MICHIGAN CONFIRMS "ELITE PROGRAM" STATUS WITH HOME-COURT THRASHING OF RUTGERS ON "REDSHIRT-JUNIOR DAY"

THIS IS "BEILEIN MONTH"

Next week is "Shembechler Week"

(this article was originally published on 3-7-15)

What a remarkable season it's been for the Michigan men's basketball team.

As the defending (regular season) league champions, they opened play as a Top 25 team with expectations of "making a deep run" into the Big Dance after winning another B1G title. After all, they had achieved "Elite Program" status based on the last three years, right? That's what their fans have been telling us ever since a pair of one-point wins created a pair of three-game win-streaks in the MSU-UM rivalry series.

As the season played out, we could see clearly what it is that makes up an "Elite Program". Things like these:

• Losing to New Jersey Tech at Crisler with all UM players available.
• Following up that loss by losing to Eastern Michigan.
• Their four-game losing streak in December.
• Their five-game losing streak in February.
• Their 9th-place finish in the B1G.
• Their losing record at the end of the regular season, despite claiming a win over Hillsdale College.

As notable as some of these achievements may be, they are merely some of the ingredients of an "Elite Program". You can read all about the greatness of UM in the mainstream sports media, as they'll be sure to tell you it's a veritable "Camelot" in Ann Arbor.

So congrats to the Michigan Wolverines on another outstanding season of men's basketball!

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