On Black Friday the Michigan Wolverines won EASY against a top-10 Gonzaga team to win the Battle for Atlantis. The previous day, they won soundly against third-ranked North Carolina. The polls have not done this team any justice this season.
Since not even receiving a single rank vote in the preseason AP poll, the Wolverines have been severely underrated from the start. After wins against Creighton, Iowa State, #3 North Carolina, AND #8 Gonzaga, Michigan is shutting up the haters with a new look squad.
Why No Love?
Despite losing the likes of Ignas Brazedkis, Jordan Poole, and Charles Matthews to the NBA, this team really didn’t lose much. Zavier Simpson, Jon Teske, and Eli Brooks have all returned to keep the Wolverines relevant. Even the addition of Franz Wagner (Moritz younger brother) to the mix gives Juwan Howard a formidable four to work with.
Typically, after losing several key players on a team, that team may not seem as good as they are from years prior. I think that this is why Michigan did not get any true recognition for the team they have now. But after this Battle for Atlantis performance, Michigan faithful will be watching a top 10 team come next week.
It’s crazy to think about how the AP Poll missed the potential of this Michigan team. Since preseason, they have gone from 0 to 12 rank votes in the poll. This hasn’t been enough to even lick the top 25 from this pesky team. After being ignored, the sky is the limit for the Big Ten contenders.
What’s In Store for the Wolverines?
The last two national champions (Villanova and Virginia) also won the Battle for Atlantis. Michigan has big shoes to fill in terms of continuing that streak. It further increases the expectation for a team that many marked as a bubble team in preseason.
Along with this, Michigan still has a lot of basketball left to play. Their very next game is against likely #1 Louisville on December 3rd. Then they play a huge game against #11 Oregon and a string of tough conference games. With this, the Wolverines are known to play better as the season progress. This team could very well surpass Michigan State as the favorite in the Big Ten very quickly.
Their success depends heavily on their perimeter shooting and the inside play of Jon Teske. Big Jon is an absolute beast. He is a defensive guru in the paint and holds his own on offense as well. He provides an anchor that will fuel this team as the season goes on. If he falls, the Wolverines will fall with him. He spaces the floor well enough for the wings to flourish when given the ball.
It’s still early in the season, but this Michigan team may have already built the resume they need for an at-large bid to the Big Dance. They always find a way to win. They always are a tough out, and if they are looking this good in November, this could be a scary team in March.