There have been years the Big Ten Tournament results were paramount to Michigan’s NCAA Tournament chances.
Not this season.
U-M is all but assured a three seed and will more likely be a two in the Big Dance should the Wolverines win a couple games, a different feeling from years past per head coach John Beilein. At the same time, the bad taste of losing the Big Ten title to rival Michigan State on the last day of the regular season has made them every bit as hungry.
“I think it’s one of the very few good things about our loss last Saturday was I believe it’s provided that edge back again,” Beilein said. “A team with a season like we had goes into a tournament with real goals other than, ‘wouldn’t it be nice to win the tournament,’ because the NCAA Tournament is right around the corner.
“We’d love to go in there and win this. We’ve won a few in a row now, and wouldn't’ that be something to go in and win a championship in three days? Four days was hard … three is just as hard, so hard to do.”
U-M has three different potential opponents. Northwestern and Illinois play tonight with the winner facing Iowa for the right to play Michigan Friday. The Wolverines have prepared for all three, Beilein said.
As his team has proven the last two years in winning in Washington D.C. and New York City on short rest, however, it’s not as tough as some think to play that much basketball without running out of gas.
“Having the extra day and all these things doesn’t mean as much as people think,” Beilein said. “Nebraska came in last year and had the bye, and we were tremendous against them last year.
“There’s no advantage this time of year at all. There’s just you’ve got to play well, have a good matchup and stay out of foul trouble and injury free. That’s the advantage. Whoever has that will probably be sticking around and playing on Saturday and Sunday.”
Michigan had to survive Iowa in the second round last year just for the right to play the Cornhuskers, he recalled.
“We had a lot of young guys in the game and hung on and won it. We had foul trouble, just like this year against Iowa,” he said. “When we go into that arena the first time, it’s important to be comfortable, for the coaches to be comfortable and not on edge. We have to portray our ‘yes’ face that we’re going to do this. Whether it’s 1 vs. 8 or whatever, it’s going to be great basketball and whoever plays well the last 10 minutes probably wins the game.
“People ask, ‘What’s the secret of your success? I have no idea. Two years ago the plane crash probably loosened us up. Last year I have no explanation. It was an incredible performance. I can’t tell you why.”
One they’d like to replicate to bring home a banner for the third year in a row.
NOTES
Redshirt junior Charles Matthews has missed the last three games with an ankle injury suffered in the Feb. 24 contest with the Spartans. Beilein isn’t certain if they’ll get him back this week.
“He practiced yesterday, went the full practice and we’ll wait and see what he can do today,” he said. “He’s not 100 percent … hasn’t been able to go for a full practice yet.”
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