Michigan Basketball: Rollercoaster season comes to an end too suddenly

In what can only be described as a heart being ripped out of the chest moment, the entire sports landscape is feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and Michigan basketball fans are right there with everyone else.

The announcement of the cancellation of the big dance by the NCAA has sent shockwaves to everyone involved in the athletic department. One minute, Michigan basketball was getting ready for Rutgers at the Big Ten tournament and before long, it was all cancelled.

Every sport was hit hard, but none harder than the basketball programs. Both Michigan basketball’s men’s and women’s teams had a respectable shot to make some noise in their respective tournaments. Now we’re all left to dream with what might have been.

Juwan Howard‘s introductory campaign could arguably go down as his worst depending upon how he keeps recruiting and getting the correct results. Nearly everyone will expect his second season to be an instant national championship contender if Isaiah Todd stays on board, as well as some other dominoes that may fall into place. Without question, the 2020-21 crew will be one of the most highly anticipated of all time, possibly even bigger than the Fab five.

The year tipped off about as perfect as anybody would’ve asked for. Of course winning the Battle 4 Atlantis crown skyrocketed expectations and Michigan basketball fans took it all for granted. After that happened the Wolverines finished up with a mediocre .500 record. It looked like things were headed south rapidly, until February hit. That’s when the Wolverines fully realized their early season potential and had the basketball world buzzing about them again.

By defeating Creighton, UNC, Gonzaga, MSU, as well as others, Howard proved he has all the tools he needs to be significantly successful at this level. He can coach with the best of them and is a more than suitable replacement for the illustrious John Beilein. Having a future lineup of David DeJulius, Eli Brooks, Franz Wagner, Isaiah Livers and Todd, to go with an able bench, should get everybody salivating for the beginning of next season already.

Seniors Zavier Simpson and Jon Teske will go down as two of the most celebrated and decorated athletes in Michigan basketball history. They accomplished countless feats that will be remembered for ages thanks to their hard work and dedication. Realizing what they still might have gotten done in the postseason is something that will be debated for a long time to come. It’s not just a shame for them, but for many others, whose year ended far too abruptly.

Overall, this season will go down as a positive one. With all the defensive breakdowns, inconsistent shooting, and home losses, there were program building wins, records set/broken, and a sense that this group was one win away from becoming unranked to the number one team in the nation. It was the true definition of a turbulent campaign that came to a screeching halt far too soon.