The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/246097
michigan basketball Historic Win Boosts U-M To A 5-0 Big Ten Start H ead coach John Beilein didn't try to hide the smile after Michigan took down Wisconsin 77-70 in the Kohl Center Jan. 18. Nor should he have done so. The Badgers came into the game ranked No. 3 in the nation, and the Wolverines took down a topthree team in a true road game for the first time in program history. At 5-0 in conference and with three Big Ten road wins — especially the one at Wisconsin — Beilein had reason to celebrate, if only briefly. "When you get those wins, you know they're special for your team, because you know you just beat a really good program," Beilein said. "And it gives the kids confidence of, 'Man, we can play with a lot of people.' There's not too many people in the country who can come in here [and win]." The Wolverines did so in convincing fashion, building a 15-point second-half advantage through the strong scoring of sophomores Nik Stauskas (23 points) and Caris LeVert (20). A huge rally by the Badgers slashed the margin to one with just more than a minute to play, sending the Kohl Center crowd into hysterics. The Wolverines might have buckled and absorbed another close heartbreaker like in recent trips to Madison. Instead, Stauskas nailed a step-back three-pointer with 48.1 seconds remaining, and the Wolverines held on to win. Sophomore guard Caris LeVert scored 20 points in U-M's 77-70 victory at then-No. 3 Wisconsin Jan. 18, which marked the first true road win versus a top-three team in program history. photo by Lon Horwedel "That step back is so fast, and that release is so fast," Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said. "He's quick. He's like a cat." The victory snapped an 11-game Michigan losing streak at Wisconsin, marking just the second time the Wolverines have ever won at the Kohl Center (U-M also registered a 51-39