Michigan’s preseason hype has met reality.

The Wolverines had the No. 1-ranked recruiting class and were coming off an Elite 8 appearance, so most thought that they’d contend for a Big Ten title and find their way into the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. But then things changed during the regular season, when UM failed miserably to reach expectations.

Then coach Juwan Howard smacked a Wisconsin assistant, earning a 5-game suspension while assistant Phil Martelli assumed the reigns of the program.

Despite a so-so 3-2 finish with Martelli and being bounced by Indiana during the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, the Wolverines are here, right in the middle of the Sweet 16 — their 5th consecutive — preparing to see just how far they can push the envelope after being written off by most media and pundits late during the regular season.

Was this run improbable? Did Michigan find some sort of extra gear?

No and no.

Michigan was supposed to be here, according to preseason hype; and it’s always had the attitude and talent to make a serious run. UM needed to figure out some things, though, before reaching its current level of achievement. They were 7-7 after 3 consecutive losses to UCF, Rutgers and Illinois. Perhaps the 5-game suspension of Howard has helped serve as motivation? Maybe the Wolverines did some serious soul-searching during the past couple of weeks?

Or maybe the answer is much more simple: They just woke up from their slumber, realizing that they were on the verge of blowing any chances of duplicating/outshining 2020-21’s triumphant postseason run through March.

Leading Men

With 14 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in just 31 minutes of floor time, freshman point guard Frankie Collins became an instant hero for the Wolverines, who were in need of an extra spark during their 75-63 first round victory against Colorado State. Sure, he appeared to be Johnny On the Spot, or maybe a timely a stroke of luck … but in reality, he was just being the player that coaches and teammates knew he could be during critical situations.

“They really just told me to be Frankie, so go out there and play with confidence and lead the team,” Collins said following the win over the Rams, per MLive’s Andrew Kahn. “I felt great going into the game just from all the intel from the coaches and from DeVante’ [Jones] from the beginning of the season to now.”

Despite being nearly invisible against Tennessee, scoring just 2 points during the Wolverines’ biggest win of the postseason, Collins has been a vital piece to the overall puzzle for Michigan, which faces Villanova in the Sweet 16. Had the freshman not risen to the challenge, the Wolverines wouldn’t be in the position to potentially take down one of college basketball’s top programs.

Eli Brooks has played some of his best basketball during this postseason. As long as he cuts down on turnovers, the Wolverines have a solid chance of taking down Villanova … and whichever team may be next. The offensive production has been there, so there is no reason to question that aspect of his game. He scored 23 vs. Tennessee and 16 vs. Colorado State; he’s also averaging 5.5 assists through the first pair of NCAA Tournament contests, so he’s clearly doing his part when it comes to facilitating teammates.

The switch has flipped in the mind of Hunter Dickinson, who had a team-high 27 points and 11 rebounds (10 defensive) during the Wolverines’ 76-68 upending of Tennessee, a 3-seed thought to be worthy of a 1-seed, and a team thought to be a Final Four contender. Well, the Vols hadn’t met a player like Dicksinson, and they found out just how nasty he could get when necessary.

Prior to muscling through the Vols, Dicksinon scored 21 vs. Colorado State.

There has yet to be a player or double-team that has been able to shut down Michigan’s big man. Villanova doesn’t have the size to combat Dickinson, so that could help clear the path to the Elite Eight for the Wolverines.

Path thus far, and beyond

Entering the NCAA Tournament, Michigan was a No. 11 seed with a dream. Today, the Wolverines are 5 games over .500 for the first time this season and look like a much-higher seeded team with more than just some fancy ideas on winning games. Despite not having the experienced seniors like last year, the Wolverines are, again, doing what they had done during March Madness 2021: Carrying the torch for the Big Ten, which sent 9 teams into the Tournament and was thought to have at least a couple of Final Four/Elite 8-caliber programs.

Michigan could, like last year, end up being the lone Big Ten program standing — depending on Purdue’s performance — once the NCAA Tournament dwindles down to 8 teams. A win vs. Villanova would send Michigan to its second straight Elite 8 under Howard.

And if the Wolverines get really serious, they could end up being the Big Ten’s second team to reach the Final Four since 2019, when Michigan State made it to national semifinals.

This run hasn’t been as improbable as some have made it seem. Sure, it was easy to discount a team that looked like it was falling apart after Howard’s incident vs. Wisconsin. (I didn’t think UM would advance past the Vols, honestly). The loss against Indiana during the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament didn’t help predictions, either — and the fact that Howard said he’d “pray” for his team to get invited to The Big Dance didn’t exactly speak to Michigan’s confidence.

But UM got in and advanced. That’s what March is all about.