Michigan Wolverines: 24-11, 11-8 in the Big Ten
Head coach: John Beilein (10th season)
Players to watch: Derrick Walton Jr. (15.2 PPG, 4.7 APG, 41.2 3PT%); Zak Irvin (12.8 PPG); Moritz Wagner (12.0 PPG, 40.7 3PT%)
Season recap: Michigan suffered through an inconsistent season, dispatching weaker teams with ease but folding against tough opponents. Despite solid nonconference wins against the likes of SMU and Marquette, the Wolverines hit major roadblocks against South Carolina and despite hanging on throughout the first half, were gashed by UCLA in the last 20 minutes.
Michigan suffered an equally inconsistent campaign through conference play, as it lost four of six to start its Big Ten run before turning it around to win six of its final eight regular-season games, including wins against then-No. 11 Wisconsin, then-No. 14 Purdue and a 29-point thrashing of Michigan State.
With Wolverine forward D.J. Wilson erupting for 26 points in the Big Ten tournament, Michigan beat top-seeded Purdue again in the quarterfinals as the No. 8 seed before taking down fourth-seeded Minnesota and the No. 2 seed Badgers to become Big 10 tournament champions. Point guard Derrick Walton Jr. and swingman Zak Irvin make head coach John Beilein's team dangerous in the Big Dance.
How they make a run: A dangerous 3-point shooting team, Michigan catches fire at the perfect time with Walton, Irvin and dead-eye shooters Moritz Wagner and Duncan Robinson leading the team on a Cinderella run.
How they falter: Wilson is not able to play big inside like he did against Purdue in the Big Ten tournament, leading to a first-round loss when a Wolverine opponent pounds the ball inside and crashes the boards.
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