The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Thursday, March 8, 2007 - 5A
Cagers' hopes hinge
on Big Ten Tourney
By DANIEL BROMWICH
Daily Sports Editor
It's one of the equalizers in sports,
an intangible that never shows up
on the stat sheet but often influences
the game just as much as anything
found there.
And the Michi-
gan men's bas- Michigan
ketball team will
have plenty of at Big Ten
motivation this Tournament
weekend at the Matchup:
Big Ten Tourna- Minnesota
ment in Chicago. 9-21; Michi-
Its opening- gan 20-11
round match-up
comes this after- When: Noon
noon against Where: United
Minnesota, an Center
opponent the
Wolverines have TV/Radio:
become quite
familiar with
7 over the past two
years. After two
convincing wins over the Golden
Gophers last season, Michigan faced
Minnesota for a third time in the first
round of the conference tournament.
Perhaps expecting a third easy vic-
tory, the Wolverines lost the game. A
few days later, Michigan received the
news that they would not be invited
to the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan is 8-8in the Big Tenthis
season, the same record it sported
entering the tournament last year.
But the Wolverines are playingmuch
better down the stretch this season.
While it finished last year's regular
season on a 2-6 skid, Michigan has
recently been playing its best bas-
ketball. The team has won four of its
past seven contests, including home
victories over Michigan State and
then-No. 24 Indiana. It also came
within two minutes of upsetting No.
1 Ohio State Saturday.
But there's also a difference in the
Wolverines' attitude.
"I think last year we sort of
thought we were in the (NCAA)
Tournament," senior Courtney Sims
said. "I think we know we have to
win ... soI think we're going to have
more of a sense of urgency."
Added senior Dion Harris: "We
didn't come in and give it our all.
We didn't compete. That's the only
oDRIGO GAYA/Daily reason why we lost. I don't have an
explanation for it - it just happened.
With the guys that played last year, what we're going in and trying to do.
we know what we have to do. It's all Obviously taking it game by game,
on the line again." but we want to get to the champion-
Fellow senior Brent Petway is out ship."
for revenge as well, citing the loss to The opportunities for revenge
the Golden Gophers as the reason might continue beyond the game
Michigan played in the National with the Buckeyes if the Wolver-
Invitational Tournament (NIT) ines can pull off the upset. If Iowa
rather than the NCAAs. gets past Purdue, Michigan would
But if they do get past the Golden get a chance to retaliate for what
Gophers, a revenge game against most consider its worst home loss
Ohio State awaits the Wolverines in this season - a 69-62 defeat at the
the second round. hands of the Hawkeyes on Jan. 31.
Harris and Sims both described And if they beat Iowa, the Wolver-
Saturday's loss to the Buckeyes as ines would be right where Harris
the worstdefeat oftheir careers.And wants them.
if for some strange reason Michigan If Michigan loses to Minne-
needs extra motivation to beat the sota, however, it knows the conse-
Buckeyes even after such a crushing quences.
loss, a win over the best team in the "This is the end right here - you
country on a neutral court would be don't get another chance," Sims
looked upon kindly by the NCAA said. "So if we go out and don't play
Selection Committee. as well as we can and lose against
Such a victory still might not be Minnesota, that's it for us."
enough to propel the Wolverines The Wolverines lack a lot going
- currently on the outer edge of the into this weekend: A marquee victo-
bubble - into the Big Dance. And ry, a single significant road win and
Michigan knows that. an impressive ratings percentage
"I think our mindset is that we've index (RPI) number come to mind.
got to get to the (Big Ten) Cham- But motivation certainly won't be
pionship," Harris said. "And that's hard to find.
PETERSCHOTTENFELS/Dai
Michigan senior Lester Abram will have one last chance to make the Big Dance as the
Wolverines look to make a long-shot run in the Big Ten Tournament this weekend.
Michigan senior Courtnev Sims hones history won t reheat itself in todav s 2 ame against Minnesota.
Gain real world
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