This Michigan Basketball season has been one to remember. Not for all the right reasons, however. This season started horribly for the Wolverines. Juwan Howard was on the hot seat, team chemistry seemed unbalanced, and the development of the young players was not happening as it should have.

Recently, The Wolverines have showed a turnaround. With 3 straight conference wins, a 14-10 record, and the emergence of Kobe Bufkin, the team now has one goal: March Madness. In a season that has been full of disappointment, this team has a very good chance to control their own destiny and get a tournament berth.

What Michigan needs to do

Currently, the 14 wins the Wolverines have put them in fifth place in the big ten conference. Within the team’s recent successes, they have dominated in conference play. Hunter Dickinson has taken on the leadership role. Bufkin has really formed into the most complete player on the team, and Juwan Howard’s job looks safe. There are seven games left in the season. Although the recent success, Michigan has to finish down, the biggest stretch this team has faced. With all seven matchups being in the conference, every game has massive significance. With the 14 wins they currently have, the team has a very low chance of an NCAA tourney berth.

However, with an 18-win season, the Wolverine’s chances improve to 36.4%. A 19-win season gives an 86% chance for this team to clinch. That means that there is a 49,65 differential between one win. Nothing should be more important to this team than clinching the tourney, with that goal of at least 19 wins. If this team can win out and clinch the tourney, it would be a major improvement from what this team looked like at the beginning of the year. This is all a very desirable scenario, and Michigan must win out and prove to the fan base they are the same team we always know.

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