Michigan Holds Its Position In Latest AP Poll

Even after two more double-digit Big Ten wins, Michigan stayed put in the latest AP Poll Top 25 rankings.

The Wolverines will remain at the No. 3 spot for another week, as No. 1 Arizona and No. 2 UConn also escaped the week’s slate unblemished.

Michigan played both of its games at home, and it won by a comfortable margin in both. But neither game’s story was really captured in the final score.

Despite winning by 86-72 against Indiana, it felt like the Wolverines won by more than that. With less than 10 minutes remaining in the game, they were up by 25 points. Michigan was dominant for much of the game, and the 14-point victory doesn’t quite reflect that.

On the other hand, the 74-62 win over Ohio State looks better than it was. For 32 minutes, the Buckeyes and the Wolverines were handcuffed to each other, and it looked like the game was going to come down to a final possession. But Michigan found another gear in the final eight minutes to put Ohio State to bed. 

The Wolverines’ next two opponents both jumped up in the rankings. Nebraska climbed up to No. 5, and Michigan State finds itself at No. 7. So, Michigan will have its hands full with back-to-back top-7 matchups this week.

Illinois also slides into the top 10 at No. 9, while Purdue falls all the way down from No. 4 to No. 12 after two straight losses.

Here are the complete rankings from Week 12:

Other teams receiving votes: Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Iowa, Texas A&M, Auburn, NC State, SMU, Saint Mary’s, Utah State, Villanova, Wisconsin.

For the first time all season, Michigan really does control its own legacy in this poll. With No. 5 Nebraska coming into Ann Arbor followed by a matchup against No. 7 Michigan State in Breslin Center, if the Wolverines went 2-0, the voters would have a really hard time keeping Michigan out of that No. 1 spot.

Now, if Arizona doesn’t lose, it would still be an undefeated team, and Michigan in this hypothetical would have one loss. It would be tough to punish the Wildcats for winning, but stranger things have happened in college basketball.

Just how likely is it that Michigan wins both of these games, though? Well, it will be a massive challenge, but it’s not impossible.

One of the biggest challenges Nebraska offers is the stretch shooting of forward Rienk Mast. In the Wolverines’ only loss to Wisconsin, their defense was exposed by bigs that could shoot. How Michigan handles Mast’s shooting abilities will likely have a massive impact on the game.

As for the game against Michigan State, anything can happen. The Spartans boast the best defense in the country, and Michigan owns the second-best. But historically, everything goes out the window when these two rivals square off in East Lansing. 

The Wolverines have a real opportunity to assert themselves as the team to beat in the Big Ten and the country as a whole, but there is also a chance that they drop two games in a week. Regardless of any outcome, this is a pivotal stretch for Michigan men’s basketball.