All hail the victors.
The Michigan Wolverines played three games in three days and came out on top of the Big Ten tournament. With a 59-53 win over the Wisconsin Badgers, the Michigan basketball team outlasted a tough stretch of games and became the Big Ten champion. The win eased some of the late-season doubt that circulated the team heading into the tournament. Now when the field of 68 opens up, the Michigan Wolverines have just as much of a chance to cut down the nets as any team in March.
The Wolverines, once again, excelled in close games. None more apparent than their previous game against Maryland when Tre Donaldson went the full length of the court, in the game's final seconds. Those are the plays that ascend players to legendary status. Then in 24 hours, the Wolverines overcame a rough shooting night to pull out the win against the Badgers. The 3-point shooting was abysmal for both teams, with Michigan basketball only shooting 27 percent from the field for the game. The field goal percentage was not much better, with the Wolverines only shooting 32 percent from the field.
Those shooting percentages are alarming and something Michigan will have to fare better at it if they want to have longevity in the tournament. Even with those shooting woes, the Wolverines were able to win, yet another close game. A testament, once again, to the grit and resilience of this team.
Dusty May's first season was incredible for Michigan basketball
Dusty May became the first coach in their inaugural year to win the Big Ten. The turnaround for the Wolverines has been remarkable and this season can already be deemed a success. It has been a quick turn around from the bottom of the Big Ten to now the top of the Big Ten. How well the Michigan Wolverines fare during March Madness is anyone's guess. But winning the Big Ten tournament shows that the Wolverines are a team you cannot count out.