For Your Consideration

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We don't deserve it. No excuses. But it seems like some of the pundits think we do, and we see that as an opening to state our case:

Dear Committee-

We want to dance. We beat Indiana. Also Maryland. And we own Shaka Smart no matter where he coaches. Speaking of coaches, ours is a real sweetheart. Nicest guy in the NCAA. Perfect tournament ambassador. And remember that cute little kid that had 17 points in the first half of the 2013 Championship game? He's on our bench! Sure he's in street clothes, but you know Jim Nance wants to tell that story again. Then there's the Harbaugh angle. Run with it. We can have him climb a tree outside any arena or wrestle Clark Kellogg.

We dont care if we have to play Tuesday or Wednesday first, in this season full of injuries and Caris uncertainty, we'd really appreciate you letting us just check the box.

In closing, I give you Ren McCormick, who is going to bring a little God into the equation in case thats your thing. Thanks and Go Blue!

Footloose movie clips: http://j.mp/15vKaV6 BUY THE MOVIE: http://amzn.to/vjtiv5 Don't miss the HOTTEST NEW TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/1u2y6pr CLIP DESCRIPTION: Ren (Kevin Bacon) appeals to the Bible to defend his dance at the town meeting. FILM DESCRIPTION: In this lively adolescent-oriented musical, a city kid attempts to adapt to life in an ultra-conservative backwater Midwestern town.

Michigan 72, Indiana 69

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It's likely that this will end with sadness, but today we are happy, and man that was fun. That was basketball. Which is far more than I can say for the bulk of the season.

Role players. Bench players. Mo friggin' Wagner.

And sure, Zak Irvin still took ill-advised shots, Duncan Robinson was colder than that 5-2 Purdue game in 1995, and Kameron still spelled his name with a K. But we won. Not because we shot the lights out from behind the arc, or because of luck or some gimmick. We won because we were better...at least for a day.

Let's do it all over again tomorrow!

What's Up This Weekend is Hoping for a Couple More Games

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Friday, 3/11/16

  • Basketball vs. Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament, Indianapolis, noon (ESPN)
    * First time on the worldwide leader since the front row camera angle debacle
  * Win and maybe were in?
  • Hockey vs. Penn State at Yost, 7:35p (BTN2Go)
    * Getting back on track would be nice
  • Baseball vs. Hawaii in Honalulu, 11:30p (ESPN Radio)
    * Late night college baseball...oddly available on ESPN radio

Saturday, 3/12/16

  • Softball vs. Illinois State in Louisville, 10a
  • Basketball vs. Purdue (Big Ten Semifinals) 1p (CBS)
    * Trust the madness
  • Softball vs. Dayton in Louisville, 2:30p
  • Baseball vs. Hawaii in Honalulu, 5:05p (ESPN Radio)
  • Hockey vs. Penn State at Yost, 7:35p (BTN2Go)
    * Getting back on track would be nice
  • Baseball vs. Hawaii in Honalulu, 8:05p (ESPN Radio)

Sunday, 3/13/16

  • Softball vs. Louisville in Louisville, 10a
  • Softball vs. Eastern Kentucky in Louisville, 12p
  • Basketball vs. MSU (Big Ten Finals) 3p (CBS)
    * For all the marbles.

Michigan 72, Northwestern 70

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Yuck...in the most celebratory kind of way. Before I poop on this, it's important to remember that we beat Northwestern, who hasn't sucked as much lately, and we advance. We will have a chance to play our way in to the dance(or so they say) and that's better than already knowing we are out.

The shot heard round the...er, um, well...Indianapolis? 

The shot heard round the...er, um, well...Indianapolis? 

This screen capture courtesy of @drewchallet is worth a thousand words...probably more like 100.

To say Irvin made some poor choices with regards to shot selection would be a drastic understatement. The shot above is one of them. And I'm pretty tired of Zack's split-legged front-loaded jumper. Like Michigan, it doesn't pass the eye test. Yet somehow my goat of the game became the hero, maybe because he never saw a shot he didn't like, maybe because he didn't see the gentle giant Doyle by himself under the basket, or maybe because we don't pass to Doyle anymore because he can't catch or finish.

Regardless, bad basketball. We will have to wait until tomorrow to have that late season rebirth we're all waiting for.

Crean. Friday. High noon.