The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/447116
MICHIGAN BASKETBALL rivalry, they jump into us and climb into us with the rah-rah and all that stuff. But they didn't do that, and we were kind of coasting with them. And we just kind of stayed in that coast mode the rest of the half, and they picked it up. And we didn't match it." The game as a whole left head coach John Beilein with plenty to scrutinize during the long bus ride back to Ann Arbor. "I have to watch this game now or I won't be able to sleep tonight," Beilein said to MGoBlue.com, after completing his press conference. "It's really tough to wake up and watch the videotape the next day. It's not a good thing. So, you do it now. "I'll have it cut up on the way home, and we'll have answers, and we'll grow from it. I'll actually feel better after I watch the video because I'll know some things that I could learn as a coach." Beilein told reporters after the game: "We're a better team than that. But at the same time, we'll learn a lot from it and get better. Our guys will come out of this a better team some- how; we'll make sure of it." Through the Ohio State game, the Wolverines stood 3-2 in the Big Ten, tied with the Buckeyes in the conference behind a pack of lead- ers at 3-1. Wisconsin, Maryland, Indiana, Michigan State and Iowa had all tasted defeat in the confer- ence just once in the opening two weeks of league play, with no one left undefeated. Michigan's road directly ahead fea- tures three of four at home: North- western Jan. 17, then after a trip to Rutgers Jan. 20, back-to-back home contests versus Wisconsin Jan. 24 and Nebraska Jan. 27. EXPERT SAYS U‑M'S A LONG WAY FROM DANCING The Michigan basketball team went 4-2 in its first six games since Dec. 22 and wasn't far off the Big Ten lead at 3-2 through Jan. 13, but at 10-7 overall, with two horrific losses on their résumé, the Wolver- ines still have much to achieve to, potentially, earn an NCAA Tourna- ment berth. "They're not close to being a bracket team at the moment," CBSS- ports.com bracketology expert Jerry Palm told The Wolverine, prior to Michigan's 71-52 loss at Ohio State. "The good news is, there is a lot of basketball left. "They've won four out of five, which is good, but they're going to have to pick it up for sure, and find a way to beat some of these tourna- ment teams on the road. Or win the conference tournament. "They beat Illinois, beat Syracuse. Borderline NCAA Tournament teams at best. Beat Penn State and Oregon, but they aren't really borderline teams yet. Michigan can't really af- ford too many bad losses, that's for sure, but then they need to get some big wins too." The Maize and Blue ranked 87th in CBSSports.com's RPI ratings while they sat 85th in ESPN.com's. Michigan has been, of course, done