Michigan Basketball: How the Wolverines reached the Final Four

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 24: The Michigan Wolverines celebrates with the regional championship trophy after defeating the Florida State Seminoles in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional Final at Staples Center on March 24, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Florida State Seminoles 58-54. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 04: Tournament MVP Moritz Wagner /

The highest points of the season for Michigan

The first big win of the year for the Wolverines came against Michigan State, an 82-72 win in East Lansing. Simpson had a nice 16 point game, but it was Wagner who had a career game, with 27 points. He made eight of the team’s 28 total free throws, dominating the Spartans’ defense.

But the Big Ten Tournament was what set in motion the Wolverine’s run to the Final Four. After surviving Iowa and beating Nebraska, they were able to beat Michigan State and Purdue to win the title.

In just a few days, Michigan went from having a mediocre resume to a very solid one, thanks to the Big Ten Tournament. It extended their winning streak to nine games, and they were able to do so in the prestigious Madison Square Garden.

The timing of the event was a big question, with the tournament playing about a week earlier than normal due to scheduling. With the Wolverines being so red-hot, two weeks off could have proved to be a detriment. And their somewhat slow start in the NCAA Tournament may have been a problem of that.

But based on how they and others in the league played, it might be more of an unproven talking point than a worrisome fact.

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