College Basketball

Michigan Basketball vs Michigan State: Turnovers, Poor Shooting Costs Wolverines

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:52 p.m. ET

Fansided, Chris Peterson/FanSided via GBMWolverine

Michigan basketball had a chance to get a key road win Sunday at Michigan State, but faltered offensively in a 70-62 loss.

Michigan basketball has a pretty decent NCAA tournament resume, minus one thing: a road win. And Sunday at Michigan State, the Wolverines had a chance for a good one and couldn’t take advantage.

Just days after shooting the lights out against Indiana, Michigan basketball shot just 34 percent in East Lansing, which led to a 70-62 Spartans victory.

Michigan also struggled with turnovers throughout and finished with 12, after averaging just nine a game coming in. Those two factors, coupled with multiple scoring droughts of more than three minutes in both halves, doomed the Wolverines fate.

Michigan had a difficult time getting things going in the first half, but found a way to muster 28 points and trailed Michigan State by just four points at the intermission.

.@umichbball‘s Moritz Wagner turns on the blender. pic.twitter.com/HZJFlL9u1W

— CBS Sports CBB (@CBSSportsCBB) January 29, 2017

Derrick Walton Jr. opened the second half with two 3-pointers and suddenly, the Wolverines were up one. But the Spartans, who shot 52.2 percent from the field, seemingly always had the answer.

A Walton triple with just more than three minutes remaining, got Michigan basketball within six, but three straight UM turnovers, helped Michigan State push the lead back to 10. The Wolverines eventually lost by eight.

Walton did most of the scoring for the Wolverines, finishing with 24 points. However, he was just 4-of-12 from the field. Yet, he did make 14-of-15 free-throw attempts. The senior also had nine rebounds and five assists. Moritz Wagner contributed with 10 points and eight boards.

Final: Michigan State 70, Michigan 62. @DerrickWalton10 led U-M with 24 points and has had 45 in the last two games. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/pZXaxyrXgh

— Michigan Basketball (@umichbball) January 29, 2017

Michigan, which entered the game shooting 38 percent from three, made just 7-of-26 (26.9 percent) attempts from deep.

Cassius Winston was the high scorer for Michigan State with 16; Miles Bridges added 15.

With the loss, the Wolverines are firmly on the bubble. Michigan basketball is 14-8 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten. UM is still without a true road win.

The Wolverines will be back in action next Saturday against Ohio State, in a pivotal matchup between the two long-time rivals. The Wolverines also have a looming rematch with Michigan State in Ann Arbor Feb. 7.