ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan coach John Beilein said he rarely talks about the NCAA Tournament during the regular season, but Wednesday night's home game with Northwestern was the exception.
Right there in the pre-game notes Beilein shared with his team -- beside how they will defend the Wildcats' ball screens and other details -- was a note to "play this game like an NCAA Tournament bid is on the line."
With that kind of prize potentially at stake, the Wolverines came out flat but eventually rallied for a 72-63 win over Northwestern in front of a quarter-full Crisler Center crowd that braved a winter storm that hit the area.