Michigan Basketball: 3 bold predictions for Wolverines in 2020-21

The 2020-21 Michigan basketball team is well equipped to have a tremendous campaign. Here are three bold predictions for coach Howard’s second season.

There isn’t a single moment in time that accurately describes Juwan Howard’s first season as Michigan basketball‘s head coach. Some might say the first time Howard jumped onto the national spotlight was when he walked up to the stage and found himself unable to push through the tears as he gave his first speech.

Others will opine it was the final day in the Bahamas when the unranked Wolverines battled blue bloods and came out victorious. Gonzaga, the runners up of the Battle for the Bahamas, dropped two games during the 2019-20 crusade: the second to last day of November when the Wolverines pummeled them by 18, and then again three months later in late February.

It took 85 days for another opponent to take down Mark Few and the Bulldogs.

Returning to the states, it seemed a hangover set in.

The once ferocious offense deflated in the face of the Lousiville Cardinals. 43 points scored in the entire game. That’s a halftime total other days.

A couple of winning – and losing – streaks later, UM found its rhythm and was standing on solid ground when it came to the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines needed one, maybe two wins in the conference tournament to ensure the selection committee didn’t forget about them and place them past an eight seed. Other than that, there weren’t any worries, until there were.

In an empty stadium, the 2019-20 Michigan basketball team began to warm up, fully expecting to clash in the Big Ten Tournament with eight seed Rutgers.

Twice they faced each other and both times Michigan was the decisive victor. It was going to be a blood bath.

Moments before game time, the call was made. The virus spreading across the world had reached home and in a bad way. All tournament events, and later all subsequent tournaments, were canceled.

Once the world reaches it’s new normal, and the all-clear is given, basketball can resume. If it’s this season, these three bold predictions may come to fruition.