After an abrupt end to the 2019-20 college basketball season, it's time to reflect on the year that was for the Wolverines under new head coach Juwan Howard. There was plenty of good in this rollercoaster ride of a season. We picked the best seven things we saw from U-M this past season.

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U-M was looking to prove itself heading into the Bahamas on Thanksgiving week, and that's exactly what Juwan Howard and the Wolverines did. U-M beat Iowa State, 83-76, North Carolina, 73-64, and Gonzaga, 82-64 to win Howard's first championship as a head coach. The Gonzaga win looked better and better as the year went on, as the Zags only lost once more the entire year.

What the run in the Bahamas proved was that U-M was here to stay, and that Howard is more than capable of continuing what former head coach John Beilein started in Ann Arbor. His team was clearly connected and had the leadership from the upperclassmen and coaching staff to be a legitimate force going forward in the Big Ten and nationally.

It's well known that Howard hadn't been a head coach for a single game coming into this year, and had never coached in college. That's what made his matchups with some longtime coaches fascinating. In his first year as a head coach, Howard beat Mark Few, Roy Williams, Tom Izzo, Greg McDermott and Matt Painter, who are No. 1, No. 3, No. 15, No. 26 and No. 38 in career win percentage among active head coaches.

The two most impressive wins from a coaching standpoint were the victories the second time around the Big Ten schedule against Michigan State and Purdue. Against the Spartans, Howard and staff finally had a healthy team and made adjustments (particularly in ball screen defense and the decision to put Eli Brooks on MSU's Winson), out-dueling Izzo to beat the Spartans going away. U-M beat Purdue twice, the first time coming in double-overtime at Crisler Center. In the second meeting, U-M was the better team from start to finish, handling a desperate Boilermakers' squad that was squarely on the bubble.

In an offense without a plethora of offensive weapons that could create for themselves, senior point guard Zavier Simpson's passing ability was a major luxury. Simpson was the focal point of the offense, running the ball screen at a high level. He was the most effective pick and roll passer in the country, according to analytics website Synergy Basketball.

He finished the year averaging 7.9 assists per game, which was third in the nation, just behind two players that averaged 8.0. His scoring numbers were up too, as he averaged in double figures for the first time in his career. His 12.9 points per game were tied with junior forward Isaiah Livers for the team's lead. Lastly, Simpson shot much better than previous years from three-point range. After shooting 30.8 percent from deep as a junior, Simpson shot 30.6 percent as a senior, which was the fourth-highest mark on the team from players that attempted more than 50 threes on the year.

Freshman guard Franz Wagner overcame quite a bit in his first year in the states. He arrived on campus later in the summer than his fellow freshman Cole Bajema. He impressed in early practices, before breaking his right wrist (shooting hand). That held Wagner out of the last couple weeks of preseason practices and the first four games. When he did get to make his U-M debut, Wagner looked uncomfortable. He averaged just 6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game, despite the high expectations placed on him coming into the year.

Wagner ended the season as U-M's third-leading scorer and one of the most consistent players on both ends of the floor. In addition to looking on his way to being an elite defender, he averaged 11.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game when it was all said and done.

Wagner has a bright future ahead of him.

U-M had a rough January in which it held a 2-5 record. The calendar turned to February, and a healthier Wolverines' team played much better. U-M went 6-2 in the month, including a five-game win streak that included victories over MSU, Northwestern, Indiana, Rutgers and Purdue.

The impressive stretch was sparked by improved defensive play. In U-M's seven games from Feb. 1 to Feb. 22 (the Wolverines lost to Wisconsin to end the month on Feb. 27), U-M allowed opponents to shoot just 37.0 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from three, while only giving up 60.9 points per game.

After many had wondered if U-M had the capability to return to the form it played at back in November, the Wolverines proved they could do it, erasing all doubt that this was a tournament team. Although the NCAA Tournament never took place, U-M showed its ceiling for being a dangerous team, one that many wouldn't want to see on a neutral floor in March.

Brooks averaged 1.8 points per game as a freshman and 2.5 as a sophomore, and had self-admitted struggles with confidence. With the departures of Iggy Brazdeikis, Jordan Poole and Charles Matthews to the NBA, Brooks was turned to, in hopes he could help replace some of the production that was lost.

Brooks averaged 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, all while becoming U-M's best defensive player. There was no game in which it was more apparent that Brooks was a weapon defensively than the win over MSU, a game in which MSU's Winston shot just 5-for-18 from the field.

Fans feel much more comfortable and should be excited about Brooks' role as a player and leader coming into next season after he proved himself in 2019-20.

U-M's success on the recruiting trail has been well-documented. Currently, the Wolverines have the No. 5 class in the nation coming in for 2020, according to Rivals.com, with five-star shooting guard and top target Josh Christopher yet to announce a decision (U-M is the favorite to land him).

Even during the rough patches in U-M's season, the recruits didn't waiver. That's a testament to how talented and dedicated Howard is on the trail. He has a way of making strong connections with prospects. His experience in their shoes and at the highest levels of basketball as a player and coach has paid dividends.

A first class of Hunter Dickinson, Jace Howard, Zeb Jackson, Terrance Williams, Isaiah Todd and possibly Christopher is a great start.

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