Charles Matthews hadn’t made half his shots in a month. But it wasn’t just Matthews’ missed jumpers that were hurting Michigan basketball’s offense.
It was his uncertainty. Should he shoot or not? Should he pass?
That unease had seeped into the junior's game. And while his Wolverines were still winning, his lack of certitude lowered the team’s ceiling.
Because when Matthews plays like he can, freely, these Wolverines are as good as anyone. We saw that last year during the NCAA tournament run.
We saw it again Sunday afternoon at the Crisler Center, when Matthews took over down the stretch as U-M held off Wisconsin, 61-52, to keep its hold on the top spot in the Big Ten.