Michigan pins faint hopes on season’s stretch drive

Michigan pins faint hopes on season’s stretch drive

Matt Thompson

Sports editor

Deshawn Sims’ last second shot against Michigan State hit the backboard, then the rim, and then fell worthlessly to the ground as time expired in the most heartbreaking loss of a frustrating season. Sims was distraught. Michigan had then lost three straight games and dropped to 10-10 on the season. “Real disappointing,” senior Manny Harris said when it ended. “We just let it slip away.” But instead of rolling over and calling the season quits after having their hearts pulled out Michigan took a day to rejuvenate and look at the rest of the season in a new light. “We tried to break it down,” said coach John Beilein. “This is over, and we can’t feel sorry for ourselves.” After splitting the first 20 games Michigan hoped the last 10 held the keys to helping them enter the postseason tournament. Most analyses consider a 20-win season good enough for the NCAA tournament. For Michigan to do that in the regular season, it would’ve had to win out the last 10 games. “We talked about making it a 10-game season from here on out,” said freshman Darius Morris, following an easy win over Iowa to give Michigan an 11-10 record and win the first of that final 10-game stretch. Beilein is committed to getting the best out of his team for what remains in the Wolverines season. “We played our hearts out for three consecutive games and lost,” Beilein said. In the first game of the final 10 games, Michigan handled Iowa in a game that was never in question. Michigan did it with its defense, too. “If you play defense, you can have a bad day offensively,” said Beilein, after the team’s first win of the “new” season. Morris isn’t the only one buying into the 10-game season. “We’re still alive,” said Stu Douglass. “Nothing is done until it’s over. We’ve re-established that with the emphasis on the last 10 games.” Now Michigan only has to face two ranked teams the rest of its regular season. But the Wolverines have to play them on the road — at Ohio State and Michigan State. “Wouldn’t that be something, if you really made a mark in your last 10 games?” Beilein said. “It’s a whole new season.”