CBB: Michigan Is Legitimate
Questions all year long have plagued Michigan, whether they’re legitimate or not. And most of the time, it was for good reason. The Wolverines were generally inconsistent for much of the year, but per usual, John Beilein’s team is peaking at the right time. The reason many people doubted them this year is because they would get a big win, like defeating No. 4 Michigan State, 82-72, on the road. And then five days later, they would lose by 20 points to Nebraska. But it seems like the loss at Northwestern woke them up. The team realized they were better than that, and since, they've been unstoppable.
The Wolverines have won 12 straight games, eight coming by double digit margins. Which includes two consecutive wins against Michigan State and Purdue to cap off a second straight Big Ten Tournament triumph. In their most recent game, Michigan absolutely blew the doors off of Texas A&M, winning 99-72 to advance to the Elite Eight for the third time in the last six seasons. The game was over much before halftime, and Beilein’s team was up 52-28 after 20 minutes of play. And the reason this team should have hope going forward, is because their best players still have more to give.
Charles Matthews is a heck of a player, the Kentucky transfer, but he isn’t the first option on offense. But with the way he’s playing, Michigan has taken another step that not many people saw coming. Matthews is averaging 16.3 points per game in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 18+ twice. In the Sweet Sixteen against the Aggies, he shot 72.3 (!) percent from the field. In the same game, senior guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman broke out of his two-game slump, dropping 24 points, and he's going to be a key factor going forward. Also, big man Moritz Wagner had 21 points on 8-12 shooting from the field.
With all of the upsets in the South and West regions, No. 3 Michigan is now the highest seeded team left on that side of the bracket. They are 4.5-point favorites against Florida State in the Elite Eight, and with a win, would likely be favored against either Kansas State or Loyola (CH) in the Final Four, if they were to get that far. After struggling to take the next step as a program for several years, the Wolverines broke through and reached the Final Four in 2013 and the Elite Eight the following year. Beilein hasn't been able to win a national title yet, but this year might finally be the year they get it done.
Photo Credit: LA Times.
