Michigan basketball’s NCAA tournament dreams have officially been dashed, as the Wolverines suffered a disappointing 62-50 second round loss to No. 9 Rutgers in the Big Ten tournament.
The loss was especially damaging for Michigan, who entered the tournament widely considered one of the \”First Four Out\” by experts. The Wolverines had a 28-25 halftime lead, but completely collapsed in the second half, shooting 4-for-21 from the field and getting outrebounded.
Michigan’s poor second-half play has put the team in a difficult spot. They finish the season with a 3-12 record against Quad I opponents, and will miss the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015.
Coach Juwan Howard has come under fire for the team’s poor performance. Michigan is 36-30 over the past two seasons, and despite making a Sweet 16 run in 2022 to finish 19-15, the Wolverines have failed to make the impact expected of them this season.
Fans of the team are understandably frustrated with the team’s dismal performance in the tournament. Michigan will have to regroup and look to the future in order to make a return to the NCAA tournament next season.
