ISAIAH LIVERS

Cam Johnson and Cameron Payne both scored 19 points to lead the Phoenix Suns to their franchise-record 18th win in a row, beating the Detroit Pistons 114-103.

Trae Young had 32 points and nine assists, John Collins scored 22 and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Detroit Pistons 122-104 on Monday night.

Zach LaVine scored 15 of his 34 points in the third quarter, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 94-88 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night in the opener for both teams.

Juwan Howard is shooting to win a national championship, an achievement that has eluded him as a coach and player at Michigan.

DETROIT -- The Detroit Pistons have announced the list of players who will compete at the upcoming Summer League tournament in Las Vegas. The roster, of course, features several of Detroit’s young core which includes last year’s draft picks Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey and Saben Lee. The Pistons’ 57th pick in the draft, Balsa Koprivica, is expected to join the team in Las Vegas. Here is the roster:Here are some of players expected to compete for the Detroit Pistons and the 2021 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team has already ruled out Isaiah Livers, Isaiah Stewart and Chris Smith due to injuries.

OK, so who is actually on the Detroit Pistons’ roster? Here's a full breakdown.

The Pistons added four players to the franchise in the 2021 NBA Draft, including the No. 1 overall pick.

The former Michigan basketball player and Kalamazoo Central graduate was drafted by the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night in the second round (No. Livers also is the second pick of the Pistons in the 2021 draft behind No. He will reunite with former Michigan head coach John Beilein, who is now on the Pistons’ staff as a senior advisor. Livers had a solid four-year career with the Wolverines, appearing in 119 career games and starting 69. The Pistons are slated to make two more picks in the second round: No.

The Detroit Pistons selected Michigan forward Isaiah Livers with the No. 42 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.

Michigan guard DeVante’ Jones has withdrawn from the NBA draft.

Michigan freshman center Hunter Dickinson has entered the NBA draft while giving himself the option of staying in school.

Michigan’s Hunter Dickinson is going to test the NBA waters but isn’t closing the door on a return to Ann Arbor. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year announced Wednesday that he is declaring for the 2021 NBA Draft. “It has always been my dream to play in the NBA,” Dickinson wrote in a post on Twitter. The former four-star prospect from DeMatha Catholic in Maryland shot 59.8% from the floor, which led all Michigan starters. Despite a breakout freshman season, his name hasn’t appeared in any 2021 mock drafts by major outlets.

Michigan senior Isaiah Livers is not returning for an extra year of eligibility.

Michigan’s Isaiah Livers will not be returning for a fifth season in Ann Arbor. The former Kalamazoo Central graduate played in 119 games, with Michigan owning a 94-25 record in those games. Livers was a team captain last season and played an integral role in the team’s success. Livers is one of four seniors on scholarship from last season that will not return, joining Mike Smith, Chaundee Brown and Austin Davis. Michigan announced Wednesday that starting guard Eli Brooks will be back for a fifth season.

The Michigan men’s basketball senior underwent surgery on his right foot on Friday (Apr. After aggravating it during Michigan’s Big Ten Tournament opener against Maryland on March 12, Livers underwent an MRI that revealed a stress fracture. According to Michigan, Livers consulted family and medical professionals before electing to have surgery. See also: Michigan’s Isaiah Livers declares he is #NotNCAAPropertyLivers was Michigan’s second leading scorer at 13.1 points per game this season, and was a second team All-Big Ten selection. More Michigan basketball content:What it was like covering Michigan basketball’s deep postseason run during a pandemicThe key offseason questions facing Michigan basketballEven without ultimate prize, Michigan basketball had a remarkable seasonMichigan’s Juwan Howard named college basketball Coach of the Year by AP

University of Michigan senior Isaiah Livers had surgery on his right foot Friday.

Michigan’s Juwan Howard is The Associated Press men’s college basketball coach of the year.

Michigan missed its final eight shots against UCLA on Tuesday. UCLA didn’t score during that three-minute stretch, meaning any of those shots listed would have given Michigan the lead. The next two Michigan shots were 3s, both after timeouts: Smith went coast to coast and misfired. After Michigan inbounded from under the UCLA basket with half a second left, Wagner misfired from the left wing at the buzzer. One came at the end of the first half at Wisconsin, a game Michigan came back to win.

FINAL: UCLA 51, Michigan 49The Wolverines’ tournament run ends after they went the final 5:22 without a made field goal. 0:19 – UCLA 50, Michigan 49Jaquez Jr. missed a corner 3 and Michigan comes up with the rebound. 0:35 – UCLA 50, Michigan 49Cody Riley, a key starter for UCLA has fouled out. HALFTIME: UCLA 27, Michigan 23FIRST HALF0:00 -- UCLA 27, Michigan 23The Bruins heated up offensively in the last 4 minutes to grab the lead. 11 seed UCLA square off in an Elite Eight matchup at 9:57 p.m. Tuesday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and MLive will be providing live updates throughout.

The three players used the Twitter hashtag #NotNCAAProperty to raise awareness of what they believe are inequities in college sports two days before the men’s basketball tournament started in Indianapolis. The players had originally asked to meet with Emmert last week. The players urged him to meet with them sooner and Huma said the NCAA reached out this week to set up Thursday's meeting. The men's tournament is being held in Indianapolis, with the final two spots in the Final Four being determined Tuesday night. ___More AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and updated bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket

The evening's most telling stat was points in the paint: Michigan 50, Florida State 28. Other lowlights for the Seminoles:— 14 turnovers, including 10 in the first half that led to 16 Michigan points. Adding to the trouble, Walker, the team's leading scorer this season, rolled his ankle at the 14-minute mark of the second half. FSU went on a mini-tear when Osborne and Polite made back-to-back 3s to trim Michigan's lead to five early in the second half. Driving the lane and making the extra pass underneath, the Wolverines made 11 of their first 13 shots in the second half.

FINAL: Michigan 76, Florida State 58The Wolverines were in control throughout and advance to the Elite Eight. SECOND HALF0:00 -- Michigan 76, Florida State 58Juwan Howard emptied the bench and brought in the reserves. 7:18 – Michigan 60, Florida State 43The Wolverines are dominating inside and have 42 points in the paint. 14:12 -- Michigan 44, Florida State 36FSU’s leading scorer, M.J. Walker, is being attended to on the floor. HALFTIME: Michigan 32, Florida State 21FIRST HALF0:00 – Michigan 32, Florida State 21The Seminoles capitalized on an offensive rebound and made a late basket to pull to within 11.

Michigan guard Eli Brooks celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of a second-round game against LSU in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium Monday, March 22, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)Michigan's second-round game against LSU was intense from the start. One player for the Wolverines seemed calm and steady — guard Eli Brooks. In fact, Brooks' coach — Fab Five standout Juwan Howard — played a big role in setting that trend. Oregon's three senior starters — Chris Duarte, LJ Figueroa and Eugene Omoruyi — combined for 61 points in a second-round win over Iowa.

It’s been a couple years since Spike Albrecht played for Michigan, but he’s still dialed in with his alma mater. Albrecht says his group text with former Wolverine players was getting heated Monday night, especially when LSU came out firing. But thanks to Eli Brooks and Chaundee Brown, Michigan stamped its ticket to the Sweet 16 4th straight tournament, 6th in eight years. You can’t deny it, the Michigan Wolverines are on a roll. Michigan is on to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight year.

(AP Photo/Robert Franklin)The Latest on the second round of the NCAA Tournament (all times Eastern):___12:15 p.m. The leader of an organization that advocates for fairness in the treatment of college athletics has requested that NCAA President Mark Emmert meet via videoconference Tuesday with basketball players who launched the #NotNCAAProperty movement. Ad“It’s really important what we did, to continue to create awareness,” Bohannon said. “You saw from the women’s standpoint, a couple days ago, the women speaking out about the weight room being different. Look at Mark Emmert, he was nowhere to be found to answer any questions.

(AP Photo/Robert Franklin)ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan basketball is one win away from reaching the Sweet 16, but to do so, it will need to play its best game since last month. 16 seed Texas Southern in the opening round, Michigan improved to 3-3 in its last six games. The others were against Michigan State and Ohio State -- two teams Michigan had already beaten this season. Even in its wins over Michigan State, Maryland and Texas Southern, Michigan hasn’t really put together a complete game. In the first Michigan State game, the Wolverines committed 20 fouls and 14 turnovers.

-- Two pieces of Isaiah Livers’ outfit on Saturday stood out. The senior forward sat several rows deep on Michigan’s bench -- for social distancing purposes -- during Michigan’s first-round NCAA Tournament game against Texas Southern inside Mackey Arena. One of those managers, Michigan’s Jason Lansing, said the shirt was made and delivered from New York to Livers in Indianapolis within 24 hours. Michigan’s starting point guard, Mike Smith, was asked in a video press conference after Michigan’s win over Texas Southern about the shirt and how Livers has used his voice. “I was so locked into the game, game prep, Texas Southern.

So of course he drained two in the NCAA Tournament opener on Saturday. Terrance Williams played double digits for the second straight postseason game after not appearing in the previous three. In Saturday’s 82-66 win over Texas Southern, Williams played 11 minutes and Jackson played eight. It will be important as the competition increases throughout the NCAA Tournament. “We’ll continue to need it in this next game and hopefully throughout the rest of this postseason run.”More Michigan basketball content:Tip time, location announced for Michigan vs. LSUMichigan vs. LSU point spread: Wolverines favored in NCAA Tournament matchupMichigan let off the gas in NCAA Tournament opener but did enough to advance

– Juwan Howard got the win in his first NCAA Tournament game since taking over at Michigan, guiding Mike Smith and the top-seeded Wolverines to an 82-66 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday. It's his second season in charge, but the NCAA Tournament was canceled last year because of the pandemic. Howard and the Wolverines (21-4) had little trouble with the No 16 seed Texas Southern, but the absence of Livers could lead to adversity down the road. It wasn’t perfect as Texas Southern outscored Michigan 42-30 in the paint and got within 12 late, causing Dickinson to re-enter the game. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference member Norfolk State ousted Appalachian State on the same court, marking the first time SWAC and MEAC schools won NCAA Tournament games on the same day.

3:27 – Michigan 73, Texas Southern 61The Tigers aren’t going away, using a 7-0 run to get back to within 12. 4:01 – Michigan 73, Texas Southern 57The fouls are mounting for Michigan, which now has 19. HALFTIME: Michigan 42, Texas Southern 24FIRST HALF0:00 – Michigan 42, Texas Southern 24Mike Smith heated up at the end of the half and made a layup late to extend the lead to 18. 11:44 – Michigan 17, Texas Southern 8After a hot start shooting, Michigan has gone cold. MORE: Get to know Texas Southern, Michigan’s opening opponent in NCAA TournamentMichigan basketball gameday: NCAA Tournament opener vs. Texas SouthernInside the NCAA Tournament bubble with Michigan basketball

(AP Photo/Young Kwak, File)Two years ago, before the start of the last NCAA Tournament, we presented a system that could help narrow down the bracket, using advanced stats from recent seasons. Virginia, one of six teams that passed all of our statistical tests, did in fact win the national championship. To review: This method uses six stats in which every champion since 2008 has ranked in the top half of Division I. All these stats are available at barttorvik.com — and we'll use that information to pare down this year's contenders. Effective field goal percentage (eFG%) is a measure of field goal percentage in which 3-pointers are given extra weight.

Isaiah Livers wasn’t optimistic about playing in the NCAA Tournament when he spoke after Michigan’s Big Ten Tournament loss on Saturday. Livers has a stress fracture in his foot and has been ruled out “indefinitely” by Michigan. Michigan opens its NCAA Tournament on Saturday, with a potential second-round game on Monday. “I wouldn’t say it’s expected, just talking with the doctors and talking with Coach (Juwan) Howard,” Livers said. 1 seed in NCAA TournamentMichigan’s path to Final Four in East RegionWill Michigan, other top Big Ten team end league’s long national title drought?

Michigan basketball enters this year’s NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed, but will be without one of its leading scorers. How can the Wolverines navigate the field without Isaiah Livers? And can they back to a Final Four in their second season under Juwan Howard? The latest “Wolverine Confidential” podcast dives into that very topic, with MLive’s Andrew Kahn, Aaron McMann and Ryan Zuke offering up commentary on the field of 68, Michigan’s region and opponents, and how far the team might go.

1 seed in this season’s NCAA Tournament after going 20-4 and winning the regular season Big Ten championship. 1 seed, Michigan should have a major advantage, but you can never say never in the NCAA Tournament. Ironically, his final game before getting fired at Louisville was a second-round loss to Michigan in the NCAA Tournament. It started with the blowout loss to Illinois and continued with a couple of incomplete performances against Michigan State. Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines battles for a loose ball against Malik Hall #25 of the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at Crisler Arena on March 04, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Second round winners: Michigan, Florida State, Texas, Alabama. On to the upsets ...First round winners: Baylor, North Carolina, Winthrop, Purdue, Texas Tech, Colgate, Virginia Tech, Ohio State. AdFirst round winners: Gonzaga, Missouri, UCSB, Virginia, USC, Kansas, VCU, Iowa. Second round winners: Gonzaga, Virginia, USC, Iowa. The Big Ten tournament gets replaced by a Final Four in the heart of Big Ten country.

INDIANAPOLIS -- One year to the day that Isaiah Livers learned Michigan’s season was cut short, he learned that, once again, his might be. Livers, a starter, co-captain, and big reason why Michigan will likely be announced on Sunday as a No. I know it was a freak accident injury but it’s something I’m going to focus on every day is my treatment, my recovery. Livers is Michigan’s second leading scorer, a 43-percent 3-point shooter who is a tough matchup for many opposing forwards. Michigan coach Juwan Howard said he was unaware of Livers injuring his foot earlier in the season.

Ohio State forward E.J. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS – Ohio State guard Duane Washington Jr. just wanted a second chance at his home-state team. 9 Buckeyes fend off the fourth-ranked Wolverines for a 68-67 victory and a trip to the Big Ten Tournament title game. “This rivalry means a lot to a lot of our guys, a lot of our Ohio guys," Buckeyes coach Chris Holtmann said. The Wolverines appeared in three straight title games before last year's was cancelled because of COVID-19.

SECOND HALF0:00 – Ohio State 68, Michigan 67Duane Washington stepped out of bounds while driving baseline for another OSU turnovers. 3:40 – Ohio State 65, Michigan 55The Wolverines’ offense is starting to heat up but they can’t get a stop at the other end. 7:18 -- Ohio State 56, Michigan 45Duane Washington remains hot, scoring 14 of his 19 points in the second half. 10:21 – Ohio State 47, Michigan 43The Buckeyes are back on top with a Duane Washington Jr. 3-pointer. 1:24 -- Michigan 25, Ohio State 21Despite hitting just one of its last 10 shots, Michigan is on a 7-0 run.

Here in Ann Arbor, Michigan Medicine began treating patients right as cases were detected. (A4)Ad🎙 Ann Arbor Summer Festival announced it will not be holding Top of the Park or indoor performances again this year due to the ongoing pandemic. (MLive)Ad🚴 The city of Ann Arbor is seeking public input on its 2021 Healthy Streets program. (A4)Good to know:🥳️ Attention parents: You can now book playtimes for your pod at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum. AdAll About Ann Arbor is powered by ClickOnDetroit/WDIV.

Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after a made basket by Franz Wagner #21 of the Michigan Wolverines in the game against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half at Assembly Hall on February 27, 2021 in Bloomington, Indiana. ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan basketball landed three players on All-Big Ten teams this season: wings Isaiah Livers and Franz Wagner, and freshman center Hunter Dickinson. He was named to the second team by the coaches and third team by the media. Dickinson, who led Michigan with 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, was named the to the first team by the media and second team by Big Ten coaches. RELATED: Hunter Dickinson named Big Ten Freshman of the YearThe trio led Michigan in scoring and rebounding this season while playing strong defense.

There’s no way to know if Howard is the best coach in men’s college basketball this season. There was skepticism two years ago when Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel hired Howard to replace John Beilein, the program’s all-time winningest coach. Michigan assistant coach Phil Martelli said recently that the word that comes to mind with Howard is respect. “Coach Howard really did a good job of keeping our eyes on the road -- our journey, what we want to do, what goals we want to accomplish,” Livers said. Hamilton was comfortable speaking for Howard to say Howard does not prioritize individual awards.

If a media timeout hadn’t stopped play, Howard probably would have. It took all those wins for the national experts to come around on Michigan as a legitimate national championship threat. We had a great film session before practice and another really good film session last night. See also: Michigan at Michigan State photo galleryMichigan hung around despite poor play and made a late run, forcing some turnovers and hitting some shots to get within two points. The Big Ten Tournament starts this week, with Michigan opening play on Friday against the winner of Maryland and, yes, Michigan State.

Rocket Watts scored 21 points and Aaron Henry had 18 to lead the Spartans in a 70-64 victory over No. The Wolverines (19-3, 14-3) closed the regular season getting routed at home by the Fighting Illini, beating Michigan State handily to clinch the Big Ten title and losing the rematch three days later. They were ready to play today and we weren’t.”AdJoey Hauser scored nine of his 11 points off the bench in the first half as Michigan State led 30-26. SENIOR MOMENTFifth-year senior Joshua Langford, who missed much of the previous two seasons with injury, made a 3-point shot with 49 seconds left to give Michigan State a 64-59 lead. UP NEXTThe Big Ten Tournament begins Wednesday in Indianapolis, where first-seeded Michigan may meet Michigan State for a third time.

Michigan led Michigan State 67-46. Michigan played its chief rival, clinched the Big Ten regular-season title, and honored its nine-member senior class. The year before that, Michigan State clinched against Michigan on the last day of the regular season. Related: Michigan basketball, Big Ten champs, wants so much moreLivers cut the last string of the net, severing it from the rim. See also: Michigan motivated by Draymond Green video before dominating Michigan StateJust about the only negative on Thursday was out of Michigan’s control.

The Michigan Wolverines celebrate their 2021 Big Ten Championship after defeating the Michigan State Spartans 69-50 at Crisler Arena on March 04, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Head coach Juwan Howard of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates his teams Big Ten championship after defeating the Michigan State Spartans 69-50 at Crisler Arena on March 04, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Twenty sluggish minutes left Michigan with a 14-point deficit against Wisconsin in an arena Big Ten teams almost never escape with wins. Another matchup with rival Michigan State looms this weekend, and then they’ll be a No. “I want the natty, too.”There’s still a long way to go, but as we’ve learned, doubt this Michigan team at your own risk.

“Because it’s hard winning championships, man.”Michigan beat Michigan State 69-50 on Thursday night to clinch the Big Ten regular-season title. Howard, during his playing days, helped Michigan get to two national championship games and an Elite Eight, but never won the Big Ten. The Big Ten doesn’t have an official preseason poll, but an unofficial media ballot had Michigan finishing sixth, behind not just Illinois and Iowa but Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Rutgers. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament -- wrapped up, don’t think Sunday’s regular-season finale at Michigan State is meaningless for Michigan. That’s the mentality that earned Michigan a Big Ten championship, that caused tiny rectangular slices of paper to fall from the rafters.

Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines battles for a loose ball against Malik Hall #25 of the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at Crisler Arena on March 04, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan basketball clinched the regular-season Big Ten championship Thursday with a runaway win over rival Michigan State. In the second half, it was all Michigan, which stretched its lead all the way up to 28 with under 10 minutes to play. Michigan State cut into the lead after the benches were cleared, and Michigan won by a 69-50 final. AdHunter Dickinson #1 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts to a first half basket against the Michigan State Spartans at Crisler Arena on March 04, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

ANN ARBOR -- Michigan has looked scary good for much of the Big Ten season. Michigan was held to a season low in points, field goal percentage (35 percent), and assists (four). Entering Tuesday, the Wolverines’ season low in 3-point attempts was 13. “It became a two-on-two game,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. Similar adjustments following Tuesday’s game would go a long way in Michigan winning the Big Ten and going deep in the postseason.

Isaiah Livers is honest about the type of player he was earlier in his Michigan career. That approach was not going to land Livers his preferred job out of college, and he knew it. “He’s what a two-way player is all about,” Howard said after the Indiana win. As good of an outside shooter as he is, he realized he wasn’t going to get there on his shot alone. Over his career, he’s gradually increased how often he’s gotten to the free throw line.

3 Michigan pull away for a 73-57 victory Saturday at Indiana. Aljami Durham led Indiana (12-12, 7-10) with 15 points and Race Thompson finished with 11 points and six rebounds. Michigan made Indiana uncomfortable while facing full-court pressure, stayed in front of the Hoosiers in half-court defense, and challenged shot after shot. Indiana: The Hoosiers trailed 22-21 with 8:36 to go in the first half — and then this one got away from them. ... Indiana shot 38% from the field and was outrebounded 37-27.

Franz Wagner had his fingerprints all over Michigan’s 79-57 win over Iowa on Thursday. Wagner took over to start the second half, scoring nine of Michigan’s first 11 points as the Wolverines started to pull away. Livers and Wagner forced a turnover, and Wagner picked up the loose ball and led a fast break. He’s shooting 61 percent on 2-point shots, 38 percent from 3, and 82 percent from the foul line. “Franz, when he’s aggressive and he’s locked in, we definitely are the best team in the country,” Livers said.

The Big Ten is historically good this season, yet Michigan is bulldozing through the league. Ken Pomeroy’s analytics site projects Michigan will finish 15-2 and easily win the Big Ten regular season title. “They bought into the culture.”Over and over this season, players have talked about celebrating their teammates’ success. We want to win Big Ten -- we want it all. When you’re tired in practice or in a game, that’s what I think about it, that’s what gets me through.

Dickinson gave Garza fits around the basket, and Franz Wagner scored 21 points to lead No. Michigan answered that with a 14-2 run that took place mostly while Dickinson was on the bench. The 7-foot-1 Dickinson, who like Garza went to high school in the Washington area, blocked Garza's first shot attempt of the game. “I know I’ve got to be better for my team,” Garza said. Michigan: The Wolverines have only one day off before playing at Indiana on Saturday.

Liddell during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. After six ties in the second half, Michigan pulled away in the final minutes and then held off Ohio State 92-87 Sunday in a meeting that showcased two teams aiming for No. Ad“I thought his length and size bothered us," Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann acknowledged. Ohio State and Michigan both are projected to be No. Ohio State: At Michigan State on Thursday.

Liddell during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. After six ties in the second half, Michigan pulled away in the final minutes and then held off Ohio State 92-87 Sunday in a meeting that showcased two teams aiming for No. Ad“I thought his length and size bothered us," Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann acknowledged. Ohio State and Michigan both are projected to be No. Ohio State: At Michigan State on Thursday.

The Michigan men’s basketball team should be commended for, to this point in the season, avoiding any positive COVID-19 tests. The Wolverines recently had to pause all team activities for nearly two weeks and went more than three weeks between games, postponing five games in the process. It brings up an uncomfortable reality: Michigan is not out of the woods yet as far as COVID is concerned. The COVID cloud hangs over any player hoping to appear in the NCAA Tournament, which starts on March 18. He’s talked to two Big Ten coaches who contracted COVID earlier this season -- Izzo and Nebraska’s Fred Hoiberg -- and came away feeling terrible for those coaches and their programs.

Third-ranked Michigan and fourth-ranked Ohio State have found themselves atop the crowd of teams chasing unbeaten Gonzaga and Baylor. Their meeting Sunday headlines the national AP Top 25 schedule for the week, a matchup of teams contending for No. Meanwhile, Ohio State (17-4, 11-4) has won six straight overall — including against the Badgers and No. “The biggest thing as a coach right now is we’ve got to get better,” Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said after Saturday’s win against Indiana. 25 last week but visits Michigan on Thursday.

Their meeting Sunday headlines the national AP Top 25 schedule for the week, a matchup of teams contending for No. Meanwhile Ohio State (17-4, 11-4) has won six straight overall — including against the Badgers and No. “The biggest thing as a coach right now is we’ve got to get better,” Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said after Saturday’s win against Indiana. 25 last week but visits Michigan on Thursday. There’s also Belmont (22-1, 16-0 Ohio Valley) chasing the program’s first AP Top 25 poll ranking.

Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts to a three point shot during the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Kohl Center on February 14, 2021 in Madison, Wisconsin. Take Michigan State, for example. When it returned, Michigan State scored just 37 points and lost to that same Rutgers team by 30. Would Michigan State have lost to Rutgers even if there hadn’t been a shutdown? 4 Ohio State, Indiana and Michigan State.

Michigan's Franz Wagner had 10 of his 14 points in the second half. But the Badgers shot 7 of 28 in the second half and missed their last 11 3-point attempts. “What we did in the first half is what we wanted to do in the second half,” Ford said. Michigan beat Wisconsin 77-54 on Jan. 12 and became the first team to sweep a regular-season series from the Badgers since 2017-18, when Michigan State and Nebraska both did it. AdWisconsin: The Badgers needed more from their starting five, who combined to score 10 points and shoot 2 of 16 in the second half.

When the Michigan men’s basketball team returned to practice after two weeks off, it looked like a team that had taken two weeks off. Nothing compares to full-court, five-on-five action, as the Wolverines were reminded of when they had their first full team practice on Sunday. “We were playing such great basketball,” Livers said. Now they’ll visit a revenge-seeking Wisconsin team that has maintained a normal schedule. “I don’t know what it’s going to look like but from start to finish we’re going to give our best effort.”More Michigan basketball content:Inside Michigan’s scout team, the basketball program’s unsung heroesThe women’s basketball team returned before the menMichigan basketball and the complicated Big Ten title raceWolverine Confidential podcast: Michigan basketball is back, but how will it look?

Juwan Howard’s 48th birthday was a special one, simply because he was able to be on the basketball court with his team. One night Michigan was punishing Purdue to improve to 13-1; the next the school’s entire athletic department was shut down. We were grateful to be back in the gym, excited see each other,” Livers said on the Inside Michigan Basketball show, which aired Sunday. “It’s not going to happen overnight,” Howard said of his team’s conditioning. “We still have something special to do this season,” Livers said.

Isaiah Livers is a well-rounded player, sure, but he knows what he does best on the court. He knows why he was Michigan’s Mr. Basketball in high school, why colleges recruited him, and why opposing teams fear him. He’s dominance is casual, not forceful, and it’s an important distinction. The past two games, Livers has stepped up as leading scorer Hunter Dickinson has gone quiet. “I thought to myself, ‘I really just missed a free throw,’” Livers said.

7 Michigan relied on a staunch defense to beat Purdue 70-53 on Friday night. Purdue made its first two 3s in the second half and cut the deficit to 42-32 with 14:58 to play. But the Wolverines answered with six straight points. Purdue: While the Boilermakers had been the Big Ten's hottest team, they sputtered without Stefanovic on the perimeter. ... Livers has had six straight games in double figures.

7 Michigan raced to a 17-3 lead, and the Wolverines had little difficulty beating Maryland 87-63 on Tuesday night. Michigan led 42-25 at halftime and stretched its advantage to as many as 25 points in the second. Livers led Michigan with 20 points and Franz Wagner contributed 15. Michigan: The Wolverines made their loss to Minnesota look like just a bump in the road, putting Maryland in a big hole early and not letting up. Michigan: The Wolverines play at Purdue on Friday night.

Michigan, after dropping its first game of the season, responded with an 87-63 win over Maryland on Tuesday. Michigan shot 12-of-24 from downtown while holding Maryland to a 4-for-19 mark. Michigan, thanks to Livers’ free throw shooting, gained three points out of the ordeal and went up 55-34. The margin was 18 with a little more than seven minutes left before Michigan’s run slammed the door for good. Smith’s impressive acceleration and finish in transition and Wagner’s 3 in the final seconds made it 42-25 Michigan at half.

Michigan and Minnesota met on Saturday just 10 days after Michigan beat the Gophers 82-57. The score was nearly flipped, with Michigan falling 75-57 for its first loss of the season. “This group has always been together and has always been connected throughout the year,” Michigan coach Juwan Howard said. That game exposed some issues that Michigan would have for much of the rest of the season. The caveat of no Brooks, the 20 turnovers, the fired-up opponent -- Michigan hopes this was an aberration, not a sign of things to come.

7 Michigan on Saturday, handing the Wolverines their first loss. Minnesota never trailed, holding the best shooting team in the conference to a season-low score and a season-high 20 turnovers. The Gophers were back in their happy place after five days to recuperate and refocus from decisive defeats last week at Michigan and Iowa. The Wolverines had seven turnovers in the first seven minutes and just never established a rhythm in their half court. Minnesota, the sixth Big Ten team ranked, will undoubtedly slide up several spots.

9 Wisconsin on Tuesday night, Michigan became the first team in college basketball history to stack such a dominant trio of ranked blowouts. 19 Northwestern, which came into the matchup after victories against Michigan State, Indiana and Ohio State and a close road loss to Iowa. 4 Iowa and beaten Michigan State and Ohio State by a combined 42 points. 9 team in the country and a proven contender atop the Big Ten, came in sporting victories over Michigan State, Minnesota and Iowa. Saturday will bring a different kind of test, as Michigan hits the road against a ranked team for the first time this season.

ANN ARBOR -- A quarter of the way through the Big Ten men’s basketball season, Michigan has emerged as one of the league’s frontunners. Bart Torvik’s analytics site notes that Michigan’s Big Ten slate has been the second easiest so far and will be the second hardest going forward. “They’ve got to get uncomfortable, because everything that they want -- it’s hard.”More Michigan basketball content:What more can Hunter Dickinson do for Michigan? How Michigan became a ‘kick-ass defensive team’Michigan a perfect 10-0 after mauling Minnesota for another Big Ten blowoutMichigan is humming right now. Wolverine Confidential podcast: Michigan basketball teams remain red-hot

Eli Brooks had a tooth knocked out during Michigan basketball's win over Minnesota on Jan. 6, 2021. ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Wednesday was a nearly perfect night for the Michigan basketball team, but maybe not so much for Eli Brooks. That’s because Isaiah Ihnen’s elbow caught Brooks in the mouth while the two were racing for a loose ball, and the blow knocked out Brooks’ tooth. You can see the tooth flying on the left side of the Big Ten Network video below. NEWS: Michigan basketball game postponed Saturday due to COVID-19 cases in Penn State programFellow senior Isaiah Livers had Brooks’ back, finding the tooth on the court during a timeout.

Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Crisler Arena on January 06, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In its two first ranked matchups of the season, Michigan completely blasted No. Head coach Juwan Howard of the Michigan Wolverines yells during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Crisler Arena on January 06, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As a team, Michigan shoots 35.8%, which is tied for 100th in the nation. Chaundee Brown #15 of the Michigan Wolverines and Jaron Faulds #44 of the Michigan Wolverines talk after their win against the Ball State Cardinals at Crisler Arena on December 02, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

ANN ARBOR -- The focus for Hunter Dickinson entering Wednesday’s matchup with Minnesota was supposed to be defense. His current scoring average would rank second all-time among Michigan freshmen, behind only guard Mike McGee’s 19.7 points per game in 1977-78. “If you’re just a scorer, teams will come back and attack you on the offensive end,” Dickinson said. Wednesday was another terrific showing for Dickinson, though there are better (and bigger, at least by weight) Big Ten big men than Robbins. Given how Dickinson has performed so far this season, there’s every reason to believe he’ll be up for the challenge.

As he recalls, Michigan’s defense was ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten and in the middle of the pack nationally. “We had our coaches’ meeting and I said, ‘We’ve got to be a kick-ass defensive team. Michigan’s defensive game plan started with Minnesota’s star point guard, Marcus Carr. Dickinson said after he didn’t want to be the “weak link” in Michigan’s defense. Brown, Brandon Johns Jr., and Terrance Williams II came off the bench in the first half on Wednesday and maintained Michigan’s defensive energy.

Franz Wagner #21 and Jace Howard #25 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrate after winning a college basketball game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Crisler Arena on January 3, 2021 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Michigan Wolverines won the game 85-66. The truth of the matter is, most people probably didn’t watch any Michigan games in 2020, unless they tuned in for overtime against Oakland. 19 Northwestern, a team that already has wins over Michigan State and Ohio State, as well as on the road against Indiana. It’s entirely possible that in four Big Ten games, Michigan has played the three worst teams in the league: Nebraska, Penn State and Maryland.

Michigan men’s basketball coach Juwan Howard said all his players were on board with playing a game on Christmas this season. Earlier this month, Howard was asked about playing on Christmas. Even for teams not playing on Christmas, this holiday season will be much different than normal. Michigan will be off the three days after Christmas, and Howard said he has a surprise for his team for two of those days. “And that’s to get a win.”More Michigan basketball content:The man behind Michigan basketball’s schedule and travel and meals and budget and…Wolverines in the NBA, overseas, and looking for jobs for 2020-21 basketball seasonMichigan rises without playing, Michigan State falls in latest AP basketball pollMichigan basketball shooting for ‘virtual sellout’ vs. Michigan State

ANN ARBOR -- The Michigan men’s basketball team came out feeling fine about its first experience with schedule disruption. There is perhaps no right answer as to whether college basketball should be played during this pandemic. They want to play basketball. In past seasons, college basketball pauses for a week or so around Christmas. But Christmas day, I don’t think anybody wants to travel away from their place.

“It was similar to like an NCAA (Tournament) format,” Michigan coach Juwan Howard said. The Big Ten Tournament was canceled as Michigan was warming up for its opener and the Big Dance would follow suit. This year’s squad did not participate in a tournament like many other schools did during the sport’s first week. “We got the scouting report a little later than normally but I think we have a great staff, great manager staff, doing an excellent job of getting all the important information to us as quickly as possible,” sophomore Franz Wagner said. This is like how the NCAA Tournament is going to be.

Two Vehicles Have Been Added To The National Historic Vehicle Register For 2020The Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) announces the 27th and 28th vehicles to be added to the National Historic Vehicle Register. The Best 2021 Private High Schools In MichiganNiche is a website that rates schools across the country on a variety of criteria. In their recent list, they analyzed and came back with a list of the best private high schools in Michigan. Niche Releases A List Of The Best High Schools in MichiganNiche is a website that rates schools across the country on a variety of criteria. In their recent list, they analyzed and came back with a list of the best high schools in Michigan.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan basketball team survived the first three games on its schedule and will now play against much tougher competition the rest of the season. Three days before taking Michigan to overtime, Oakland lost to Toledo by 27. Two days after leaving the Crisler Center, Oakland lost to Purdue by 43. Coming upIn this COVID-19-shortened season, Michigan only has five non-conference games before the start of Big Ten play. Franz Wagner #21 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on during the second half against the Ball State Cardinals at Crisler Arena on December 02, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

On Wednesday, he proved his value, posting a game-high 21 points in Michigan’s 84-65 win over Ball State. Livers, for a second straight offseason, worked on his ball handling and vision. A Ball State guard was even with Livers when he grabbed the ball, yet Livers, dribbling, beat him down the court for an uncontested dunk. Livers and Michigan were off and running, and after a rough patch to end the first half, they took control and stayed in control for much of the second half. He ran the offense for a brief stretch in the second half, which included an assist out of a ball screen.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Isaiah Livers scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, Hunter Dickinson had his first career double-double, and Michigan beat Ball State 84-65 on Wednesday night. Franz Wagner added 14 points and Mike Smith scored 10 for Michigan (3-0). Dickinson made a layup to make it 34-14 with 5:39 left in the first half, but the Cardinals scored 19 of the last 25 first-half points. El-Amin hit a jumper early just 14 seconds after halftime to trim Ball State's deficit to 40-35, but Michigan scored the next six points and the Cardinals got no closer. Walton led Ball State (0-2) with 20 points.

Howard replaced Isaiah Livers, a senior co-captain who’s started throughout his Michigan career, and another veteran, junior Brandon Johns Jr., with Terrance Williams II and Hunter Dickinson. Their production came in crunch time when Michigan needed it most. On Michigan’s ensuing offensive possession, Williams found the angle for a perfect bounce pass to Dickinson, who caught the ball, turned, and dunked. It showed on Sunday, with Williams assisting on another Dickinson basket during Michigan’s comeback. Dickinson needed just two dribbles to score his six baskets.

ANN ARBOR -- Isaiah Livers has three father figures: his biological dad, his stepfather, and Juwan Howard. The Michigan senior forward had an exchange with Howard, his head coach, during Sunday’s eventual overtime win over Oakland at Crisler Center. Michigan trailed at half and by as many as six in the second half. Livers scored 10 points in the second half and six in overtime to help Michigan escape with an 81-71 win. During the exchange, Livers’ co-captain, Austin Davis, appeared to reach out to Livers to keep him from stepping towards Howard.

Michigan and Michigan State, the two marquee men’s basketball programs in the state, have avoided COVID-19-related shutdowns. Central Michigan and Western Michigan both canceled games, though that appeared to be because of an issue with the opponent. And the Oakland basketball team, which visits Michigan on Sunday (6:00, BTN), ceased activities for more than two weeks this month due to an outbreak. Against an Oakland team that has struggled mightily defensively so far, Smith should have plenty of chances to get his teammates involved on Sunday. We just have to hope and pray they’re doing what they need to to stay safe.”More Michigan basketball content:Isaiah Livers, Michigan basketball co-captain, on why he knelt during national anthemInside Crisler Center for a strange, quiet Michigan basketball season openerTwo former Michigan basketball stars sign NBA deals

ANN ARBOR -- There was Isaiah Livers before Michigan’s season opener on Wednesday, taking a knee during the pregame national anthem at Crisler Center. Livers, a senior forward, was the lone player in the game to take a knee. It was no surprise that Livers, along with redshirt senior Austin Davis, were named as Michigan’s captains for this season. Michigan publicly announced its captains the day of the game; the team was informed by head coach Juwan Howard about a month ago. More Michigan basketball content:Michigan transfers Chaundee Brown, Mike Smith make quite the first impressionInside Crisler Center for a strange, quiet Michigan basketball season openerTwo former Michigan basketball stars sign NBA deals

Exactly four weeks from today, on Nov. 25, the college basketball season is set to begin. Eight different events scheduled to take place in Orlando, Florida, were canceled on Monday, including two that involved Michigan State. Maryland’s website lists its 2020-21 schedule as “coming soon.” Wisconsin and Illinois and Minnesota have nothing. “Just because we feel like we lost a lot of games (last season) on the defensive end,” Brooks said. The numbers suggest otherwise: Michigan shot the same number of free throws as its opponents (498).

Isaiah Livers' first, second, and third priorities for the upcoming college basketball season are to stay healthy. Livers said on Wednesday that he spoke to nearly every NBA team. “You’ll see a different Isaiah (this season),” Livers declared on Tuesday. And Livers admitted his injuries were “freak accidents,” meaning his hopes for this season are partially out of his control. More Michigan basketball content:Potential starting 5, key freshman among topics as Michigan basketball starts practiceMichigan basketball All-Decade team: The star-studded 2010sThe latest on Chaundee Brown’s waiver requestJuwan Howard laments virtual recruiting as Michigan makes cut for another 5-starMichigan basketball faces tricky task of creating safe schedule