Michigan Wolverines: March Madness Title Contenders

0:00On March 5, Michigan just clinched their 16th Big Ten regular season championship with an 84-70 win over Illinois last Friday. Night. This outright title marks a big milestone for the Wolverines as they head into the Big Ten tournament and NCAA tournament. Looking back, Michigan's first four titles came before either postseason event existed in the 1920s under coaches like E.J. Mather. After World War II, the 1948 team made the NCAA tournament but lost early to Holy Cross. Then in the 1960s, back-to-back-to-back crowns led to deep runs, including a Final Four in 1964 and a national championship, Gamewas to UCLA the next year. The 1970s Brought Elite Eight finishes in both title seasons under Johnny Orr despite strong rosters. A decade later in the 1980s, Bill Frieder's teams grabbed top seeds but fell to upsets in the second round against Villanova and Iowa. State. In recent years, shared titles in 2012 ended with early exits while outright wins in 2014 and 2021 both reached the Elite Eight before stumbling.

1:08No Michigan squad has ever paired a regular season crown with a Big Ten tournament victory and the Elite Eight has been a common stopping point. History shows these Wolverines have a shot at breaking through this march, chasing both tournament wins and maybe even a national title.