The Michigan Wolverines are 20-2, and playing their most exciting and competitive brand of basketball since the Fab Five revolutionized Ann Arbor twenty years ago. In fact, this year's team under head coach John Beilein is eerily similar to the 1992-1993 team of Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson.....and that's both good and bad.
For starters, both teams were loaded with talented freshmen. The Fab Five (Freshman) obviously, but Michigan has a talented bunch of newbies on the floor today...and those newbies are producing.
Freshman guard Nik Stauskas leads the nation in three point percentage. Forwards Glen Robinson III and Mitch McGary, and guard Caris LaVert are all talented freshmen playing big time minutes this year. Let's just close the comparison with this...the Wolverines' roster is more talented than their opponents night in and night out, even with freshmen playing significant roles. That certainly hasn't happened since the Fab Five.
But then again...
Both the Fab Five and this year's team bear another striking resemblance...a failure to win the "big game". For all their talent, and they were talented, the Fab Five never won a Big Ten Title. And we all know about the National Title losses of the early nineties (enter time out jokes here).
But seriously...
This year's Wolverines have trolled through lesser opponents in spectacular fashion, but has failed to deliver on their two marquee games against Ohio State and Indiana. Both losses cost the Wolverines a number one ranking...just like times past. The high flying Fab Five had a 1-3 career record against a similarly talented Indiana team in the early nineties. Michigan had the All Americans, the high light reel dunks, and the accolades. But someone else went home with the hardware.
With all of the similarities between the Fab Five and this year's team, Wolverine fans are hoping the NCAA tournament is where the similarities will end. follow @plcolter
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