Michigan Basketball: Michigan Will Make the NCAA Tournament in 2016

Mar 13, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach John Beilein talks with his team in a timeout during the first half in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The 2015 Michigan basketball season did not go as planned for John Beilein’s Wolverines, but it was a learning experience for the young players on the roster. Making the NCAA Tournament or at least the NIT would have been nice, but this Michigan team overcame a lot of obstacles to even finish at .500. It may not seem like it, but this was one of John Beilein’s best coaching jobs.

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The injuries to Caris Levert and Derrick Walton Jr were the biggest thing that ended Michigan’s season this year so they will have to stay healthy next year, but if they do I see great things coming. The only player they are guaranteed to lose is senior Max Bielfeldt. While Bielfeldt is a solid, hard-working player he is certainly replaceable. The bigger potential loss is Caris Levert. If Levert comes back than Michigan will not only make the tournament, but they could be a real contender and potential conference champion. Even without Levert they will have enough to be a tournament team.

Spike Albrecht will be back as a senior and the heart and soul of the team. Zak Irvin improved by leaps and bounds this season and could have a big breakout year in 2016. Then you have the likes of Kameron Chatman, Mark Donnal, Ricky Doyle, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rhakman, and DJ Wilson who will be a year better. Of all the returning players next season, none may improve more than Aubrey Dawkins. Dawkins finished the season strong and has a chance to be a special player at Michigan. He can already shoot the lights out and with some more consistency and improvement off the dribble, he will be hard to stop. Derrick Walton Jr coming back from injury will also be big. He is the straw that stirs the drink for Beilein’s offense.

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This may just be a rant from an optimistic Michigan fan looking for a bright spot to this season, but I truly see great things from this roster next year. John Beilein is the most underrated coach in college basketball and he is a tremendous teacher of the game. Guys in the past like Trey Burke and Nik Stauskas have showed tremendous improvement from their freshman to sophomore years, and if this seasons Michigan freshmen can come even close to that kind of improvement it will be a special season next year.