Michigan Basketball: Predicting Wolverines’ NCAA Tournament fate

With Michigan firmly on the bubble on Selection, Sunday here are some thoughts on if they get the call or not for the big dance.

Some of our writers take a stab at whether Michigan basketball will make the NCAA Tournament on Sunday evening.

Cameron Stokes

I think Michigan basketball will make the tournament depending on what Texas A&M does today. If Texas A&M beats Tennessee, then I think Michigan is out.

Virginia Tech has already stolen a bid from somebody with their upset of Duke. This doesn’t even count Indiana probably forcing Michigan out of the Last Four Byes and onto the Last Four in that scenario. This also doesn’t include the fact that if Memphis beats Houston, they will steal a bid as well. Say bye-bye to Michigan’s chances if A&M wins and probably if Memphis wins too.

Otherwise, I still like Michigan to make it. I might be too confident in my team, but we do have a top-35 NET rating and the fifth-hardest schedule in the country. But we also have a ton of losses, as the Seton Hall, Indiana, Minnesota, and UCF losses have come back to haunt us the most. All of those losses were eerily similar in the sense that Michigan blew leads and failed to finish the job.

Win just two of those games, and we aren’t even having this conversation. We only have one really bad loss (Minnesota) but 14 losses are 14 losses.

Basically, I won’t be surprised if we make it or miss the tournament at this point. Trying to be sunshine and rainbows, but things can, and have changed since the end of the regular season.

Nick Popio

Things are not looking good for the Wolverines on selection doomsday. Other bubble teams got precious wins and made some deep runs that Michigan did not, plus the fact that Michigan’s record is cringeworthy being only three games above .500.

They do have five quad one wins and are highly considered by the NET ratings, but I just can’t see them sneaking in because of the way they have been playing lately. Too many highs and lows to be consistent enough cost them a bid. I have Michigan out of the field and into the NIT tournament.

Chris Peterson

Richmond didn’t do Michigan basketball any favors by winning the A-10 championship. Texas A&M lost in the SEC championship game but the Aggies may have done enough to get in.

The Wolverines were projected among the last four teams in the field but I don’t think it’s better than a 50-50 proposition.

I’ll lean towards Michigan getting in but that’s because the bubble is pretty weak. However, if the Wolverines are left out, they won’t really have room to complain. If they had beaten Indiana, they wouldn’t have to deal with this suspense.