It was an impressive week for the Michigan basketball team. First, the Wolverines knocked off USC last Sunday, then, they knocked off 22nd-ranked UCLA by 19 points on the road.
Michigan basketball beat up on UCLA so badly that Bruins head coach Mick Cronin had a mini-freakout in his post-game presser (if you haven't seen it).
Regardless of that, Michigan basketball is 4-0 in the Big Ten conference and 12-3 overall. The Wolverines announced themselves as Big Ten title contenders with the romp over Bruins who had the fourth-best adjusted defensive rating in college basketball according to Kenpom.
So Michigan put up 94 points, on the road, against one of the best teams in the country. The Wolverines also did it with Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin each facing second-half foul trouble.
It was an impressive performance -- a signature win as it were. And Michigan basketball has been rewarded in the latest bracketology projections from ESPN's Joe Lunardi. The Wolverines were a No. 6 seed before but now they are a No. 4 seed, which means they are a top 16 seed overall.
Three other Big Ten teams: Illinois, Oregon, and Michigan State are seeded among the top 16, so there will be plenty of competition for the Big Ten title. But U-M has arrived on the national stage after the UCLA win and hopefully, the Wolverines have staying power. They sure seem to.
Michigan women's basketball bracketology projection
The Wolverines have lost three games in a row, however, they were all against teams seeded in the top two of their bracket. USC and UCLA are each No. 1 seeds. Ohio State is a No. 2 seed.
Michigan women's basketball is 10-5 overall, but all five of their losses have come against top-25 teams. South Carolina is also a No. 1 seed, while Oklahoma is a No. 4.
Michigan women's basketball is projected as a six seed right now. The Wolverines play Purdue on Saturday after three straight-ranked opponents. Tip-off is set for 2 PM EST on BTN+.