INDIANAPOLIS — Last March, Michigan arrived at Bankers Life Fieldhouse only to have its season end before it could play a game. Back in the building on Sunday night, the Wolverines kept their season alive.
Michigan stomped Florida State 76-58 to advance to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
The Wolverines shut down Florida State’s offense in the paint and outside the arc, they found cracks in an aggressive defense, and they turned what figured to be a competitive matchup into their biggest blowout in more than three weeks.
Michigan, the 1 seed in the East Region, will play for a spot in the Final Four on Tuesday night against the winner of 2 seed Alabama vs. 11 seed UCLA, also being played on Sunday night. Tuesday’s game will be played at nearby Lucas Oil Stadium, where Michigan has played three times during this postseason. Tip time will be announced late Sunday night.
The Wolverines got there with dominant defense and balanced scoring, strengths all season. Their preparation before and execution during this game were on full display. They led by 12 at half and used a 12-2 run over a four-minute stretch midway through the second half to take total control.
Hunter Dickinson and Brandon Johns Jr. scored 14 each, Franz Wagner tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Chaundee Brown added 12 points off the bench. Wagner’s defense in particular was impressive.
The 4-seeded Seminoles shot 40 percent. One of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, they missed their first nine long-range attempts and finished 5-of-20 from deep. Michigan won the turnover battle (committing nine to Florida State’s 14), grabbed more offensive rebounds, and shot 17 more free throws.
Michigan was just 3-of-11 from 3, but it didn’t matter.
Last season, Michigan came to Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the home of the NBA’s Pacers, for the Big Ten Tournament. Minutes before tipoff for their opener, the Wolverines were pulled off the floor, as the event was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. The NCAA Tournament would soon suffer the same fate.
Michigan is making the most of its opportunity this March.
The Wolverines, playing in their fourth straight Sweet 16, reached the regional final for the first time since 2018, the year they beat Florida State to get to the Final Four.
After a sluggish first four minutes on Sunday, Michigan used defense to raise the intensity. Johns picked off a pass at midcourt and coasted for a dunk. Michigan broke Florida State’s full-court press and Johns dunked again, this time off a Wagner drive and feed. Scottie Barnes scored twice off the bench for Florida State and it was 9-8 Michigan when Howard called timeout with 13:28 left to bring in Chaundee Brown and Ausin Davis.
Michigan proceeded to go on a 10-0 run. Florida State threw too passes out of bounds and missed a 3. At the other end, Wagner hit a pair of free throws, Smith rocked his defender before popping a 3, and Brown knocked down a corner triple. It was Leonard Hamilton’s turn to call timeout. Michigan kept getting stops. Davis grabbed an offensive board and laid it in to make it 19-8 before Florida State ended its four-plus-minute scoring drought. Turnovers were an issue for the Seminoles; they had nine in the first 13.5 minutes.
Three straight Dickinson baskets inside — the first against two defenders, the second against one, and the third against none — made it 27-14 with 4:45 left in the half. Two minutes later, Brown grabbed Michigan’s eighth offensive rebound and converted the layup. Florida State scored last but Michigan led 32-21 at half. Florida State starting center RaiQuan Gray played just three minutes after picking up two early fouls.
Florida State, after missing its first nine 3-point attempts, hit two straight 3s to cut Michigan’s margin to 41-36 five minutes into the second half. Smith (who finished with eight points and four assists against two turnovers) responded with an and-one, a scoop off the glass as he was sent to the deck. Davis followed that up with two baskets on well-designed, well-executed post feeds, and Michigan’s lead was quickly back to 12.
Davis returned the favor with a nice baseline bounce pass to a cutting Brown for a layup. Smith delivered another and-one in transition, and though he missed the free throw, Michigan led 56-41 with 9:48 left. Two straight Wagner layups and a Dickinson dunk pushed it to 19. The pro-Michigan crowd exploded as good ball movement led a Brown 3 that made it 65-46 with 5:16 left.
Florida State never got closer than 17. Michigan’s final points came on a old-fashioned three-point play from Jace Howard, head coach Juwan Howard’s son.
