April 4, 1989. That was the day the Michigan Wolverines won their first and only national championship, beating Seton Hall in Seattle behind a legendary run by Glen Rice and the iconic introduction of Steve Fisher. The Wolverines won the rematch eight months later as well, but that would be the last time the schools met on the court until this Tuesday.
The faces have changed many times over since that overtime victory over 30 years ago, but this week’s matchup in Ann Arbor comes with plenty of intrigue. Both teams won their opening two games against mid-major opponents, so this will be the first significant test for each.