Michigan coach John Beilein said that his team’s home loss to archrival Michigan State to begin last week got its attention. It showed in an easy home win over Nebraska Thursday and Sunday’s win at No. 17 Maryland.
So will Maryland’s two straight losses — Wednesday’s 18-point demolition at Penn State and Sunday’s loss to the No. 9 Michigan — help the Terps focus better on Friday’s senior night game against Minnesota and in next week’s Big Ten tournament?
While Maryland played a lot better than it did against the Nittany Lions, a game in which the Terps trailed by 22 points at halftime and by as many as 29 points in the second half, beating the Wolverines usually takes a suffocating defense or precise offense.