In many walks of life, when you approach a significant challenge, you're taught to lean upon your greatest strengths.

On Big Ten basketball this season, every game is a significant challenge.

And Northwestern came into Sunday's game with the Wolverines with two clear strengths on paper.

It's three-point prowess, both offensively and defensively, and Pete Nance.

He had a season high 21 last time out at Iowa. He's really taking that next

step as a junior for Northwestern. Well, Michigan handled those two strengths tremendously well.

Northwestern came in as a 42% three-point shooting team. The Wildcats were five of 18 from deep.

That's 28%. Northwestern limited opponents to 29% three-point shooting coming in.

Michigan was 12 of 27. That's 44%. And Pete Nance scored Northwestern's first eight points as the

Wildcats jumped out to an 8-2 lead. After that, Nance only scored two more points. He only took

three more shots. Michigan outscored Northwestern 83 to 58 after that

early Nance-fueled surge. What's even more encouraging about this performance, and Michigan's

first nine games as a whole, is that if you had to name Michigan's top strengths, if you flip the

script, what would you say? And I'm not saying just list a bunch. There are

plenty. The question is, what are the keys to this team? What are the most important strengths?

And I think those top handful are evolving pretty much every game. And if those don't click on all

cylinders, there are others to lean on.

The layers are there.

I know it's only nine games, but this Michigan team is evolving, it's improving, and it's winning.

Every time out so far by using its many strengths and its fluid strengths to limit the strengths of their opponents.

We'll break down Michigan's strong win over Northwestern with Joanne Howard,

Sean D. Brown Jr. and Terry Mills here on this postgame edition of Defend the Block.

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