The banners have all come down from the rafters of the Crisler Arena, and the memories of Michigan basketball glory have all but faded.
The Wolverines have not been relevant since the “Fab Five” days of the early 1990s and last made the NCAA tournament in 1999. The program has struggled to overcome harsh NCAA sanctions, which were imposed when it was revealed that in 1992 then-Wolverine Chris Webber and four others had accepted money from a booster. The program lost scholarships and quickly fell behind in the Big Ten.
Finally, after years of disappointment, there is light at the end of the maize-and-blue tunnel. New coach Jim Beilein has installed a new run’n’gun offense in Ann Arbor, Mich., and instilled a new sense of hope in a once-proud program.
In his five years as head coach at West Virginia, Beilein managed to turn a traditional football school into a basketball powerhouse. Now he must do the same for the Wolverines.
Yet if his team’s 6-17 record this season is any indication, the journey will be a tough one.
“I appreciate wins more than ever now,” Beilein said. “When you have a season like this, you learn to appreciate experienced teams and having the time to install your system.”
Despite Michigan’s struggles, last week’s home win over Penn State showed signs that the team is starting to turn the corner.
Before freshman guard Manny Harris (averaging 15.9 ppg, third in the Big Ten) and the Wolverines get comfortable with Beilein’s system, there will be growing pains.
But if the players continue to develop as they have, it won’t be long before new banners grace Crisler Arena’s ceilings.
Gophers crawl out of Big Ten cellar
Since its last visit to the NCAA tournament in 2005, Minnesota has struggled to even reach .500. The Golden Gophers’ combined 8-24 conference record over the past two seasons ties them with Northwestern and Penn State for worst in the Big Ten.
Coach Dave Monson unexpectedly resigned in the middle of last season, and replacement Jim Molinari could do little with the banged-up team. The program, burdened with its first 20-loss season, seemed to be falling apart, destined to be perennial Big Ten cellar-dwellers.
Then, with the stroke of a pen, it all changed.
Last summer, after being dismissed from his longtime post as coach of the once-powerful Kentucky Wildcats, 2003 Coach of the Year Tubby Smith accepted a seven-year contract to coach in the Twin Cities.
In just one year, Smith has revived the flagging program and turned the Gophers into a conference contender.
“The guys have learned that they need to overachieve and they play hard,” Smith said. “I think we’re a growing team and will continue to compete in the Big Ten.”
Minnesota (15-7, 5-5 Big Ten), is led by a balanced attack (three players average more than ten points a game) and has played its way back into the NCAA tournament picture. Between the Gophers’ success and the fame of their new coach, the school has made itself attractive to recruits. The Gophers have already locked up two top-150 recruits for next year and should continue to draw interest.
While Smith maintains that his focus is on next week’s game against Illinois, it s hard to imagine he is not looking forward to returning to the national spotlight he knows so well.
Big Ten Notes
Purdue’s Robbie Hummel was named Big Ten Player of the Week; he is the third different Boilermaker to win the award this year … The Big Ten has four teams ranked in the Associated Press top-20 … The Big Ten remains sixth in overall conference RPI.
