The improbable week that saved Michigan's season

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Seven days ago the University of Michigan men's basketball team was reeling and all but eliminated from NCAA Tournament consideration. A devastating home loss to the lowly Ohio State Buckeyes on February 4th dropped the Wolverines to 4-6 in conference play and 10th place in the Big Ten.

Worse yet, the boys in Maize and Blue were staring down the barrel of an upcoming three game stretch against teams that have owned them the last few years.

Last Thursday the Wolverines hosted their arch nemesis, Michigan State, who they hadn't beaten since 2014. Michigan steamrolled the Spartans 86-57, their largest margin of victory in the series since World War II.

And I am not being sarcastic, the last time the Wolverines beat Michigan State by that many points was 1948.

Three days later the University of Michigan traveled to Bloomington Indiana, a place where they lost 17 of their last 18 games. The last time the Wolverines defeated Indiana in their place, Avatar was the number one movie in theaters.

The Wolverines jumped out to an early lead over the Hoosiers last Sunday afternoon and held on for a 75-63 victory, giving them an equally rare season sweep of the series that dated back to the debut of Tupac's classic album..."All Eyes on Me".

Yep...over 20 years ago. Wow...I'm old...

But I digress.

And tonight the Wolverines faced their toughest challenge to date when they hosted Big Ten leader and 11th ranked Wisconsin, who was 21-4 heading into the game.

After falling behind by eight points early in the second half Michigan turned up the defensive pressure to rally for a 64-58 upset of the Badgers, a team that has beaten them consistently over the last several years.

Michigan's surprising turnaround was led by senior point guard Derrick Walton Jr, who had scored at least 20 points in five straight games heading into tonight's contest.

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Struggling for most of the contest, Walton Jr was helped out by his fellow senior teammate in swing man guard Zak Irvin...who broke out of a horrendous month-long shooting slump with 18 huge points.

At 17-9 (7-6), squarely off the bubble now, and riding a three game win streak, the Wolverines must now hold serve with four of their last five games coming on the road...albeit against competition they have had much better success against.

It looks like March Madness came a couple of weeks early for Michigan, thanks to an improbable seven day run.

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