The. Final. Four.

Yes, we could have come up with a title that is more catchy.  We could have come
up with a clever play on words.  The reality is that this team doesn’t need a flashy headline.  Michigan doesn’t need click bait.  These same Wolverines, the ones who are now 2 games away from winning a National Championship, were picked to finish middle of the pack in a beleaguered Big Ten Conference and struggle to make the NCAA Tournament.

This blog is not about providing snap-analysis.  There are oodles of other websites and social media accounts that can do that.  No - this site is about providing insight and thoughts on the stories we write about.  This year’s Michigan team has come a long way from their early season predictions and results.  Remember when they lost to LSU?  Me neither.  The early December stumble against Ohio State - who spent most of the regular season as the Big Ten leader seems like an eternity ago.

The turning point in this season came on January 13, 2018.  On that Saturday afternoon, Michigan went into East Lansing Michigan to face Top-5 and heavily predicted NCAA favorite Michigan State.  Many hoped Michigan would stay competitive - few expected a 10 point Wolverine victory.  But on that date, Michigan realized that they could not only play with any other team in teh country but them would beat anyone and anywhere.

The early season roster shuffle has been resolved.  Zavier Simpson and Muhammad-Ali Abdur Rahkman have solidified the backcourt.  Charles Matthews and Duncan Robinson have been great wing players.  And Mo Wagner stretches every team’s defense as he can hit from deep or penetrate down low.  And who would have ever thought that a John Beilein team could be so defensively strong?  Look at the Elite 8 matchup against Florida State and Michigan’s ability to not only stop a potent offense but also force turnovers which led to points.

Michigan has been the highest seed in each of their matchups throughout this tournament.  That trend will continue one last time on Saturday evening as they face the 11th ranked Loyola-Chicago Ramblers.  While the national buzz is that “Michigan has the easiest path to the championship game,” it would be foolish to overlook any team that wins 30+ games and has made it to the Final Four.  The Ramblers are legit and have the firepower to get past Michigan.

But if the Wolverines are fortunate to make it past Sister Jean’s crew, they will face their toughest opponent of the year:  Villanova or Kansas.  Nova had a relatively stress free game against Texas Tech on Sunday while Kansas won a thriller against Duke.  Nova also has two starters who were on a national championship team 2 years ago.  They know how to win and how to play on the big stage.

Can Michigan beat these 3 teams?  Absolutely.  And whether the Wolverines leave San Antonio with their 2nd National Champoionship or not, this season has been an overwhelming success that puts Michigan in the national discussion of top hoops programs and John Beilein, an often times underrrated coach, as one of the best in the profession.