Michigan’s magical season came to an end Monday night in heartbreaking fashion. But it was hard to stay down for long given the show Team 96 put on in one of the greatest national championship games we’ll ever see. No one will ever say a loss is a good thing. It’s not and this one wasn’t. It hurt, moreso for the players and coaches involved than you or I will ever know. But the young Wolverines played like they belonged to be there. They played well enough to win, and if not for a bad break here or there, they would have.

But even though the season ended just short of the ultimate goal, what Team 96 achieved will go down in Michigan history right alongside the national championship winning 1989 team, the Fab Five, and all the rest of the great teams to don the maize and blue.

Six months from now, Team 97 will begin anew and we will root them on with a renewed love and passion for Michigan basketball. For the first time in a long time, Michigan basketball will enter a season viewed in high regard on a national stage. But before we get there, and before we even turn our full attention to football, let’s look back at what we expected out of this team and compare our expectations to how it performed.

Back in November as Michigan was getting ready to open its season at home against Slippery Rock, Sam posted his season preview. In it, he pegged the Wolverines to finish the regular season 26-6 and 13-5 in the Big Ten. In reality, they went 26-7 and 12-6. Furthermore, he pegged Michigan as a Final Four squad, which they not only were, but went one game further and finished the season with a school record 31 wins and just eight losses. Sam picked Michigan to finish first in the Big Ten, but they fell just short, although the fifth-place finish is deceiving since they were one rotation of the ball away from beating Indiana and claiming a share of the title.

As far as individual players go, in Sam’s player previews, he forecasted their stat lines from points, rebounds, and assists to field goal and three-point percentage. Let’s see how they performed based on expectations.
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Recap: The sentence that hit the nail on the head was “A huge season for Trey likely means a deep run in March for the Wolverines, but if he sees a sophomore slump, Michigan could find itself underachieving massively.” Big Tean and National Player of the Year is certainly a huge year and Michigan made the deepest March run possible. Burke outperformed his expectations in nearly every category – at least in the ones that matter most – and led Michigan to the brink of a national title.

Future: Trey is the most likely player to jump to the NBA and if he does, no one will blame him. He has done more in his two seasons in Ann Arbor than most players do in their career. He set the single season assists record, was a consensus first team All-American, Big Ten Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year, and Wooden Award winner to name a few. He’s a projected lottery pick in the NBA Draft – Chad Ford has him listed 6th in his updated mock draft – and he’s only that low because of his height. He doesn’t have much left to prove at Michigan, but maybe, just maybe, he will want to return to lead the Wolverines to a Big Ten title and win a national championship next season. We can hope.
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Recap: Hardaway improved his shooting and three-point shooting this season compared to his sophomore season, but they still fell short of his projected averages. In Sam’s preview of Tim he wrote, “There’s no doubt that that Tim Hardaway is one of the best players on this team and an intriguing NBA prospect…but he will need to show some consistency on both ends of the court if he is to realize his dream and follow in his dad’s footsteps to the League.” Hardaway still struggled with consistency this season. When he was on, he was on. Take the Ohio State game in Ann Arbor for instance, when he hit 6-of-9 three-point attempts to carry the Wolverines to victory. However, he also went a combined 4-of-23 from the field in two games against Michigan State and went just 16-of-53 (30.2 percent) from the field and 5-of-22 (22.7 percent) from downtown in the final four games of the NCAA Tournament.

Future: Based purely on speculation, if I had to bet on it right now, I’d say Hardaway will make the jump to the NBA. But scouts don’t have him as a first round prospect anymore and he could drastically help his draft prospects with one more year in Ann Arbor. If he stays and is able to improve his shooting and become more consistent, he could easily work his way into the top half of the first round in 2014.
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Recap: Predicting the production from a true freshman is next to impossible because you don’t know how long it will take him to adapt to the college game. Everyone knew McGary would be a very good player for Michigan, but nobody really knew whether it would be right from the start or whether it would take him a while. He showed flashes of his potential right from the start, but served as Michigan’s sixth man for most of the season, giving the team a spark off the bench. In the tournament, however, he blossomed into a star. He was the talk of the tournament – at least up until his disappointing performance that was marred by foul trouble in the national title game – after back-to-back dominant performances against VCU and Kansas. He underperformed based on Sam’s projections, but he showed everyone late in the season that the expectations will be high next season.

Future: McGary’s breakout tournament performance moved him all the way up to 12th in Chad Ford’s latest mock draft, something that might tempt him to make the jump. But I don’t think he will. He has the potential to be an absolute star, and with a full season in 2013-14 like he had in the tournament, could easily become a lottery pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Expect McGary to return to dominate the paint for Michigan next season.
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Recap: As with McGary, predicting the stats of a true freshman can sometimes be very wrong. In this case, Stauskas performed much better than predicted. In a sense, much more was known about McGary coming out of high school as, at one point, the #2 player in the class, but there wasn’t much to go off of for Stauskas, the Canadian assassin. All that was really known was that he was deadly from behind the arc. It wasn’t until the season started that everybody realized the often heard phrase “he’s not just a shooter.” He finished third on the team with 11 points a game, which is impressive, and earned a starting spot very early on, so his minutes were much higher than predicted. But his shot struggled in the second half of the season with the exception of the 6-of-6 performance against Florida in the Elite Eight. He finished the season 46.3 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point.

Future: Stauskas isn’t a threat to go pro this season, so we don’t have to worry about that. He has vowed to return a different player next season, hitting the gym hard during the summer and coming back stronger and better defensively. The defensive end was by far his weak point this season, and if he can improve that, he’ll be a very dangerous player going forward.
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Recap: Robinson might have been the easiest freshman to predict since most knew he would start from the get-go. His 11 points per game average was exactly what Sam projected and he exceeded his projected rebound average, finishing as the team’s second best rebounder behind McGary. He played more minutes than expected and was always dangerous on the baseline and around the rim.

Future: There’s a slight chance Robinson could make the jump to the NBA since he oozes potential. Chad Ford projected him to go 15th in his latest mock draft. He’ll likely stick around for at least one more year to improve his game and potentially move into the top 10. The main area of work is creating his own shots. In his player preview, Sam said, “He’s certainly a capable shooter, but no one is quite sure how good. We also know he can fill it up from mid-range and will be deadly around the rim, but I’ll be interested to see how his overall offensive game develops and where the majority of his shots come from.” This season, he was mostly reliant on Burke and others to get him the ball in position to hit a shot or to score around the rim. If he can improve to the point where he can create his own shots, he will be lethal.
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Recap: It’s no secret that Morgan was somewhat of a disappointment this season. No one expected him to be a first team All-Big Ten caliber player, but in his first two seasons he showed potential to be a reliable big man. But this season, he struggled to be a consistent scoring option and had problems catching the ball down low. He underperformed in nearly every category and eventually lost his starting job to McGary during the tournament.

Future: Morgan has one season left in Ann Arbor and is still an important piece of the puzzle for John Beilein. He remains one of Michigan’s best defensive players, and that was no more evident than when he came in and took a charge at the end of the Final Four game against Syracuse that essentially sealed Michigan’s win. If he can work on his hands to the point that he’s able to catch the balls that are fed to him on the pick and roll, he could earn back some playing time next season. Otherwise, he’s probably destined to be the first or second man off the bench.
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Recap: Horford continues to develop as a player and fight through injuries early in his career. He missed several games early in the season due to injury, which set back his development and allowed McGary to eat up some of his playing time. Sam said as much in his player preview: “Pay very close attention to him early on to see how his season may go.” The time missed resulted in only 8.8 minutes per game throughout the season. When he was on the court, he was usually reliable, capable of rebounding and finishing when given the opportunity and stepping up and hitting free throws. But he wasn’t the breakout player that Sam thought he might become.

Future: There is still optimism for Big Jon’s future. He has the lineage and the work ethic – he hit the gym to work on shooting right after Michigan arrived back in Ann Arbor after the national championship game – to become a dependable big man worthy of more minutes. He just needs a full off-season and season of staying healthy. If he, Morgan, and McGary continue to develop, Michigan could have a very good frontcourt next season.
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Recap: Perhaps the rotation player that carried the lowest expectations into the season, Spike proved that he has what it takes to run the basketball team at the college level. He was only expected to manage the offense for a few minutes a game while Burke got a breather, and he did that adequately. But in the Final Four, he gave the world a glimpse of his potential. In the semifinal against Syracuse, he hit two key threes to fuel Michigan’s lead, and then in the national championship game, he exploded for 17 first half points. It was like Rudy, except you know, good. He fizzled in the second half, not used to playing so many minutes, especially on such a big stage, but his performance at least put to ease concerns about who will run the team if Burke makes the jump to the NBA.

Future: While Michigan has had the bittersweet reality of great point guards that leave early the past few years – first Darius Morris and now, most likely, Burke – Albrecht is a nice change of pace. He’ll never be a threat to leave early and he may never even earn a starting spot since Michigan has another talented point guard coming in next season. But he gives the position quality depth, which is something it has lacked.
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Recap: Like Morgan, Matt Vogrich saw his playing time dip this season, but his happened a lot sooner. He began the year as a starter, but that only lasted a handful of games before Stauskas took over. In fact, Vogrich played double digit minutes in only four games all season. He scored his season high of eight points in the season opener against Slipper Rock and then didn’t score more than three in a game the rest of the way. He enjoyed an interesting career that saw his playing time fall as his career went on, but that also coincided with team success.

Future: Vogrich’s career is over.
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As you can see, the player who most outperformed his expectations was Burke, which is extremely impressive given the expectations he had after his freshman campaign. It’s no wonder he won every award imaginable. Stauskas also vastly outperformed his projections, though I don’t think anyone could have thought he’d have so much early success. Glenn Robinson III performed right on his expectations and will likely have them raised going into next season.

The biggest underperformers were the big men. Morgan and Horford could improve next year, while McGary will likely have the highest expectations of anyone on the team going into 2013-14. Hardaway also underperformed slightly despite improving his shooting. If he returns for his senior season, his expectations will be high once again.

Now, we wait and see what Burke, Hardaway, McGary, and Robinson decide regarding their futures. The choices they make will determine the expectations the team has going into next season. It’s most likely that two of the four will leave, but as we saw with Taylor Lewan’s surprising decision to return for his senior year, anything is possible.

via MGoBlue.com

Meet Josh Bartelstein, Michigan’s senior captain who played a total of 56 minutes in his Michigan career, none of them meaningful in any game, but all of them significant to his 14 teammates. The blogger and son of a prominent NBA agent, Bartelstein is more likely to represent future professionals than ever get paid to play himself, but the respect this team had for him was immense. No Michigan player was ever more excited to see a made three-pointer than when Bartelstein made either of his two career field goals, one last year and one the year prior.

Meet Corey Person, a fifth-year senior who was offered to come back for one last year this season not because of his on-court production but because of his off-court leadership, and, most likely, his pre-game dance ritual, a staple that will be dearly missed and never forgotten. Person entered graduate school after earning his bachelor’s degree last year, and despite the time commitment he made for such little recognition, Person never once questioned his decision, a sacrifice certainly appreciated by his teammates.

Senior Josh Bartelstein served as team captain this season (MGoBlue.com)

Meet Eso Akunne, another senior who rarely had a direct impact on any game but again stuck it out and never complained. Akunne lost his mother two summers ago to cancer, and was never able to give her a final farewell as she passed away a half-world apart, but his strength and courage contributed to the team’s success perhaps more than any basketball play could have.

Meet Matt Vogrich and Blake McLimans, the fourth and fifth senior veterans of this University of Michigan basketball team. Both Vogrich and McLimans accepted scholarship offers from John Beilein with very little to go off other than one NCAA Tournament appearance and eventually had to accept “role player” spots on the team as younger players’ talent won out. Regardless, neither player once complained to the media or otherwise about a reduction in minutes played and points scored in each of their last three seasons, instead cheering on their teammates and happily playing their part as senior leaders.

Meet Jordan Morgan, a fourth-year junior who will be back for one final swan song next season. Morgan entered the year as a starter and played the role admirably for the most part before injuring his ankle in Michigan’s first loss of the season and never fully recovering health-wise or confidence-wise, eventually seeing his starting spot dissipate as freshman Mitch McGary stole headlines throughout the NCAA Tournament. Nonetheless, Morgan continued to give everything he had and was often the on-court vocal leader of this team and a guy who everyone looked up to despite his struggles. A quiet night in the championship game was aptly preceded for Morgan by his thunderous game-ending dunk in the semifinals over Syracuse.

Meet Max Bielfeldt, who chose to play for Michigan two years ago despite an unclear situation in terms of playing time and his family’s strong allegiances to Illinois. Bielfeldt, a redshirt freshman who must feel like a sixth wheel among the “Fresh Five”, has three years left of eligibility but certainly realizes that his battle for playing time will continue to be an uphill climb as the years continue to pass. Still, the player lovingly referred to as Moose by his fellow teammates was nothing but smiles and laughs throughout Michigan’s post-season run even though he only stepped on the floor for less than one minute the entire time.

Fifth-year senior Corey Person didn't play much but his pre-game dance will be missed (MLive.com)

Meet Jon Horford, a redshirt sophomore who continues to ooze potential but has a ways to go before putting it all together. Horford always seemed to be in positive spirits despite an early-season knee injury (his second in two seasons) and worked his way into productive minutes this year. The younger brother of NBA All-Star Al Horford is often over-shadowed in the media and was often over-matched on the court by stronger, quicker, and more talented big men this year, but Jon still has plenty more basketball to look forward to in Ann Arbor and will continue to put forth full effort every time he steps on the floor. His length and shot-blocking prowess make him an important piece moving forward, and Horford’s final point this year, a made free throw to give Michigan a three-point lead with just 18 seconds left against Syracuse in the first Final Four game, was absolutely crucial, especially considering he had missed the first.

Meet Caris LeVert, the skinniest, youngest, and last member of this year’s freshman class. A former Ohio University commit, LeVert switched his pledge to Michigan after coach John Groce left the Bobcat program and was immediately projected to redshirt this year in order to gain some weight and experience off the court. Early on, however, it was clear that LeVert had too much heart and not enough quit to let that happen, quickly over-taking Vogrich’s minutes by mid-season and going on to make a bigger impact than anyone could have predicted. The lanky 18-year-old was almost always out-muscled by his man and he finished this season with by far the lowest shooting percentage of any regularly-used player, but LeVert’s defense was always praised by coaches and his gutty eight-point performance against Syracuse was the difference between the biggest win and the hardest loss of the season for the Maize and Blue.

Matt Vogrich enjoyed success early in his career but was relegated to the bench this season (MGoBlue.com)

Meet Nik Stauskas, the Canadian sniper that will probably end up being the best shooter Michigan coach John Beilein has ever taught when his career comes to an end. The second commit of this freshman class, Stauskas honed his shooting skills in his cold backyard with the rebounding help of his dad for years as preparation for this – a chance to contribute on a championship-contending team and a potential future NBA career. This year saw its ups and downs for Stauskas, from the amazing 22-point shooting display to lead Michigan over Florida for the South regional title to the measly three combined points in the two Final Four games in Atlanta, but overall it was an incredible year for the calm, confident kid with a bright future in Ann Arbor and beyond.

Meet Spike Albrecht, another unheralded freshman who was brought in as a last-minute emergency plan in case Trey Burke had decided to bolt for the NBA last year. Once Burke announced his plans to return, most assumed that Albrecht would be relegated to a bench-warming spot, and his baby-face looks lent to some confusion as to whether Spike was a player or manager, but the sure-handed and sure-headed 20-year-old set things straight throughout the year with solid contributions in spot minutes. As the year went on, Albrecht seemed to provide more and more on a nightly basis, finally culminating with a captivating 17-point first half performance in the championship game on a brilliant 6-of-7 shooting stretch that stole big minutes on ESPN and stunned college basketball fans around the country – a show that followed a perfect, albeit short-lived, six-point outing in four minutes against Syracuse. Spike has now won over the hearts of many young women and Michigan fans everywhere and will look to build on his already growing legacy with three more years in Ann Arbor and a more prominent spotlight.

Meet Glenn Robinson III, the quiet, athletic freshman assassin. The son of former college great Glenn Robinson, Little Dog was never the focal point of this Michigan offense, but he always seemed to manage double-digit points while grabbing a few rebounds, helping the team to so many victories while never once complaining about not getting as many shots as perhaps he would demand on a lesser team. With his next-level athletic abilities and his knack for finishing around the rim, Robinson has turned the heads of many scouts and faces a decision of whether to declare for the NBA Draft or return to Michigan to work toward completing some unfinished business with the rest of the team. No matter what he decides, Glenn Robinson III has already carved out a spot in the hearts of many Michigan fans after blossoming from a lowly-regarded high school player to a top player on one of the best college teams in the country.

Eso Akunne never played much, but got to enjoy a trip to the finals (detroitnews.com)

Meet Mitch McGary, the freshman big man and ball of energy. After committing to play for Michigan as the second-highest rated high schooler in the country, McGary was expected to star right off the bat, but his learning curve was a little slow. Alas, the 20-year-old struggled academically at his four-year high school in Chesterton, Indiana before transferring far away from home to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire before getting his grades in order and refining his basketball game. With time, McGary’s conditioning and overall game improved slowly but surely at Michigan; his energy, on the other hand, has never lacked. As the NCAA Tournament finally rolled around, McGary’s star started to shine bright on the national stage, as he poured in double digit points in five of Michigan’s six games, including a new career high in consecutive games over VCU and Kansas, and recorded double-doubles over the same stretch before slightly struggling to reach the same level in the championship game, where he was hampered with four fouls. McGary, who now finds himself on draft boards with these renewed looks, has a decision to make much like his roommate Robinson’s. If he stays, McGary is seen as a potentially dominant animal in the post, a guy who could conceivably average a double-double, expand his game, and lead Michigan back to the promised land. If he goes, McGary will be seen as a Wolverine whose love of Michigan and passion for tough play have already ingratiated him in the hearts of all Michigan fans.

Meet Tim Hardaway, Jr., the son of NBA legend Tim Hardaway. The junior and second-leading scorer of this Michigan team bounced back from a tough year last year to become a scoring force on offense, a solid defender, and a player who could turn the course of a game with a huge dunk or a streak of three-pointers. Despite some difficult games here and there, Hardaway always seemed to be a steadying force and the seasoned veteran within a lineup full of underclassmen, scoring 10 or more points in all but eight games this year. As a freshman, Hardaway championed Michigan back to the NCAA Tournament after the Wolverines had struggled to a 15-17 mark the year prior to his arrival, and despite his tough shooting year last season, Hardaway has always been a great scorer and a phenomenal team player. Many expect him to forego his last year of eligibility and follow in his dad’s footsteps to the NBA; regardless of what he does, however, Hardaway’s three years so far will never be forgotten, and performances like his 23-point night to beat Ohio State in overtime this season will go down in Michigan history.

Blake McLimans was an important senior leader this season (annarbor.com)

Meet Trey Burke, the one-time no-name prospect and Penn State commit out of Columbus, Ohio. A high school teammate of former Buckeye Jared Sullinger, Burke had always dreamed of playing for Ohio State, but when he was shunned by Thad Matta, he decided to take his talents north and play for John Beilein. Two short years later, Burke has become the best Michigan player in at least 20 years, gaining far too many accolades – including First Team All-American honors and Big Ten, Naismith, and Wooden Player of the Year awards – to list off at once. Last year, Burke’s out-of-nowhere freshman stardom nearly convinced him to take off for the pro ranks after just one season of college, but a talking to from his parents and thoughts of the promise of this year’s team led him back to Ann Arbor, where he put on a show for the ages. Night in and night out, Burke’s cool leadership from the point guard spot led Beilein’s team, and his exceptional team play, his caring for his fellow Wolverines, always stood out to those on-lookers. In retrospect, he was without a doubt the best player on the court every time he suited up for Michigan, and his number will one day hang from the rafters of the Crisler Center. Trey, just like his teammates, was always quick to praise teammates for Michigan’s success, even though it was clear that he was the biggest reason for it. So many of his performances are unforgettable, both for Michigan fans and college basketball fans in general, and his ball-handling prowess, passing, and scoring ability will perhaps never again be matched by a Michigan player. In what will almost certainly be his final collegiate game, Trey Burke again showed why he will always be loved by Michigan fans, scoring 24 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out three assists while his slight 6’0″ frame took a constant beating from the physical Louisville front line. It wasn’t enough, but, like usual, it was more than what could have ever been asked of him.

Meet the 2012-13 Michigan basketball team. In the end, these 15 young men came up just short of the finish line, losing 82-76 in the National Championship after an improbable run through five rounds of the Big Dance. Much like the teams of the early 1990s, they couldn’t match Michigan’s one national title from 1989, and they will not go down in history as the best team in the country in 2013. But they will forever hold a special place in the hearts of all Michigan fans, and rightfully so. Though the last game may have said otherwise, these Wolverines always have been, and always will be, winners in our hearts.

McLimans, Person, Burke, Bartelstein, Hardaway, Morgan and the rest of Team 96 made it to the NCAA Championship game

Too young. Too inexperienced. The youngest team in this year’s tournament field was supposed to bow out of the tournament by the end of the first weekend. They had limped to a 6-6 regular season finish that included an embarrassing loss to Penn State, a team that finished the season just 2-16 in Big Ten play.

But something magical happened.

Five games into the Big Dance, not once had the unanimous Big Ten and National Player of the Year, Trey Burke, led the team in scoring. Yet they had won every one of them. Sure, he saved the season with an iconic 30-foot three against Kansas, but he hadn’t played like a player of the year for most of that game. Instead, other stars blossomed.

In the opener against South Dakota State, who many picked to knock off the Wolverines, it was Glenn Robinson III who stole the show, matching his season-high with 21 points. Next, it was Mitch McGary’s turn to shine with a 21-point, 14-rebound performance against VCU, another team that most expected to send Michigan packing.

In that Sweet 16 matchup with Kansas, McGary out-performed All-American Kansas center Jeff Withey with 25 points and 14 boards while Burke was held scoreless in the first half. Against Florida in the Elite Eight, Nik Stauskas stepped up, hitting all six of his three-point attempts en route to a 22-point game and a 20-point Michigan win. Not to be outdone, the less heralded of the freshmen, Caris LeVert and Spike Albrecht rose to the occasion in the Final Four with eight and seven points, respectively, to help Michigan top Syracuse. McGary led the way once again with his third double-double in four games while Burke was held to just seven points.

The greatest clean block that was called a foul I've ever seen

All five freshmen made major contributions to the team’s improbable tournament run. Fab Five they were not, but they didn’t need to be. Twenty years after that illustrious and polarizing squad took Michigan to the brink of a national championship as sophomores, the Fresh Five did the same. And with the legends in attendance, they took the court looking to do one better.

But it wasn’t meant to be, as Michigan raced out to a 12-point first half lead only to watch it whittle down to one by halftime. In the second half, the lead was gone they were forced to play catch up for the remainder of the game. The youthful Wolverines and the experienced Cardinals went blow-by-blow in one of the greatest national championship games ever played – certainly the first half could make a case for the greatest half ever played.

It was the stuff of legends, a legend so deep that the star of the first half was Albrecht, who averaged just 1.8 points per game all season. The kid who looks more like Frodo than a basketball star, and was only recruited at the last minute last April as a safety net in case Burke went pro after his freshman season, scored 17 points and helped Michigan jump out to that big lead.

It was a legend so deep that at one point, on the nation’s biggest stage, in front of the Fab Five who were all in the same building together for the first time since 1994, John Beilein put all five freshmen on the court at the same time. Burke sat on the bench with two fouls. Hardaway sat to get a breather. Jordan Morgan and Jon Horford sat too. It was a glimpse of what’s to come for Michigan basketball when Burke and Hardaway depart for the NBA, likely as soon as the next week or two. It lasted only but for a minute, but in that moment, Michigan basketball was on top of the world.

Luke Hancock, Louisville’s own unlikely star, a lightly-recruited transfer from George Mason, brought Michigan back to earth. His four straight threes helped cut Michigan’s lead to just one at halftime and he earned the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player award.

In the end, Michigan’s magical run came up just short, but it was fun. The way the game played out was symbolic of the entire season. Michigan struggled all season long with coming out of the gate in big games. In Columbus, the Wolverines trailed 24-6 in the first 10 minutes before a rally came up just short. In Bloomington, Michigan fell behind 26-11 in the first 10 minutes before nearly pulling off a comeback. In this one, Michigan charged out of the gates, confidently seizing a big lead. But this night’s opponent did what it, and Michigan, has done all season – come back from a large deficit – and it was just good enough to hand Michigan defeat.

The 96th team in program history will return to Ann Arbor this afternoon and clean out their lockers. Burke and Hardaway, and perhaps McGary and Robinson III, will contemplate whether their futures are at the next level or whether they can put that off for one more year to make another title run. Whatever choice they make will be just fine. Selfishly, it would be nice if they came back. But if they don’t, what they gave us was a legacy that will be remembered alongside that of the Fab Five, perhaps with even greater reverence because they did it with class and humility right to the very end.

As fans, we will turn our attention to football season, but for the first time in a long time, we will do so with our heads held high. We will do so with an eagerness for the next basketball season to begin because it’s fun again. It’s not just something to fill the time between bowl games and September. Michigan basketball is back and the world knows it. Thank you, Team 96.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
#10 Michigan (4) vs #2 Louisville (1)
Monday, April 8 | 9:23pm ET | CBS
31-7 (12-6)	Record	34-5 (14-4)
Slippery Rock 100-62 IUPUI 91-54 Cleveland State 77-47 Pittsburgh 67-62 Kansas State 71-57 NC State 79-72 Bradley 74-66 W. Michigan 73-41 Arkansas 80-67 Binghamton 67-39 West Virginia 81-66 E. Michigan 93-54 C. Michigan 88-73 Northwestern 94-66 Iowa 95-67 Nebraska 62-47 #9 Minnesota 83-75 Purdue 68-53 Illinois 74-60 Northwestern 68-46 #10 Ohio St. 76-74 OT Penn State 79-71 Illinois 71-58 #9 Michigan St. 58-57 Purdue 80-75 Penn State 83-66 S. Dakota State 71-56 VCU 78-53 #3 Kansas 87-85 OT #14 Florida 79-59 #16 Syracuse 61-56	Wins	Manhattan 79-51 Samford 80-54 Miami (OH) 80-39 Northern Iowa 51-46 #13 Missouri 84-61 Illinois State 69-66 Charleston 80-38 UMKC 99-47 Memphis 87-78 FL International 79-55 W. Kentucky 78-55 Kentucky 80-77 Providence 80-62 Seton Hall 73-58 S. Florida 64-38 UConn 73-58 Pittsburgh 64-61 #25 Marquette 70-51 Rutgers 68-48 St. John’s 72-58 S. Florida 59-41 Seton Hall 79-61 DePaul 79-58 #12 Syracuse 58-53 Cincinnati 67-51 #24 Notre Dame 73-57 Villanova 74-55 #24 Notre Dame 69-57 #19 Syracuse 78-61 NC A&T 79-48 Colorado State 82-56 Oregon 77-69 Duke 85-63 Wichita State 72-68
#15 Ohio State 56-53 #3 Indiana 73-81 Wisconsin 62-65 OT #8 Michigan St. 52-75 Penn State 78-84 #2 Indiana 71-72 #22 Wisconsin 59-68	Losses	#5 Duke 71-76 #6 Syracuse 68-70 Villanova 64-73 Georgetown 51-53 #25 ND 104-101 5OT
75.2	Points Per Game	74.3
62.8	Scoring Defense	58.3
1,068-for-2,212 (48.3%)	Field Goal %	1,020-for-2,239 (44.6%)
913-for-2,160 (42.3%)	Def. Field Goal %	800-for-2,041 (39.2%)
288-for-751 (38.3%)	3-point %	222-for-675 (32.9%)
234-for-729 (32.1%)	Def. 3-point %	213-for-678 (31.4%)
432-for-617 (70.0%)	Free Throw %	634-for-897 (70.7%)
11.4	FT Made/Game	16.3
35.2	Rebounds Per Game	36.9
32.1	Opp. Reb. Per Game	33.3
14.6	Assists Per Game	14.5
9.4	Turnovers Per Game	12.5
6.2	Steals Per Game	10.8
2.8	Blocks Per Game	4.2
G – Trey Burke (18.5) G – Tim Hardaway Jr. (14.6)	Leading Scorer	G – Russ Smith (18.1) C – Gorgui Dieng (9.8)
F – Mitch McGary (6.3) F – Glenn Robinson III (5.5)	Leading Rebounder	C – Gorgui Dieng (9.4) F – Chane Behanan (6.4)

Twenty years ago, a fabulous group of five sophomores played for a national championship against a college basketball powerhouse. We all know the result, which has been trumpeted across newsstands and the internet for the past week. Chris Webber’s timeout that gave North Carolina two free throws and the ball to seal the victory with 11 seconds remaining was a heartbreaking moment for the Michigan basketball program. And the aftermath was just as devastating. Michigan plunged into basketball purgatory as a result of Webber’s (and others’) off-the-court actions – taking money from booster Ed Martin – and only started climbing out within the past few years.

John Beilein, a college basketball journeyman in his own right, took the reigns from Tommy Amaker in 2007 and suffered through a 10-22 season. Five years later, and just a day removed from the 20th anniversary of that Webber timeout mishap, Michigan returns to the title game against another college basketball thoroughbred.

Louisville entered the tournament as the top overall seed and hasn’t disappointed. The Cardinals rolled through North Carolina A&T, Colorado State, Oregon, and Duke before nearly stumbling in Saturday’s Final Four matchup with Wichita State. The Shockers held a one-point lead at halftime and widened it to 12 with under 14 minutes to play, but Louisville dialed up the defensive pressure, forcing seven turnovers in the final seven minutes to fuel the comeback.

Just like Michigan got unlikely contributions in its Final Four win over Syracuse, Louisville got a 20-point game from backup wing Luke Hancock. The junior averages just 7.7 points per game in 22 minutes of action on the season. But he’s certainly not the Cardinals’ go-to man. That would be junior guard Russ Smith who averages 18.9 point per game. He’s the only player on the team averaging in double figures and he has scored at least 21 points in every tournament game so far. In those five games, he has shot an impressive 50 percent from the field. He’s certainly not shy about shooting the ball, averaging nearly 16 shots – and six threes – per game during the tournament. Like Trey Burke, he is susceptible to poor outings every now and then like a 2-for-13 performance in a January loss to Villanova.

Joining Smith in the backcourt is senior guard Peyton Siva who averages 9.8 points and 5.7 assists per game. He has had an up and down tournament so far, with a 16-point night against Duke in which he made 6-of-10 from the field, but also combined to shoot 2-of-14 for 11 points in games against Oregon and Wichita State. He’s a capable scorer, but he’s much more of a set-up man for Smith.

Inside, the Cardinals have a talented center in Gorgui Dieng who averages 9.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per contest. He didn’t score a point in 30 minutes on Saturday, but scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Duke in the Elite Eight matchup. His length and athleticism allow him to control the paint where he averages 2.5 blocks per game.

Michigan's ball-handlers will have to take extra care against the Louisville pressure

Sophomore forward Chane Behanan scores 9.6 points per game and ranks second on the team with a 6.4 rebound average. He nearly had a double-double against Wichita State with 10 points and nine boards. Wingman Wayne Blackshear gets about 20 minutes per game and averages 7.6 points, while freshman forward Montrezl Harrell averages 5.7 in 16 minutes a game. Harrell scored 11 points against Colorado State on 5-of-7 shooting.

Of course the player that will soak up the airtime on tonight’s broadcast is sophomore guard Kevin Ware who suffered a gruesome leg injury against Duke. He only averaged 16 minutes and 4.5 points per game, but his loss takes away backcourt depth.

As a team, Louisville was the Big East’s top scoring offense, averaging 74.3 points per game, and the fourth best shooting team at 45.6 percent. But the Cardinals aren’t a great three-point shooting team, hitting at a 32.9 percent clip. Neither are they a great defensive rebounding team, ranking ninth in the Big East. That may be an area Michigan can exploit, much like it did in the first half against Syracuse.

With a national title on the line, both teams will give it their all. Neither team has anything left to play for so you can be assured that it will be a hard fought battle from the onset. But what does Michigan need to do in order to win? Let’s take a look.

1. Handle the pressure. Many wondered how the youngest team in this year’s tournament field would handle the big stage on Saturday night, but the Wolverines rose to the occasion. In fact, it was the freshmen that fueled the lead in the first half when the veterans were struggling. A similar response will be needed tonight in an even bigger game. And I’m not only talking about the pressure of the moment.

Louisville is known for its relentless defensive pressure which forced a Big East-leading 10.8 steals per game. Michigan has the best player in the nation, who just happens to be its point guard, to help break the pressure, but don’t be surprised to see a lot of Spike Albrecht once again. The freshman has shown great ball handling skills and decision making along with the ability to hit the big shot when needed.

Michigan was able to get out to a big first half lead against Syracuse because it took care of the basketball, took its time on offense, and didn’t force things. When the Orange applied pressure late in the game to try to complete its comeback, Michigan got a little sloppy with the ball. Fortunately, it didn’t cost them the game, but the Wolverines will need to show the poise it had in the first half of that game rather than down the stretch.

2. Don’t let up. This ties into the first point, but against Louisville no lead is safe. The Cardinals have come back to win six games from deficits of nine points or more this season, including on Saturday. The relentless pressure is able to create turnovers which lead to transition baskets and can swing the momentum in a hurry. If Michigan manages to get out to a sizable lead like it did on Saturday or like Wichita State did on Saturday, the Wolverines need to keep the foot on the gas pedal. Rather than playing not to lose, which it seemingly did down the stretch on Saturday, Michigan must keep attacking and hitting open shots.

A win over Rick Pitino would give John Beilein's squad one of the most impressive lists of coaches beaten en route to a title ever

3. Make free throws. Free throws down the stretch have been dicey all season for Michigan, most glaringly in a loss to Indiana in which both Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. missed the front end of one-and-ones that allowed the Hoosiers to steal a win. On Saturday night, Michigan fans across the globe were having flashbacks as Mitch McGary missed three straight and Burke and Jon Horford each hit just one of two. But this time it didn’t cost them the game. With a national title on the line, the nerves will be at an all-time high and the outcome of the game could very well come down to which team hits its free throws in the closing seconds.

Michigan’s only national title, in 1989, Rumeal Robinson hit a pair of free throws with three seconds left in overtime to give Michigan a 80-79 victory. That’s about as clutch as it gets. Will someone on this team be able to do the same if the situation presents itself?

The good news is Louisville isn’t a great free throw shooting team either, hitting just under 71 percent. Smith and Siva are both solid at 80.6 and 85.9 percent – although Smith struggled from the charity stripe on Saturday – but the rest of the Cardinals team is iffy. Hancock is the next best at 76.9 percent, but Behanan is the guy to foul if possible. He shoots just 54.1 percent and has attempted the second most on the team behind Smith.

Prediction: Michigan has been overlooked all tournament long, but will have every chance to win this one. The Wolverines have already taken down teams coached by Shaka Smart, Bill Self, Billy Donovan, and Jim Boeheim, so confidence isn’t lacking. Over the course of those games, John Beilein’s squad has seen nearly every kind of look possible and has risen to the occasion each time. Louisville will present a similar match up as VCU did in the second game, though the Cardinals will be bigger, longer, and more talented. That was a good matchup for Michigan and the Wolverines can exploit the pressure in this one as well. Virtually nobody thought it possible when the Wolverines limped into the tournament having lost six of 12, but with the way they have played over the last three weeks, all signs point to them being the team of destiny. Yes, Louisville has a great defense, but Michigan leads the nation in fewest turnovers and that will be the key to victory. Michigan wins a close one, 66-62, and puts to rest the demons that have haunted the program over the past 20 years.

A year ago, Michigan visited Fayetteville, Ark. in the middle of the Big Ten schedule and quickly fell behind by 20 in the first half. Despite a furious comeback, the Wolverines lost 66-64, picking up a loss just four days after a thrilling win over Michigan State. Today, Michigan hosted the Razorbacks and returned the favor with a 80-67 win.

Michigan built a 30-18 lead in the first 13 minutes of the game and held off an Arkansas comeback in the second half to pull away for the 13-point win. Michigan led 42-32 at the half, but Arkansas scored 11 of the first 13 points of the second half to cut the lead to two. It remained within a few points for the next five minutes and Arkansas pulled within one at 56-55 with 8:48 to play. But Michigan got back to back threes by freshmen Nik Stauskas and Spike Albrecht and outscored the Razorbacks 24-12 the rest of the way.

John Beilein has won 100 games as Michigan head coach (Carlos Osorio, AP)

All five starters scored in double digits, led by Glenn Robinson III’s 17 on 7-of-11 shooting. Trey Burke added 16 points and seven assits, while Tim Hardaway Jr was a rebound short of a double-double with 14 points and nine boards. Jordan Morgan did record a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Nik Stauskas also added 12 points.

Michigan didn’t get much bench scoring in this one, as Mitch McGary scored six and Spike Albrecht hit a three. No one else scored, but Jon Horford put in 10 solid minutes with four rebounds, three blocks, and a steal.

As a team, Michigan shot 46.8 percent, which is lower than its season average. Arkansas shot right at its season average of 44.3. It was the three-ball that kept the Razorbacks in the game. They hit 10-of-17, which is far better than their 28.8 percent season average. But Michigan pulled away thanks to the charity stripe, where the Wolverines made 15-of-18 and Arkansas attempted just four. Michigan also dominated the glass, out-rebounding Arkansas 42-26, including an 18-to-10 edge on the offensive end.

It was John Beilein’s 100th win since he arrived in Ann Arbor and it moved Michigan to 9-0 for the first time since the 1988-89 season. You may remember what happened that season: Michigan’s last national championship.

The Wolverines return to action on Tuesday against Binghamton (2-8) in the Crisler Center before traveling back to New York City on Saturday night to face West Virginia in the Brooklyn Winter Hoops Festival.

Michigan’s second and final exhibition matchup comes tonight at the Crisler Center against the Cardinals of Saginaw Valley State. Here are three things to watch for as the season nears:

Trey Burke will see his first game action of the season tonight

1. Rotation: Trey Burke will be back in the lineup tonight after serving a one-game suspension last Thursday for a violation of team rules and will certainly be starting over Spike Albrecht, whose play in the first exhibition game exceeded many observers’ expectations. Because this game doesn’t count in the record books, Beilein will probably try to get Albrecht some quality minutes again to prepare him for the regular season, but I wouldn’t expect more than 15-20. Burke needs to get minutes against a different opponent with his teammates both new and old to develop the chemistry that all great teams have. Watch for Beilein to play Burke, Glenn Robinson III, and Mitch McGary together on the court for long periods of time. Also pay close attention to the rotation at the two-guard spot. I expect Matt Vogrich to start again, but Nik Stauskas’s play has certainly spoken volumes, and a bigger lineup would likely see Tim Hardaway, Jr. slide down to the shooting guard spot.

1. Shooting: The Wolverines, and notably the freshmen, got off to a hot start against Northern Michigan with their three-point shooting in particular, as Spike Albrecht, Nik Stauskas, and Glenn Robinson III combined to go 9-for-15 from behind the arc. Was this just a case of getting hot at the right time or will these freshmen continue to light it up from deep? Only time will tell, but with each passing game it will become more evident. Pay special attention to Vogrich, who struggled shooting the deep ball Thursday, going 0-for-4 from three-point land. If Stauskas continues to outshoot him, Beilein may shuffle up the lineup sooner than I thought.

1. Defense: With the potential to play a bigger lineup this year, Michigan has some options on both ends of the court, and many expect to see significantly more zone defense being deployed by Beilein when a bigger squad is on the floor. Against Northern Michigan the Wolverines went to the 2-3 zone for a short stretch in the second half, but there wasn’t a whole lot more than that. Watch tonight to see if Beilein mixes up the calls a little bit more on the defensive end, and if so, which zones he plays. The 2-3 will likely be the most utilized zone defense we see this season, but Beilein always has the 1-3-1 in his back pocket as well, and with more length and athleticism, Michigan could be deadly in spurts by switching to the 1-3-1 at times. It certainly won’t be used often, but I think we will see it more than we have over the past couple of years.

#5 Michigan v. Saginaw Valley State (exhibition)
	Monday, Nov. 5 7pm ET BTN.com
0-0	2011-12 Record	10-16 (6-13)
83	Points Per Game	69.6
47	Scoring Defense	72.7
27-for-63 (42.9%)	Field Goal %	41.7%
19-for-59 (32.2%)	Def. Field Goal %	45.6%
13-for-31 (41.9%)	3-point %	29.3%
6-for-20 (30.0%)	Def. 3-point %	34.3%
16-for-26 (61.5%)	Free Throw %	74.9%
16	Free Throws Made/Game	16.7
50	Rebounds Per Game	33.7
32	Opp. Reb. Per Game	37.0
17	Assists Per Game	11.5
8	Turnovers Per Game	11.4
4	Steals Per Game	6.0
2	Blocks Per Game	2.7
G – Nik Stauskas (17.0) G – Spike Albrecht (16.0)	Leading Ret. Scorer	G – Chris Webb (14.2) G – Michael Fugate (8.1)
F – Jordan Morgan (12.0) F – Mitch McGary (9.0)	Leading Ret. Rebounder	F – Jay Thames (4.4) F – Rob Clark (4.1)
*Michigan’s stats are from the first exhibition game this season

Michigan opened the renovated Crisler Center in style last Thursday with a 83-47 exhibition win over Northern Michigan. Tonight, the Wolverines are back in action in the final tune-up before the regular season starts. This time, it’s another GLIAC foe, Saginaw Valley State.

The Cardinals finished just one game better than Northern michigan in the GLIAC last season, with a 6-13 conference record and 10-16 overall. And while the leading scorer is back, the second and third leading scorers are both gone.

Chris Webb led the SVSU with 14.2 points per game last season and was picked as a Preseason All-GLIAC North First Team member heading into 2012-13. The senior guard had a season high of 28 against Northwood a year ago.

Fellow guard Michael Fugate averaged 8.1 points per game last season and made 42.1 percent of his three-point attempts. He has started 38 games over the past two years.

Head coach Randy Baruth is in his first season at SVSU after serving as Director of Player Development at Utah last season and Director of Basketball Operations at Colorado State before that. So while he doesn’t have head coaching experience, he has been around some decent programs.

Last Friday, John Beilein mixed and matched his lineups, even going with all five freshmen on the court at the same time at one point. While that didn’t last long, the freshman were impressive, as Nik Stauskas, Spike Albrecht, and Glenn Robinson III were the top three scorers in the game. Trey Burke missed the game due to a suspension, so expect him to see a lot of minutes tonight to get up to speed before the season officially kicks off on Friday.

Spike Albrecht scored 16 in his Michigan debut (photo by MGoBlue.com)

With every new season comes new question marks, and Michigan is no different despite being ranked in the top five in the country entering the year. Tonight, some of those questions were answered in a big way.

If someone gave me 20 chances to pick the exacta (for all you horse racing fans out there) for Michigan’s leading scorers, there is simply no way I would have ever chosen Nik Stauskas and Spike Albrecht to win the bet for me. If there were odds on that stat, I imagine Vegas would have given out 200-1 or so on those two freshmen finishing 1-2, but I digress.

John Beilein’s squad came out guns ablazing, sprinting to a 17-0 lead behind six points apiece from Albrecht and Glenn Robinson III; the team as a whole didn’t miss a shot until the clock read 15:21, at which point the outcome of the exhibition tilt was unquestioned.

When Beilein announced Trey Burke’s one-game suspension yesterday, naming Albrecht as the starter for his first-ever Michigan game, many wondered how much the freshman would play and how he would look. Spike answered the bell, shooting an impressive 4-of-7 from the field (3-of-6 on threes) and dishing out six assists to just two turnovers in 30 minutes of action in the All-American’s absence.

Perhaps equally impressive was fellow freshman Nik Stauskas, who scorched the nets to the tune of 17 points (5-of-8 FG, 4-of-6 3-Pt) in just 19 minutes; his shooting was everything it has been advertised to be, as he seemed to be on line with every shot, and his pump fake, dribble, and step-to-the-left-and-pop-the-three bomb was easily the sweetest shot of the game. By the time he had drained his fourth trey of the game, I basically gave up on my $5 bet on who will be the best three-point shooter on the team at the end of the year (I have the field and my friend has Stauskas).

What encouraged me most about Stauskas’s game, however, was his ability to put the ball on the floor. When the shot wasn’t there, he wasn’t afraid to fake the defender and look for the drive and dish or for his own lay-up, and while he made a couple mistakes by doing so, he clearly presents loads of potential on the offensive end.

Albrecht, while not big, fast, or super athletic, was very crafty but controlled at the same time. He did a wonderful job picking his spots and playing within himself, and was really good in finding the open man on the perimeter.

Glenn Robinson III had perhaps the quietest 13 points (5-of-8 FG, 2-of-3 3-Pt) in his 23 minutes on the floor that I’ve ever seen, but also showed flashes of the five-star talent he is, throwing down a breakaway slam with ease and beautifully finishing an alley-oop in the half-court set from Tim Hardaway, Jr. on a ball that he seemed to bring from his waist to the hoop. It almost seemed as if he played too much within the offense, rarely looking for his own shot or putting the ball on the floor. Look for him to be more active on both sides of the ball as the season progresses and he continues to learn his role on this team.

Mitch McGary recorded two blocks to go along with 5 points and 9 boards (photo by John T. Greilick, Detroit News)

McGary showed the intensity and energy that he will bring to the floor night in and night out on a couple occasions and was relentless on the boards (nine rebounds) despite struggling with his touch around the hoop and from the line (five points on 2-of-4 FG, 1-of-5 FT). He seemed to play better immediately after making some big plays and had an eye-opening, one-handed put-back dunk that didn’t count because a foul had been called; McGary will learn to play hard on every possession, regardless of how he is doing on either end of the court.

Caris LeVert was not to be left out of the scoring frenzy either, making a three-pointer of his own and playing a mix of the one, two, and three in 10 minutes. For a very short stint in the first half Beilein put out the whole “Fresh Five”, but the offense failed to flow much and the lineup was quickly broken up. LeVert has great potential and has been very hyped this offseason, but I would still be surprised if he didn’t redshirt this season; he is simply too skinny and the team has too many weapons for him to make a big enough difference to warrant playing him.

Of the returning players, Tim Hardaway, Jr. looked like he has added a couple inches to his vertical, grabbing eight rebounds and pouring in 13 points on 3-of-9 shooting (2-of-5 3-Pt) and Jordan Morgan neared a double-double with nine points (4-of-8 FG, 1-of-2 FT) and 12 boards, showcasing an unquenchable thirst in cleaning up the glass. If these two can rebound consistently this Michigan team should be well above-average team in that category when all is said and done.

Because it was an exhibition, I will not get into deep statistical analysis. It was clear that Beilein was experimenting with many different looks and players, and the lack of Trey Burke basically means that the team we saw tonight will still be completely different from what we will see in a week’s time. Beilein will continue to tinker with different looks and groups on the floor until probably about Big Ten season, when a pretty clear rotation should emerge.

In the end, Michigan easily handled a team they were expected to handle easily while nearly every freshman impressed. Beilein has warned that the freshmen will make lots of mistakes, and especially early on, and every freshman did make his fair share of mistakes tonight. At the same time, however, no one looked out of place against a college opponent, notably on the defensive end. None of the Fresh Five had the look of a lock-down defender, but none was clearly inept on that end either, a welcoming sign for this team.

After tonight, it’s hard to imagine a game in which there isn’t at least one player that is on; with the number of offensive weapons at Beilein’s disposal, it certainly appears that the Wolverines will score the ball on anyone. If the defense continues to improve as the schedule strengthens and the regular season nears, Michigan will be good. Scary good.

Michigan opens the 2012-13 basketball season tonight with its first exhibition game against Northern Michigan at 7pm. In past years coach John Beilein has opted to play a closed scrimmage and one exhibition game, but because of the Wolverines’ lofty No. 5 overall ranking, the lack of a Midnight Madness event, and a beautifully-renovated Crisler Center, Beilein decided to schedule two exhibitions this season to get the team ready to go before officially kicking off the season next Friday against Slippery Rock. Obviously, this game will not count for anything in the final standings, but no team wants to be the one to lose a preseason game to a lower division squad. And while it’s tough to take anything away from what is ultimately a dress rehearsal, here are three things to look for tonight:

Michigan's heralded class will take to the court for the first time tonight (photo by the Detroit News)

1. The Freshmen: Michigan’s freshman class consisting of Spike Albrecht, Nik Stauskas, Caris LeVert, Glenn Robinson III, and Mitch McGary is easily the most hyped group of players that Beilein has ever assembled in one recruiting year, and while they aren’t quite at the level of the Fab Five, Beilein did hint in a recent open practice that all five freshmen could see the court at the same time due to the versatility they possess and their projected positions. Check out the player previews on each of the freshmen to learn all about their games and what to look for early on, but be sure to pay special attention to McGary, who is dealing with a nagging leg injury. In addition, Albrecht should see extended minutes tonight due to Trey Burke’s suspension for a violation of team rules. So pay close attention to how well the man who’s role is to provide Burke a rest throughout the season can far in a leading role.

1. 

   Crisler will have a brand new look to it tonight (photo from MGoBlue.com)

   Lineups: Beilein has already answered hundreds of questions about what he plans to do with added depth in the front court, and the truth is he still does not know exactly how he will use all of Jordan Morgan, Mitch McGary, Jon Horford, Max Bielfeldt, and Blake McLimans down low. He has openly said that he is experimenting with a two-big offense in practice but he is still learning the intricacies of the style because of his personal unfamiliarity with it. Expect to see the lineups shuffled quite a bit tonight with some four-out, one-in prototypical Beilein offense as well as some three-out, two-in sets mixed in. Horford won’t be playing, but Beilein will still want to see how he can successfully run the offense and defense with two big men at once.

1. New Jerseys: Adidas is coming out with new jerseys for Michigan for the second time in three years, and tonight will be everyone’s first chance to see the players don them under the bright lights. There have been complaints and there have been cries of approval on internet boards based off the pictures from media day; now people can decide for themselves from an in-person view.

Bonus: If you can, make the trek to Crisler tonight to see the newly-renovated arena for yourself. The pictures at MGoBlue.com look stunning, but I’m just as excited as everyone else to see what appears to be a brand-new building in person. You will be able to find me riding the escalator before and after and playing in the waterfall in the new entrance lobby area.