Michigan Basketball: 5 Predictions for Wolverines in 2019-2020

Top four finish in Big Ten

Over the last five seasons, the Wolverines have only managed a finish in the top four of the Big Ten standings twice (2017-2018), and they have fallen as far as ninth in that same span (2014).

For Howard to culminate the season with such a high ranking in the conference, he will need at least 11 conference wins, as evident from the past few years.

In 2015, there was a four-team split for third, with all of those teams winning 12 conference games. The next year, Minnesota snuck in with 11 wins, and the following season, Michigan and Nebraska tied four fourth with 13 wins.

During Beilein’s final year, Wisconsin landed in the fourth spot with 14 wins.

If 2019 features a top-heavy Big Ten – which is unlikely – the Wolverines will need 13 to14 victories, but if the conference has talent spread out – which is looks that way – Juwan will need to beat around 11 or 12 in-conference opponents.

That seems reasonable if Wagner can return to full health and if Livers continues to be the force he has been since taking over his starting role early.

Speaking of Isaiah, this next prediction is one of the boldest, if not the boldest of them all.