After starting the year being ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP Poll, the 2021-22 Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team has failed to live up to lofty expectations. After a 31-day drought with no wins starting in mid-December, the Wolverines haven’t looked super confident and have had to fight for their NCAA Tournament lives.
They threw a knockout punch in that fight last night, beating the No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers handily at the Crisler Center, 82-58.
This is the Michigan team many fans expected to see all year long. After 20 games of a stagnant offense and inconsistent defense, the Wolverines might be hitting their stride at just the right time.