The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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14 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2021 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS U-M Is Poised To Make The Most Noise By Austin Fox Juwan Howard's crew was the best team in the Big Ten throughout the regular season, and that trend will carry over into the NCAA Tournament. Illinois will be a popular pick to go deeper in the postsea- son than Michigan thanks to the way it closed the regular season (winning 11 of its final 12 games), but the Fighting Illini have no NCAA Tournament experi- ence on their roster and haven't even made the Big Dance since 2013. There's something to be said for expe- rience in March and possessing players who have played on the game's biggest stage, and Michigan has plenty of both. Senior forward Isaiah Livers was one of the key components on U-M's run to the 2018 national championship game, though he is out indefinitely after a stress injury to his foot. Senior guard Eli Brooks played a small role that season as well. The pair then helped guide the Wolverines to the 2019 Sweet 16, with fifth-year senior forward Austin Davis having been pres- ent as well throughout all of the aforementioned postseason runs. The past NCAA Tournament experience doesn't guarantee Michigan anything in this year's Big Dance, but it does give the club a bit of a mental edge over opponents who don't possess the same level of postseason experience the Wolverines have. Winners In 14 Of Their Last 15, Illinois Should Stay Hot By Chris Balas Michigan had an incredible season, and winning the regular-season title in what's arguably the best Big Ten in decades is an amazing accomplishment. You'd have to go back to the early 1990s, when U-M head coach Juwan Howard was playing instead of coaching, to find the kind of talent and depth we've seen in the league this season from top to bottom. That said — it's also fair to question whether the Wolverines have peaked or might be hitting a wall, especially after the injury to senior captain Isaiah Livers. Illinois looked fresher, frankly, in domi- nating Michigan in Ann Arbor, and U-M looked frustrated and a step slow in a loss at Michigan State to end the year. Granted, they were playing without senior guard Eli Brooks, but that's a team they should have beaten without him. The good news? As we've seen in the past (U-M in 1989 and 2013 come to mind), you can still limp into the postsea- son and have great success. The NCAA Tournament has a way of providing an adrenaline rush that brings out players' best, and gives them an extra gear. It's hard to argue, though, that anyone is playing better than Big Ten Tournament champ Illinois. They've got the league's best player in Ayo Dosunmu and all the pieces. POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT WHICH BIG TEN TEAM WILL MAKE THE DEEPEST RUN IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT? The 2020-21 campaign brought Michigan its first Big Ten regular-season title since 2014, with the team posting a 14-3 mark dur- ing league play and top- ping the conference in win percentage. Now, all focus is on the NCAA Tourna- ment and what kind of run the Wolverines can make in the Big Dance. U-M has won 11 Big Ten regular-season champi- onships since the NCAA Tournament began in 1939 (and 15 total since rejoin- ing the league in 1918) and three conference tourna- ment titles since it began in 1998. The Wolverines have had immense NCAA To u r n a m e n t s u c c e s s throughout history, with a significant amount of that coming after winning conference titles. The Maize and Blue have made it to the Sweet 16 or better eight of 13 times following Big Ten championships, including one national title game appearance, one Final Four, four Elite Eights and two Sweet 16s. Just four times after winning a conference crown have they failed to make it out of the Big Dance's first weekend while the NCAA Tournament had a field of at least 64 teams (each time other than 1948), including only one first-round exit (2012). Juwan Howard's team claimed its first Big Ten regular-season cham- pionship since 2014 with a 14-3 mark in conference action. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Big Ten NCAA Tournament Season Championship Result 2020-21 Regular season TBD 2017-18 Tournament National Title Game 2016-17 Tournament Sweet 16 2013-14 Regular season Elite Eight 2011-12 Regular season Round Of 64 1997-98 Tournament Round Of 32 1985-86 Regular season Round Of 32 1984-85 Regular season Round Of 32 1976-77 Regular season Elite Eight 1973-74 Regular season Elite Eight 1965-66 Regular season Elite Eight 1964-65 Regular season Sweet 16 1963-64 Regular season Final Four 1947-48 Regular season Regional Third Place* * At the time, the NCAA Tournament involved eight schools playing in two regions. U-M lost in the first round but won the extra third-place game in the East Region. — Clayton Sayfie WHAT DOES BIG TEN SUCCESS MEAN FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT HOPES?