The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN BASKETBALL they've got a long run — and per- haps some NCAA runs — still ahead. "We had a great season," Walton said after the loss to Kentucky. "This loss right here doesn't determine our whole season. Up until this point, we were playing really well. It doesn't take away all our accomplishments. We just look forward to the future." "We're excited about the future, I can tell you that, and where Michi- gan basketball is going," echoed sophomore guard Spike Albrecht. Of course, some of the questions toward Beilein involved what his ros- ter might look like next year. Staus- kas and Glenn Robinson III decided to make the jump early to the NBA, like Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. did the season before, and like Darius Morris did before them. Beilein wasn't ready to get into any kind of specifics regarding the play- ers. But he was more than willing to deal with the big-picture question, since he knew he'd be dealing with the big-picture situation almost im- mediately after the Wolverines left Indianapolis. "It's the story of college basketball right now," Beilein said. "With trans- fers, with pro departures, there is al- ways going to be change right now. You've got to accept it, move on, and say: 'Okay, what do we do now?' You just keep going." The Wolverines kept going well enough this year after Burke and Hardaway bolted to win the Big Ten and reach the Elite Eight once again. Beilein wasn't ready to start talk- ing about merely reloading, though, throwing up a hand of caution. "You've got to remember, we've had some great luck this year in some games, but it can happen," he said. "It gives a lot of credence to, just have a good team that plays together. But we had some talent now, on this team." Beilein noted he'd told those in the locker room in Indianapolis to remember the moment, and all the moments throughout the season. It wouldn't come around again, at least not exactly like this. "The big message was, as a coach, we all learned from these experi- ences, too," he said. "We're always learning. We learned so much about what a team can do if there are no agendas, they come in and give their best. "In today's world, there are a lot of distractions. We said, 'We want you to remember what happened this year. Coaches get to coach again, but players don't get to play that much. Remember what happened. You're going to be a husband, you're going to be a leader, you're going to be a father. You're going to have oppor- tunities to reflect back on this team, just like big Terry Mills does on the '89 championship team.' "That team was special, and this team was just as special. It just didn't get to more games." CRISLER CENTER: BEST IN THE BIG TEN, SEVENTH NATIONALLY It wasn't so very long ago that folks weren't saying particularly