For much of the night, it never felt like Michigan basketball was in trouble. It could be because the 7-5 Furman Paladins committed 13 turnovers. Perhaps it was the fact Furman didn’t have anyone taller than 6-foot-7 in its starting lineup.
Yet all the elements for trouble, and an upset, were there. The Crisler Center was quiet for a winter break game. The Wolverines were coming off a blistering three-game stretch in which they averaged an unsustainable 93 points a game. Predictably, the Wolverines went cold.
Furman deserves credit for a more spirited performance than the Wolverines’ last two opponents.