Michigan head coach John Beilein wants to win every game on the schedule, of course, and that’s the goal. But great regular season teams have been made afterthoughts by early NCAA Tournament exits, and disappointing moments during the season forgotten by deep runs.
U-M’s 1989 team, for example, was beaten twice by Illinois in the regular season, including an 89-73 home drubbing during the last game before the tournament. They got the Illini back in the Final Four on the way to the National Championship.
The Wolverines could ease the sting of losing both the Big Ten regular season and Tournament championships with another Final Four run, having secured a berth in their third consecutive Sweet 16.
“That’s the way I’ve always judged it,” Beilein said of a season’s success. “That’s why I think all our people that have to put up with all our rival’s fans all season long … they see that Michigan State game as we’ve got to beat Michigan State or we’ve had an unsuccessful season. Well then, we’re going to have a lot of unsuccessful seasons, because they’re really good every year. Some years you’re going to beat them; some you’re not.
“We should be measured by a lot of things. This [NCAA Tournament success] is one of them. Are we competing for the Big Ten title, getting to the NCAA Tournament, then did we advance in the NCAA Tournament? That’s my measuring stick and will always be.”
That’s not to say they’re pleased with the way the season ended, he continued.
“Believe me, we’re all salty about last Sunday’s loss in the championship game,” Beilein said. “That’s a quick turnaround. We had Monday off, but they were upset. It could have torn us apart, but it actually brought us together.
“[Fans] are not as salty as we were. We were salty to each other. It was really interesting to see how everybody reacted to losing. How many times do you lose in championship games twice to the same team? That was tough.”
They responded with two nice wins and a fifth trip to the Sweet 16 in seven years. The two years they missed it were injury-riddled, rebuilding seasons.
“It says we’ve got really good kids, have really had great staffs. That’s what it says,” Beilein said. “We’ve gotten incredible support from the University, the athletic director. We’ve really been fortunate. It feels good to see three things — great appreciation for the team, great sense of achievement and relief at the same time. We haven’t been a two seed very often. We all love it, but the upset rules the news this time of year. We were trying to stay out of those. It’s great to see it and move on.
“I’m pleased that to so many Michigan fans and alums, basketball is relevant in their life because of the last decade. It’s really neat to see. I expect in Anaheim a lot of them will show up and support us.”
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