One of the strangest body of work I've ever seen. They're getting a lot of love right now, but the recent results don't show a team finding their stride as much as the TV pundits would have you believe.
Over the last 15 reg season games leading up to the Big 10 tourney they went 9-6. That included losing three straight to end the regular season. Losing to Illinois at home by 20, Maryland at home by 6, and Mich St on the road by 17. In the 9 wins, the largest margin of victory was 4 points! That's an unreal stat!
In the BIg 10 tourney they only had to win three games as a 3 seed. An impressive quarterfinal win over Purdue and then two more nail biters over Maryland and Wisconsin. Also another tight 3 point win over 12 seed UC San Diego to open NCAA tourney play. They followed that with a nice win over A&M, but trailed by double digits in that game well into the 2nd half. Yes A&M handled us in a meaningless game after clinching the SEC and without Denver. The reality is they did not play well down the stretch and ended the year at 3-6 in their last 9 games.
There's been a lot of talk about the Big 10 being undefeated after round 1. Impressive start, but all of those wins were against double digit seedsexcept Baylor over Miss St in a close 8/9 game. Other than Baylor being a 1.5 pt dog, I'm sure the others were all favorites. Wisconsin and UCLA are now out. Purdue and Michigan to the Sweet 16.
Edit: Oregon, not Baylor advanced out of the Big 10. Beat 12 seed Liberty, making all first round wins over double digit seeds.
All this to say I like our chances against the Wolverines, as do the odds makers setting the line at 7.5. WDE!!!
Over the last 15 reg season games leading up to the Big 10 tourney they went 9-6. That included losing three straight to end the regular season. Losing to Illinois at home by 20, Maryland at home by 6, and Mich St on the road by 17. In the 9 wins, the largest margin of victory was 4 points! That's an unreal stat!
In the BIg 10 tourney they only had to win three games as a 3 seed. An impressive quarterfinal win over Purdue and then two more nail biters over Maryland and Wisconsin. Also another tight 3 point win over 12 seed UC San Diego to open NCAA tourney play. They followed that with a nice win over A&M, but trailed by double digits in that game well into the 2nd half. Yes A&M handled us in a meaningless game after clinching the SEC and without Denver. The reality is they did not play well down the stretch and ended the year at 3-6 in their last 9 games.
There's been a lot of talk about the Big 10 being undefeated after round 1. Impressive start, but all of those wins were against double digit seeds
Edit: Oregon, not Baylor advanced out of the Big 10. Beat 12 seed Liberty, making all first round wins over double digit seeds.
All this to say I like our chances against the Wolverines, as do the odds makers setting the line at 7.5. WDE!!!
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