Posted on Fri, Mar 11, 2011 : 5:08 p.m.
How surprised are you by the Michigan basketball team's success this season?
By AnnArbor.com Staff
The Michigan basketball team all but sealed its NCAA tournament invitation with a 60-55 win over Illinois in a Big Ten tournament quarterfinal on Friday. Yes, the same Wolverines team that most experts projected would finish in 10th or 11th place in the Big Ten.
We ask you:
Comments
Blu-dogg97
Sat, Mar 12, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.
The team has surprised me.. since the first half of the season,players have evolved ,Tim Jr. is for real,Jordan Morgan is much stronger in the paint..and D.Morris is a point guard,that can take over a game,he's gritty,and hard nosed,kinda reminds me a little of a right handed Jalen Rose.. Can they beat osu,and make this an all Michigan B1G Tourney Championship, and beat sparty 3 in row ? Similar to BYU and SDSU and the Fish... They are very exciting to watch,I'm very pleased... proud of them ! Great job coach Beilein ! just like their new shirts read : TEAM TEAM TEAM.. GO BLUE..
azwolverine
Sat, Mar 12, 2011 : 1:38 p.m.
I am extremely happy for this team and for coach Beilein. Beilein, even in the down times, has been a class act. Never once has any excuse about this team being too young or any other excuse escaped his lips. He is accountable and holds his team accountable...and his players respect him for it and have rallied around his leadership. Beilein doesn't have to ask anyone to make him a Michigan Man, he's earning that on his own. Way to go, coach. Go Blue!
jgtrueblue
Fri, Mar 11, 2011 : 11:54 p.m.
Not surprised at all. I had faith in this team, with their young tenacity and just being Michigan. If anyone knows what John Belein is about - it's his deep faith. It shows. His all-around class as a person and coach and faith in his players, pays off. I think honesty, integrity and sweat says it all. For example - Belein is a Wolverine. tressel is a rotten nut. No need for explanation.
tater
Fri, Mar 11, 2011 : 11:49 p.m.
At the beginning of the season, I thought this team would win around 12-14 games and that their upside was the NIT. Going into the last three games, I thought they would be a NIT team. After the sweep of MSU, though, I felt they deserved to be in. This was a pretty nice comeback today. I hoped Michigan could get in to the NIT and used to prefer it for this team over the NCAA. My rationale was that they needed to learn how to win tight games against good competition, and that the NIT would be better for them. I sure am glad to have been so wrong. This team has learned how to win under pressure. They have grown faster than even I, of the perprtually half-full, maize and blue cup thought they would. Congrats to Michigan and John Beilein for already exceeding expections, even if then don't win another game this year. For those who were on the "fire John Beilein" or "Beilein can't coach" or "Beilen can't recruit" bandwagons: I feel that John Beilein is now the Big Ten Coach of the Year. Nobody else has done so much with what appeared to be so little at the beginning of the season. Welcome to the Beilein Bandwagon, where I expect you will now stay at least until the next loss.
Jim Pryce
Fri, Mar 11, 2011 : 11:13 p.m.
I admit I was wrong. I apologize to John Beilein. After opening up the Big Ten schedule 1-6, I thought we had another Rich Rod situation going on. The Team has been playing as a team, have developed an inside game to go along with the 3 point shooting, & are not a one trick pony of the past when it was live by the 3, die by the 3. They have really improved.
michboy40
Fri, Mar 11, 2011 : 10:53 p.m.
After loosing Manny and Deshawn I did not think this team would be able to score down the stretch in tough Big Ten games, but Darius Morris has arrived as a serious threat to break down a defense, and Jordan Morgan has made huge strides on the inside. It only gets better from here! NCAA's this year and the next two at least!