And just like that, the regular season is over. What started with question marks saw the Michigan Wolverines shoot up the national polls, only to fall down into seemingly dangerous territory, then level out to where many hoped they would be before the season even began. All of that is over now; Michigan enters postseason play with essentially a clean slate. Expectations have settled down, but the opportunity still remains.
The No. 9 seed in the Big Ten Tournament is not where anyone was projecting the Wolverines to sit at the end of the year, but after losing their head coach and three starters before the season, and then Isaiah Livers for a long stretch during the year, it makes a lot of sense.