Michigan basketball just went 2-0 during the toughest stretch of its season thus far. The Wolverines took down undefeated Nebraska in Ann Arbor and then defeated #7 Michigan State in East Lansing. Those wins have put Michigan atop the Big Ten standings, and have significantly increased the Wolverines' chance at winning the Big Ten regular season title.
Michigan will now face a lighter schedule, with their next ranked opponent being Purdue on February 17th. The Wolverines will then proceed to end their season with a gauntlet, playing Purdue, Duke, Illinois, and Michigan State within their final six games. So which games are the most important for Michigan's Big Ten Championship goals?
Michigan Must Beat the Lesser Opponents
Over the next two and a half weeks, Michigan takes on Penn State, Ohio State, Northwestern, and UCLA. The Wolverines will likely be big favorites in all of those games, and they need to win all four if they want to keep their title hopes in good shape. They also face off against Minnesota and Iowa later in the season.
Considering the gauntlet they have at the end of the season, dropping any of these games would create an uphill battle for the Big Ten title. The Big Ten is a very top-heavy conference this year, with there being six Big Ten teams who are currently 8-3 or better in conference play. Any slip ups will more than likely be taken advantage of by the other top teams in the conference.
Illinois and MSU are the top two, but Illinois may be the more important game
While everyone is circling the matchup against Duke, that game is essentially a glorified exhibition. It has no conference implications and won't be the difference between making the tournament or missing it. Losing that game would have a very minimal effect on Michigan.
But, losing to Illinois and/or MSU could have a significant effect on Michigan. Currently, Illinois and Michigan State are competing with Michigan in the conference standings, with Illinois having an identical 10-1 record in conference play and Michigan State having a 9-2 record.
Illinois and Michigan State will face off on February 7th, and the winner of that game will likely have a chance to overtake the Wolverines in their matchup. Illinois has looked elite recently, and Michigan has struggled mightily against the Illini in recent years. With a potential Big Ten Title on the line, that game could be a defining game for the Wolverines.
As we enter the final month or so of the regular season, one thing is for sure: Michigan basketball is going to get tested. By the time the NCAA tournament comes around, we're going to have a very good idea of how far this team can go.