NCAA Tournament: 5 Things We Learned About the Michigan Wolverines

5. Winning the Rebounding Battle

The biggest strength for the Texas A&M Aggies heading into the matchup with Michigan was thought to be rebounding. Michigan was seen as the more finesse team, trying to win the game by overwhelming Texas A&M with three-pointers and simply outscoring them. Someone forgot to tell Michigan they were supposed to get hammered on the glass. Michigan brought the fight to Texas A&M and outrebounded the Aggies 43-36. Finishing at +7 on the boards against Texas A&M is incredibly impressive. Beyond that, Michigan eschewed a lot of three-pointers and attacked the rim. They consistently beat Texas A&M defenders off the dribble and finished in the paint.

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2. Roddy Gayle to the Rescue

Roddy Gayle struggled to make a positive impact for much of the season. The Ohio State transfer changed that against Texas A&M. He was the major difference-maker for the Wolverines, exploding for a career-high 26 points on 7-14 shooting in 30 minutes off the bench. Gayle connected on four three-pointers, and his play, combined with 11 points from L.J. Cason, helped Michigan have a considerable edge over Texas A&M in bench points.

3. Wolverines Take Care of the Ball

A common theme in Michigan’s defeats down the stretch had been turnovers. The Wolverines were among the worst teams in the Big Ten at taking care of the ball, and the turnover percentage was a major issue heading into the NCAA Tournament. That figured to be a problem against the pressure defense and physicality of the Texas A&M Aggies. Still, Michigan only had nine turnovers in the game and generally handled the switching defenses that Buzz Williams threw at them without much issue. That must continue if they want to push past the Auburn Tigers in the Sweet Sixteen.

4. Goldin's Shining Performance

Big Ten fans know about him, but this tournament should remind a national audience just how good Vlad Goldin is. Goldin tends to take a backseat to guys like Danny Wolf when people talk about Michigan, but he has been remarkably consistent and productive. His play stood out again against UC San Diego and Texas A&M. The Aggies got a career day from Pharrel Payne, but Goldin was plenty good himself, playing 32 minutes, making 9-11 from the free-throw line, grabbing 12 rebounds, blocking a few shots, and scoring 23 points. The matchup between Auburn’s Broome and Michigan’s Goldin is must-see TV.

5. Winning the Rebounding Battle

The biggest strength for the Texas A&M Aggies heading into the matchup with Michigan was thought to be rebounding. Michigan was seen as the more finesse team, trying to win the game by overwhelming Texas A&M with three-pointers and simply outscoring them. Someone forgot to tell Michigan they were supposed to get hammered on the glass. Michigan brought the fight to Texas A&M and outrebounded the Aggies 43-36. Finishing at +7 on the boards against Texas A&M is incredibly impressive. Beyond that, Michigan eschewed a lot of three-pointers and attacked the rim. They consistently beat Texas A&M defenders off the dribble and finished in the paint.

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