After winning six of eight games to close out the regular season — the two loses by a combined seven points — the Michigan men’s basketball team went on to win the Big Ten Tournament Championship despite getting in a plane wreck on the way to the Washington, D.C. venue. To win the tournament, the Wolverines conquered four teams in four days, taking out ranked foes Purdue and Wisconsin on the way. The madness didn’t end there, though, as Michigan made their way to the NCAA tournament to take out an impressive Oklahoma State offense and a two-seed Lousiville to secure their spot in the sweet sixteen. Despite a harmonious run that won’t soon be forgotten, Michigan ultimately fell to Oregon in the final seconds of their sweet sixteen contest, 69-68.
The Michigan basketball team did some amazing things this season. Despite not making it all the way in the big dance, the number of victories this year that won’t ever show up on their final record are countless. From one proud Wolverine to another, here are three things the Michigan men’s basketball team taught us this season.
Don’t listen to the people who say you can’t do it
If you happen to be a fan who followed along with the whole season, or perhaps one who criticized the outcomes of some games earlier in the season, you know that this Michigan team faced some tough love. There was the Virginia Tech game where, despite holding a solid lead for much of the game, the Wolverines lost by a mere three points. The Ohio State game also comes to mind — a game we just flat out never should have lost. After a shaky start to the season, Michigan was under watchful eyes that were eager to point out flaws and bid adieu to hopes of an NCAA Tournament berth.
Michigan had a choice: they could watch their game tapes and listen to the buzz or they could control their own destiny. We both know they chose the latter — so why can’t you? With as much criticism as student athletes face in the press and on social media, especially in historically popular sports like basketball, the Wolverines chose not to let their doubters control the season. They silenced their opposition with success and then let the silence motivate them even more. It’s okay if things sometimes start out shaky — just never stop moving forward.
Also, if anyone ever calls you “white collar,” just ask Derrick Walton Jr. what to do.
Lean on your friends and family when you need it
It’s easy to get caught in a cycle of feeling like you can only be self-reliant in college. You live on your own, you are away from family and often many friends, too. With all of your independence, don’t forget that you can (and should) also lean on others for support when you need it.
If Michigan basketball is not the embodiment of this concept, I don’t know what is. Towards the end of the season when the Wolverines were hot, so many different players had shining moments. Namely, Derrick Walton Jr. had many of them, but when his shots weren’t falling, there was another teammate there to get things going. That’s part of what made Michigan so much of a threat: versatility. Sure, the team was able to adapt to different offenses and defenses on the home stretch of the season into the postseason with ease — a task in and of itself that is no easy feat — but what was so remarkable was that so many players were able to contribute in different ways each game. The opponent put their best player on Derrick? No problem, Moe Wagner will score a career high. They drew fouls on Wagner and now he’s in foul trouble? No problem, DJ Wilson will score nearly half the teams points. Each player knows that success happens when you put trust in your teammates when you’re having an off-game. When everyone relies on each other, the whole team is unstoppable.
Cherish every moment
Remember how they told us high school would fly by but we never believed them? And now we’re making our way through college, credits piling up, headed for the “real world.” It is uncanny how easy it is to wish college away as if we forgot the advice for high school that we never took. As final exams and final paper deadlines approach rapidly, it is hard to imagine cherishing these grueling hours of studying and typing away until the wee hours of the morning. Do it anyway.
On their way to the Big Ten Tournament, the Michigan basketball team experienced a plane crash. Though everyone was safe, emotional trauma from an event like that would be enough to psych anyone out. Presented with the option from Coach Beilein to forfeit the tournament, the team chose to press on. And onward they went, and went, and went. The players chose not to let tragedy stop them from their goals. It gave them a new perspective on basketball and, importantly, life. The way the Wolverines played during their postseason was remarkable. Sometimes it takes going through hard times to appreciate the good times. And we know what Michigan basketball appreciating the good times — the time to spend on the floor with your teammates playing the game you love — looks like.
John Beilein said it best after the tough loss to Oregon on Thursday: “When we talk about Bo, ‘The Team, The Team, The Team,’…that’s what you guys did. You cared more about the team than anything else and look what you did.”
Image courtesy of: Ashley Preston