Phil Martelli used an analogy when he spoke to Michigan basketball after its first loss of the season: "No championship boxer has never not been knocked down."
The Wolverines, their assistant coach said Monday afternoon, were knocked down in Saturday's 18-point loss at Minnesota.
But they weren't knocked out.
"They didn’t collect our uniforms," Martelli said. "The season didn’t end in celebration after we beat Wisconsin, and it didn't end in depression after we lost to Minnesota."
For Michigan, Saturday's loss provided a rude awakening after the Wolverines blazed through their first six Big Ten games — including a three-game stretch in which they became the first team in NCAA history to beat three consecutive ranked opponents by 19 or more points.