Michigan Wolverines Basketball, The 3-2-1: Elite Again ... Yet Again

Michigan's offense was a thing of beauty in the second half, its defense dynamite throughout. The Wolverines' reward — yet another trip to the Elite Eight, the first under head coach Juwan Howard, but probably not the last.

The skeptics were out in full force after Michigan lost Isaiah Livers (and it’s official now — he’ll be out for the rest of the season with a broken foot). Some of us (ahem), too, didn’t think the Wolverines were capable of making up a deep run this year without their captain. They’ve missed his shooting (3-for-11 from deep Sunday) but have more than made up for his absence with great team basketball.

It starts with one guy in particular.

Here’s the 3-2-1 following U-M’s 76-68 blowout win that sends them into the Elite Eight for the fourth time in eight seasons.

THREE OBSERVATIONS

3. Michigan has figured out how to win without Isaiah Livers, and Brandon Johns has become a big piece. The junior notched 14 points and six rebounds and was active all game. He was only plus-one in his minutes on the floor, but he defended, is starting to play with more confidence offensively — his footwork in the paint, especially, has really opened things up for him — and plays his butt off.

“He’s a different player, but we’ve been confident with Brandon starting at the four for us since the first game,” sophomore Franz Wagner said, noting they were in the same position a few times last year when Isaiah Livers got hurt. “I remember the Rutgers game where he stepped up big [with 20 points].”

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