The Michigan Wolverines’ basketball team lost five out of six games from Jan. 5 through Jan. 25, sat at 11-8 overall and 2-6 in league play, and appeared destined to be on the bubble (at best) come March and the NCAA Tournament.
A flip was seemingly switched soon after that, however (uncoincidentally coinciding with the return of junior forward Isaiah Livers on Feb. 8 against Michigan State), and the club has since won seven of its last eight games, including five in a row.
“Just keep going,” senior point guard Zavier Simpson exclaimed yesterday when asked what the keys are to continuing the team’s success.
“It’s about having a next play, next game mentality, and staying locked in — it’s simple. We all know we have to be locked in and all on the same page.
“It’s not a chemistry quiz, so we all know what we have to do. We’re enjoying the experience and embracing every game we play.
“It obviously all goes so fast — you look up and the season is over, and that’s why we have to take in every day.”
Perhaps the most surprising aspect surrounding Michigan’s recent winning streak is its success on the road. The club started the year 0-5 on the road (losses at Louisville, Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota and Iowa), but has since proceeded to win its last four road games against Nebraska, Northwestern, Rutgers and Purdue.
It’s worth noting the Scarlet Knights held a 17-0 mark at home when the Wolverines beat them in Piscataway on Feb. 19, while Mackey Arena had been a venue the Maize and Blue hadn’t picked up a win in since 2014 before coming away with a 71-63 triumph there last Saturday.
“We’re just figuring it out and are locked in,” Simpson said while discussing U-M’s road success. “There’s no secret to it — we’re finding a way, and we've got a vibe going and our swag back.
“We’ll try to protect home [against Wisconsin tonight]. We’re learning from our game every day, whether it’s turnovers or offensive execution.
“We’re going to keep doing the small things.”
A red hot Wisconsin squad who has won four of its last five games will present a unique challenge tonight, with the Badgers seemingly always playing the Wolverines (and pretty much everyone else, for that matter) tough.
“They’re efficient and use the whole shot clock,” senior center Jon Teske noted. “They’re balanced on offense and play well defensively.
“We’re trying to get up and down [offensively] and get a lot of possessions in, so watching them is kind of how we used to play.
“As soon as we get a rebound, we’re out and running. We cut at the same pace and still screen, but just get the ball up the court quicker.
“I enjoy playing at this faster pace, so it’s been a good change.”
“They’ve always been the team who has worn me out the most,” Simpson revealed. “They play hard and are so solid and disciplined — those kinds of teams always have a chance to win.
“We have to make sure we’re closing out on their shooters and contest every shot; percentages say we contest most shots, and the chances of the ball going in go down when you do that.”
Notes
• Junior guard Eli Brooks suffered a nose injury against Purdue last Saturday when he banged heads with Boilermaker junior guard Nojel Eastern, exiting the game and never returning.
There hasn't been any clear updates on Brooks' status, with some speculating he may have suffered a broken nose.
“It looks pretty swollen," Simpson said of his nose. "He’s doing well though; he’s a strong guy and I’m pretty sure he’ll be fine.”
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