John Beilein helped reaffirm the Michigan Wolverines' basketball program as a national power when he led them to the NCAA Tournament title game in 2013, and consistent success since then has kept them on that level.

Uncertainty surrounded the Maize and Blue when Beilein stepped down in May of 2019 and Juwan Howard took over, but the latter appears to be picking up right where Beilein left off.

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Howard led his Wolverines to a Big Ten regular-season championship and an appearance in the Elite Eight in 2021 in just his second year on the job. Furthermore, the good times don't appear to be slowing down any time soon in Ann Arbor.

ESPN's Jeff Borzello released an early top 25 for next season this morning, and pegged Michigan and Texas as "two programs on the rise." The writer placed the Wolverines at No. 11 nationally heading into next season after originally having them at No. 17 on his previous top-25 list.

Senior guard Eli Brooks' decision to use the NCAA's free year and return for a fifth season was a big part of that ascension.

"I was probably a little low on Michigan in the first edition of the rankings, but there were real questions about the Wolverines' backcourt at the time," Borzello wrote. "Now, senior Eli Brooks has announced he's returning for another season in Ann Arbor, which gives them experience and one of the best defenders in the Big Ten.

"And it seems that Juwan Howard realizes he needs help at the point guard spot, given the Wolverines' pursuit of transfers Jalen Pickett, who ultimately went to Penn State, [Coastal Carolina's] DeVante' Jones and [Georgia's] Sahvir Wheeler.

"They seem to have the most buzz for Jones entering the Coastal Carolina transfer's Saturday decision date. They're loaded up front, assuming [center] Hunter Dickinson returns for his sophomore season.