Disrespected? What's Going On With Michigan Basketball?

Beating two teams ranked inside the top five is an accomplishment most of the top programs in the nation can't do within a single season. Yet, the much beleaguered Michigan Wolverines basketball program has done just that so far in this young season.

Michigan was expected to flop again this year, as they had for the previous decade. They didn't have the players to fit head coach John Beilein's system, they hadn't made an NCAA Tourney in years, they hadn't beaten a top 10 opponent in years. Not to mention all the unpleasantness, sanctions, and postseason bans plaguing the team for the last decade.

Maybe, just maybe, come December when Michigan would get the help of transfer student, Laval Lucas-Perry, this team would start to make some noise. They were still at least a year away though.

That can all be thrown out the window. Michigan gave the nation its first shocker when it upset then No. 4 UCLA in the semifinals of the 2K tournament. It was the biggest win for the school in a decade and turned the heads of the sporting world.

The final of that tournament would set Michigan up against the No. 10 ranked Duke Blue Devils. This one wasn't even close as Duke took charge and won handily.

A little over a week later, Michigan went into Maryland for another telling matchup. The Wolverines led at halftime but faded down the stretch and lost by five points. The same Maryland team beat the then No. 5 ranked Michigan State Spartans by 18 points.

There would be no rest for Michigan, as they would face Duke a few days later. Now ranked No. 4, Duke came into Ann Arbor for a rematch of the 2K tournament final. What happened next officially made me a believer.

The Wolverines stymied Duke with the 1-3-1 zone and Deshawn Sims had the game of his career with a 28-point performance. Michigan would be known as giant killers in the daily papers the next day as it notched its second win over a top-five team this season.

Lets review. The Wolverines are 6-2. Their two losses came to Duke and a Maryland team which beat Michigan State. That Duke team also handily beat Purdue, arguably the best team in the Big 10.

Michigan State's two losses came in blowouts to North Carolina and Maryland.

One team is ranked, the other is not.

What's going on here?

Ask anyone today who the better team is, and they'll likely tell you Michigan. This team is all but assured a spot in the tournament if they finish with at least 18 wins and has bigger wins than any team in the nation under their belt right now.

So why aren't they ranked? Are the pollsters not convinced yet? Why not?

One win over a top-five team could be called a fluke, maybe. Two wins? You have yourself a damn good team.

If that doesn't get you ranked, What does?

Maybe the world just isn't ready for Michigan basketball to be back in the spotlight. That'd be a shame. The Michigan vs. Michigan State game is going to mean something again this year, and its the kind of story fans like to see. The underdog slaying the giants of the game with the odds stacked against them, and so forth.

Maybe its a good thing the Wolverines are still unranked. They can continue flying under the radar, with a chip on their shoulder, all the way up until January 17 against Ohio State. That's the next time they'll face a ranked team as of today. 

They said this team wouldn't be any good at all until Lucas-Perry was able to play on December 20th. Now, Lucas-Perry will join a team that's already great, making the Wolverines that much more formidable.

Its been a long time Michigan, great to have you back.