Technically, Michigan basketball has never won a Big Ten tournament. The program’s triumph in the 1998 inaugural competition was vacated due to NCAA violations.
When Michigan got to the final in 2014, the freshmen years of Derrick Walton Jr. and Zak Irvin, they were run out of the gym by Michigan State. Walton, after keeping a hungry Minnesota team at bay with 29 points, told CBS’ Tracy Wolfson how badly he wanted to win the tournament. They now have the chance.
The Wolverines are peaking at the proverbial “right time” that analysts use to describe the sweet spot in February and March.