Michigan Wolverines Basketball Motivated Heading To Big Ten Tournament
The regular season is over for the Wolverines and postseason play is set to begin for Michigan Friday night.
Michigan looks to defend its back-to-back Big Ten Tournament titles after falling just short of the regular season championship. After losing to Michigan State twice at the end of the regular season, Michigan has plenty of motivation heading to Chicago.
Head coach John Beilein talked Wednesday about how he has seen an edge back with this team after the disappointing finish the regular season. Junior center Jon Teske — who has not lost in the Big Ten Tournament in his career — also sees that mentality return.
“Now that it’s back, I can see it in practices,” Teske said. “The competitiveness is back to where it was. And we’ve continued to grow and just better each day.”
In the past two seasons, the Wolverines have won eight straight Big Ten Tournament games. Teske loves tournament setting.
“It’s a blast,” Teske said. “We’ve been telling the younger guys, it’s pretty much a different season now. It’s win or go home. We have to keep winning all the days in a row. It’s a lot of fun. Playing on a big stage with a big city like that. It’s something special.”
While freshman forward Ignas Brazdeikis has not played in this tournament yet, he’s not afraid of being confident heading into Chicago.
“I show up for the bright lights and I feel like I thrive in those kinds of environments,” Brazdeikis said. “I never shy away. I’m so excited to be out there and perform for the University.”
Winning three straight tournament titles is something that is important to Brazdeikis.
“We have to do it again and put the pressure on the other teams,” Brazdeikis said. “I feel like we’ll be really ready. We have [a double bye], so that definitely helps. The last couple years, we’ve done a great job of winning it and we have to keep it going.”
Teske knows what it takes to win in the Big Ten Tournament.
“Just focusing on one-at-a time,” Teske said. “Take care of business and not looking ahead. Really focusing on the day.”
Redshirt junior guard Charles Matthews has missed the last three games for the Wolverines due to an ankle injury. His presence was missed against Michigan State Saturday.
Matthews practiced Tuesday and Teske said he looks good.
“It would be a big help to have him back,” Teske said. “He’s been playing well in practice. I’m not really sure what his status will be, but we’re just going to go with it. The last couple practices he’s been looking pretty good and getting back in shape. He’s been doing his regular stuff that he always does.”
With Matthews out against the Spartans, Michigan lost an opportunity to win a regular season title. That is motivating the Wolverines this week.
“It definitely hurt a lot,” Brazdeikis said. “Our whole team felt it a little bit. But at the end of the day, it was the regular season and now we’re on to the postseason. Now it’s even more important. I feel like we’ll rise and be better than before.”
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