Michigan Basketball: Wolverines belong back in the NIT

After an embarrassing collapse to Indiana in the second half, Michigan basketball will have to sit and wait for the committee to determine their unstable postseason fate.

Michigan basketball was up 17 in the second half over the Hoosiers and completely blew it. The Wolveriners reverted back to their recent play with another loss following a diligent win in Columbus.

This specific loss could be too much to overcome when it comes to their dwindling chances of being in the running for the premiere postseason tournament that everyone wants to be in.

You have to give credit to Indiana who poured their hearts out in that epic second half comeback. The Hoosiers flat out wanted it more and fate returned the favor with the outcome of this bubble battle. Trayce Jackson-Davis and his Hoosiers would not be denied with their hard working effort and mentality that willed them to the integral win.

For Michigan basketball, it’s the culmination of an underachieving season.

Yes the expectations were sky high, but they were worthy of it following last year’s finish and the nation’s #1 incoming recruiting class to Ann Arbor. The Wolverines had every right to be considered as the school’s best shot to win it all since the John Beilein era.

Michigan’s win streak against Indiana ends

It also ends Michigan’s current nine game winning streak over Indiana and 14 wins in a row of beating their opening round Big Ten tournament opponent, dating back to 2006.

Now the Wolverines have to wait anxiously until Sunday night to see if they go to March madness or the NIT.

Their resume is decent with wins over Purdue, Rutgers, Michigan State, at Indiana, at Iowa and at Ohio State, but their overall record is just not something that the tournament committee will like.

The loss to Minnesota stings them the most though, especially with how the Gophers ended up wrapping up their season. It may have been a respectable loss at the time, but it certainly didn’t age well one bit.

Erase that loss and win the Seton Hall game, or another close defeat game, and Michigan is 19-12 and safely inside the bracket.

Some will say that the first four in Dayton starting on Tuesday and Wednesday is in play now for the Wolverines.

That is yet to be seen, but not totally out of the picture. Several other bubble teams still have work to do, which doesn’t sit well for Michigan, while some have concluded their runs and will let their shaky resumes speak for themselves.

If Michigan sneaks in the field, they’ll likely be an 11 or 12 seed at best, can’t see them getting any better then that. If they are in the NIT, then they’ll have an oppurtunity to host at least one more home game in Crisler, but that is their worse case scenario.

Nonetheless Michigan is most definitely in an unenviable spot at the most pressing time of the basketball year.