The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/813087
MAY 2017 THE WOLVERINE 39 BY JOHN BORTON T here's the appreciation of having the opportunity to play college basketball, play at Michigan and have a life. It's forever. No- body will ever forget this team. — John Beilein There's a delicious irony in John Beilein's 10th Michigan team becom- ing unforgettable. Well into the Big Ten season, it appeared all too worthy of a Men In Black-style neuralyzer treat- ment to wipe out memories of the past. Sure, the Wolverines showed signs of life early, knocking off Marquette and SMU at Madison Square Garden in December. But shortly thereafter, they went into a tailspin that got them labeled a "white-collar program" by Illinois' Maverick Morgan, plunged them to 4-6 in the Big Ten and licensed critics to call them an NIT team, at best. Beilein himself appeared as frustrated as he ever has in his decade in Ann Arbor. He spoke about finding answers, just staying with it and getting better, but giving no assurances about success lurking right around the corner. Then something happened. In fact, several somethings hap- pened. "Our guys have had quite a wild ride here in the last six weeks, after we lost to Ohio State at home," Beilein said, prior to Michigan's Sweet 16 showdown against Oregon. "It was lower than low at that point for us, to lose a home game to a rival." The defeat couldn't have been much more demoralizing. A mediocre band of Buckeyes — destined for a 17-15 record, 7-11 in the Big Ten and no postseason tournament — out- rebounded the Wolverines by 18 and won at Crisler Center, 70-66. Beilein even noted of Michi- gan's effort: "I thought it was okay, for who we are. There are no junkyard dogs out there, we know that." From that rock-bottom assess- ment, life changed dramatically for the Wolverines. Over the next six weeks, they … • Won six of their final eight regular-season games, dropping two road games by the narrowest of mar- gins, including one in overtime. • Experienced a harrowing airplane incident at Willow Run Airport, their flight for the Big Ten Tournament skid- ding off the runway, through a fence and over a ditch, forcing all to evacuate amid fuel fumes and the surreal shock of the moment. • Stormed through the Big Ten Tour- nament, knocking off regular-season champion Purdue in overtime and tak- ing down Wisconsin in the title game. • Survived perhaps the toughest road of any team reaching the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, outlasting un- der-seeded Oklahoma State, 92-91, and No. 2 seed Louisville, 73-69. • Came within one play, a single shot, of reaching a third Elite Eight or more in five years during a 69-68 loss to Oregon. The Ducks subsequently knocked off Kansas and moved on to the Final Four. In short, Beilein's boys made winter into spring special again, according to former Wolverine and ESPN college basketball analyst Tim McCormick. "As a college sports fan, all you're really looking for is to have a team where you can jump on their band- wagon and be proud of their efforts," McCormick said. "You want to be able to wake up and immediately know it's game day. Players get that opportunity, but fans don't enjoy that as often. "Every time Michigan played for the last month, I woke up and it was game day, and I was excited." McCormick had plenty of company in that respect. Following Michigan's national news-making close call on (and off) the tarmac, the Wolverines garnered a host of new follow- ers. Some even wore other uni- forms. Oregon's Jordan Bell noted, prior to the Sweet 16 show- down with Michigan: "I've been watching them a lot and hearing the story about the plane crash. We have all been rooting for them to win until now, because obviously we want to win. "We've all been cheering them on. We understand that going through a thing like that can really bring a lot of heart and passion out of people, so we've just been rooting for them." The Wolverines made the rooting easier, charging to the Big Ten Tournament champion- ship and through two scintillat- ing NCAA Tournament battles. Everything changed. The electricity in the air and the mo- mentum Michigan gathered in its unlikely surge carried every- one along. "That's a fun feeling," McCor- mick said. "I always feel that for a Michigan football game, but not necessarily with basketball. There are so many more games, and the team hasn't been as suc- cessful in the past. "That was a great feeling to know they were playing big games, they were on a national stage. Everybody was watch- Sophomore Moritz Wagner exploded for 26 points in the second- round win over No. 2 seed Louisville in the NCAA Tournament. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS