The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2021 THE WOLVERINE 21 "I know his goal is to win cham- pionships. Now he has the Big Ten championship. He also wants to have the big one. The big one is the NCAA Championship." Livers confirmed that notion, with- out hesitation. "Why not with this team?," Liv- ers said. "We're special. Guys work hard, guys want it, guys play for one another. We all play like brothers. We love each other. "I want the natty, too." Little did Livers know, his contribu- tion toward making it happen might involve sideline input and encourage- ment. Cruel as it may seem, it became Michigan's mid-March reality. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Still, for the Wolverines the title dreams remain. While some coaches avoid talking about championships, just because those wearing the whis- tle realize how tough they are to come by, Howard doesn't shy away one bit. Throughout the season he stressed playing on a Monday night in March, being one of the last teams standing through the Madness. He urges enjoying the moment, certainly. He's especially kept them in the here and now this season, through protocols, testing, an en- forced shutdown of the program, when he couldn't even run them through practices, despite no posi- tive COVID cases on the team. But along with the sense of carpe diem, there's also a healthy dose of carpe cras. That's seize tomorrow, and it's what the Wolverines are all about as well. "It's a beautiful moment, man," Howard said, reflecting on the Big Ten championship. "All the hard work is all worth it. That's just one. We have another goal we're trying to accom- plish as a team. We know it's going to be hard. I've always said it and heard it from Monty Williams, coach of the Phoenix Suns: 'Everything you want is on the other side of hard.' "That's exactly what we're trying to accomplish, something special. We know it's going to be a hard task, and we're going to be ready for the challenge. "These kids deserve it, because they worked so hard … there have been some long, sleepless nights. There's nothing like winning. Win- ning cures a lot." ❏ Without Livers, Michigan Faces Doubters The well-earned No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament did not change. On Selection Sunday, the top crew in the East Region of the tourney still stood tall. Just not quite as tall as it did days earlier, when Michigan looked intact with senior captain Isaiah Livers ready to embark on a mission. Michigan's second-leading scorer (13.1 points per game), third-best rebounder (6.0), second-best free throw shooter (87.0 percent), and second-best three-point shooter among those with 15 or more attempts (43.1 percent), makes a difference — a big one. That fact wasn't lost on the ESPN experts who offered the Wolverines a bit of Rod- ney Dangerfield treatment in the presumed absence of Livers. At press time, the senior hadn't declared his Michigan career over (and medical personnel hadn't done it for him), but a stress fracture in his right foot didn't offer encouragement. ESPN commentator Jay Bilas noted: "They're a very good offensive team without him. They're elite with him." Bilas went on to say that if Michigan reaches the Sweet 16 but remains without Liv- ers, they'll be in trouble. That's how most of the analysis went, especially combined with the Wolverines' road to the Final Four. ESPN's Rece Davis insisted Michigan has the "toughest path" of all the No. 1 seeds, in terms of matchups. The first step isn't so daunting. The Wolverines draw the winner of a First Four battle between Mount St. Mary's and Texas Southern. Then it gets much tougher. A possible second-round game against No. 8 seed LSU looms. That's a crew gener- ally regarded as better than its seed. If Michigan survives to the Sweet 16, No. 4 seed Florida State or No. 5 Colorado could await. The hot pick for many in the East, No. 2 seed Alabama, also looms. The Wolverines wouldn't see the 24-6 Crimson Tide until a showdown to reach the Final Four, but many cast doubt on U-M's ability to get by that contest without Livers. The senior sounded as brave as he could, looking ahead and perhaps seeing the early end of his career. "That thought did cross my mind," Livers said. "But you never know. This world is full of possibilities. You never know. I could still be out there. I don't want people to write me off yet." — John Borton Senior guard Chaundee Brown Jr. is among the players U-M will need to step up in the absence of injured senior forward Isaiah Livers. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL