoft just looks over the top. So when they start going over the top we said, ‘OK, let's go straight man-to-man.""
That height advantage led to several good looks, as Landry and Leuer often fed each other in the paint from the high post. Leuer's final three shots came from the post, two off Landry's passes.
""I was pleased with the opportunities that we got as a result of pinpoint passing, because it led directly to a basket or a foul,"" Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said.
As the game went on, the Badgers found more ways to get inside against the Wolverine defense, including several times where Hughes simply cut into the lane and finished at the rim.
Michigan's lineup struggled against a larger group of Badgers, as Wisconsin scored 34 points in the paint. The Wolverines had just one starter taller than 6'6"", played mostly guards and often left freshman guard Zack Novak to defend Leuer, who is four inches taller than Novak.
Beilein alluded to the fact that the Badgers were simply bigger and stronger, something his squad struggled with.
Krabbenhoft shines again
As has happened a number of times this season, a coach playing Wisconsin came away from the game complimenting the play of senior forward Joe Krabbenhoft. This time it was Beilein praising his defensive abilities.
""He does a great job on everybody,"" Beilein said. ""He's got good enough feet … he's 6'7"" with [those] feet, he can give distance to someone like Manny [Harris] and then still keep him from getting into the lane.""
Harris entered the game averaging over 15 points per game but needed 14 shots to score five buckets against the Badgers.
Owning the glass
The Badgers' size advantage and Krabbenhoft's strength also helped anchor a strong rebounding effort. Several times Krabbenhoft, who finished with four offensive rebounds and 11 total boards, tore into the paint from the wing to steal the ball from a waiting rebounder.
""When a 185-pound guy is boxing out a 228-pound guy, you're gritty, but it doesn't make a difference,"" Beilein said, adding that his team simply had no way to counter Krabbenhoft's physicality and strength.
Wisconsin only allowed the Wolverines to rebound six of their 30 missed shots and collected one-third of the available offensive rebounds.
A night and day difference
After halftime, the Badgers locked down on the complex Wolverine attack. Michigan, which shot over 56 percent in the first half, was held to just 30 percent after the break.
Furthermore, that offense. which relies heavily on 3-point shots, connected on only one of 10 attempts from beyond the arc after a strong first-half shooting performance.
Ryan said that in the first half his team focused on defending the interior and as a result gave up outside shots, but in the second half, those jumpers stopped falling.
