Saturday, January 28, 2006

Is The Turnaround Underway?

I have been leery to get all warm and fuzzy about Michigan basketball. During Tommy Amaker's tenure in Ann Arbor, every time it appears the program is about to turn the corner, it doesn't. So, when everyone starts to jump upon the Michigan basketball bandwagon, I wait to see if it's even moving. However, today's triumph over Wisconsin is noteworthy. Dropping the Badgers means the Wolverines have now defeated two ranked programs in a week. According to the university's game report, it's the first time in twelve seasons that Michigan has been able to accomplish that.

The victory over Wisconsin, fresh on the heels of beating Michigan State, will certainly have Michigan ranked in the Top 25. It's not a Big Ten title, regular season or tournament variety, nor does it measure up to winning games in the NCAA Tournament, but it does give Amaker's squad something to build upon. It gives them some credibility. It should give them a degree of confidence. Most importantly, it gives them a better chance of skipping the annual NIT invite and playing with the big boys come March.

Progress under Amaker's watch has been slow for Michigan basketball. Painfully slow at times. Yet, perhaps, today's win will finally signal the beginning of a change of fortune in Ann Arbor. Only will time will tell if the back-to-back wins over ranked opponents can translate into the foundation of the turnaround or be just another false start.

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