So the common thing people want to know is what it will take for Michigan to get in. I think the consensus right now is Michigan will need to beat Minnesota (given) and also win in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament to put themselves in position. From there it’ll depend on what happens in the conference tournaments.
I asked Pete Tiernan of the great bracketscience.com for his take. Recall from my interview with Tiernan earlier this year that his dad ‘Boom Boom’ Tiernan played Michigan hoops in the 1950s. Here’s what he emailed me earlier this week:
- “They must beat Minnesota and they must win at least their first tourney game…and maybe their second, which could be against MSU.”
- “If they lose to Minnesota, they’ll have to get to the Big Ten finals.”
- “I don’t think there’s any way they get in with a Minnesota win and no Big Ten win. Despite our three good wins and nice UConn loss, an 18-13 record, sub-.500 conference record (including a tourney loss), and all the other bubble teams would seem to me to crowd UM out. Too bad they just couldn’t get it done versus Wisconsin.”
