Bracketology 2020: Providence, UCLA and Kansas among biggest winners

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 25: Cody Riley #2 and Chris Smith #5 of the UCLA Bruins line up on the lane against Kolby Lee #40 of the BYU Cougars during the second half at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 25, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

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EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 12: Franz Wagner #21 of the Michigan Wolverines (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

Michigan Wolverines (18-9, 9-7 Big Ten)

When leading scorer Isaiah Livers went down with a groin injury two months ago, Michigan took a nose-dive. Ranked as high as 5th in the country, the Wolverines lost four of five and ventured into the danger zone on the bubble. His return was just what the team needing, now riding a current five-game winning streak and 7 of 8 overall.

The games this week were going to be tough, facing Rutgers and Purdue on the road. Few teams have beaten either club at their spot all season and Big Ten positioning was on the line. Yet the Wolverines pulled off the double-header this week, winning 60-52 against the Scarlet Knights (without Livers) and winning at the Boilermakers, 71-63. Even without being 100% healthy, the emergence of freshman Franz Wagner has been beneficial for Michigan during this run.

These wins continue to bolster the resume of the Wolverines, adding a pair of Quad 1 wins to bring them up to 7-8 overall. With a NET ranking approaching 20 and having both Gonzaga and Creighton to fall back on, Michigan has a shot at reaching a top-4 seed. Two winnable home games are up next, along with road bouts against Maryland and Ohio State. Win one of those and a 4 seed is possible.

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