Jeff Riger: "So You're Saying They Got A Chance!"
Tom Izzo said at the start of the season that he thought 5 losses would win the Big Ten Conference title!
Well he could be right. After the Spartans got handled in Bloomington to the Hoosiers on Tuesday night 70-55, MSU now has 4 losses in conference while Michigan and Ohio State each have 5.
The Spartans already have a share of the conference championship after thrashing Nebraska on Saturday while Michigan and Ohio State both lost at home to all but eliminate them for having a chance to join MSU at the top of the mountain. But now things have changed at least a little bit! Of course the odds are still not good, but if the Wolverines and Buckeyes win out which would include an Ohio State victory at the Breslin Center on Senior day in East Lansing, than there would be a three way tie for the Big Ten title, something that would definitely mean the world to Michigan.
The Wolverines have to travel to a recently rejuvenated Illinois team on Thursday night and then play in Happy Valley against Penn State on Sunday while the Buckeyes make the trip to Evanston tonight to battle Northwestern and then the above mentioned game at MSU. The odds of both the Maize and Blue and Buckeyes winning out are not likely but definitely intriguing. In fact for the sake of the topic below, the Buckeyes could lose to Northwestern tonight as long as they beat MSU on Sunday. That would mean there would be just a two way tie for the title.
Now I truly believe that Michigan State will win on Sunday making this whole conversation vanish, however if they don't and the Wolverines do the "crazy" and grab a share of the title; what will it mean?
Well here is what I think...
I realize that a share of a Big Ten title is not nearly as impressive as an outright championship, but it's still something, especially for a Michigan team that has sunk to the depths that they have over the last 15 seasons. A banner would mean everything! I'm not naive enough to say that Michigan has closed the gap on Michigan State because that is the farthest thing from the truth. It's hard to match 6 Final Fours, a National Title and too many accomplishments to even list without this blog reaching 17 pages, so I won't even try. However a title, none the less would mean something very significant. It means a banner and for a program that has only taken banners down recently, what an accomplishment to finally gets a chance to hang one.
There is really no need to go through the embarrassment that hoops in Ann Arbor was. It's still fresh and everybody remembers or at least wishes they would forget. Even though Michigan has had some success recently by going to the NCAA tournament 2 of the last 3 seasons where they made it to the second round in both dances, it still doesn't begin to make up for how bad it really was. Heck, the Wolverines came a Darius Morris missed shot away from beating Duke to advance to "The Sweet Sixteen" last season, but that is one meaningful game in the midst of so many worthless ones. However a banner would be the beginning to changing all of that.
I remember having a conversation on the radio a couple weeks ago where Eric Thomas and I were talking about what would mean more for the Wolverines; a deep tournament run or a Big Ten Title? The majority of people that called in went with the tournament run and I actually agreed with them. There is nothing more exciting in sports that a team marching to a Final Four, especially in a "one and done" format. However now I am seeing things differently. Don't get me wrong, a deep NCAA run would be impressive and exciting but a banner would last forever, an accomplishment by the way that Michigan has not attained since 1987. "Sweet Sixteen's and "Elite Eights" are memorable, but only for so long where as a conference title is a lasting sign of having taken care of business where it's most important; home.
Many so called pundits consider the Big ten the strongest conference in college basketball and I would agree. Granted the Big 12 is impressive as well, but from top to bottom I would say the Big Ten is as good as it gets. And for Michigan to finish at the top of such a talented group where the Spartans, Badgers, Buckeyes, Hoosiers and Boilermakers all reside is amazing.
I'm not saying that one banner erases everything and I'm definitely not saying that if Michigan actually were to tie State for tops in the conference that I would be absolutely satisfied. I wouldn't! I would still want more, as any fan would. However winning the conference is the start of truly turning things in a positive direction. It's concrete proof stating that the rebuild is finished. The Wolverines finally got the facilities they desperately needed, they seem to be getting the recruits as well and a banner would prove it's all working. That banner would allow the fan base to grow and demand more titles and deep tournament runs as well. It would be the first small step to closing that almost insurmountable gap between them and the Spartans.
How great has this season been? Let me answer. It's been sensational! Well think about season after season like this one where both Michigan schools are consistently ranked and want nothing more than to destroy each other. That rivalry already exists in football between the two programs; why not strive for the same in hoops? I would never suggest it would be like Duke-North Carolina or Missouri-Kansas but it could be close and a Big Ten title could start it.
So if the "crazy" happens and Michigan wins their next two games, than at 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon I would advise all Wolverine fans to truly do the "unthinkable"...
Root like hell for the Buckeyes! It might feel bad, but if the result is indeed a banner than trust me, at the end it will feel so good!
