If there's one thing Michigan leads the Big Ten in this season, it might just be moral victories. That's just the kind of year it's been for the Wolverines up in Ann Arbor.
Michigan — which has played without its two best players (Caris LeVert and Derrick Walton Jr.) for the majority of the season — has been "that close" on countless occasions this season, especially of late.
The Wolverines have lost five straight games and six of seven heading into Sunday's matchup against No. 24 Ohio State at Crisler Center. Three of those losses came in overtime, and another was by three points on the road. It's been heartbreaking for a Michigan team decimated by injuries.
But the fact the Wolverines have been this competitive in the rigorous Big Ten with such a depleted team has been impressive in itself. Head coach John Beilein has certainly gotten the most out of his limited group of players this year.
That's why the Buckeyes need to be wary when they travel to Ann Arbor for Sunday's game. Michigan is desperate for a win.
"I'm sort of sick of losing these close games," Michigan junior Spike Albrecht said recently, according to MLive.com. "We had that one. ... For us to not win that game was just hard for me to accept."
The Buckeyes know the feeling.
While it hasn't had nearly the same number of losses as Michigan this year, Ohio State has found itself on the wrong side of nearly every close game it has played. Three of its last four losses have come by one possession, including the last time out, a 59-56 heartbreaker at Michigan State.
"It's our job to work as hard and play as hard throughout the game to put us in the position to win those games," Ohio State senior forward Sam Thompson said following the loss to the Spartans. "We've been in a position to win but we haven't gotten it done. But we gotta keep going."
The difference in the two teams, however, is the Buckeyes still have something to play for. They're still fighting to earn one of those top four spots in the Big Ten and to improve their seed come NCAA tournament time. Michigan, though, is simply playing for pride at this point.
With that said, the Wolverines certainly want to end their current skid. And the fact they have a chance to do it against Ohio State could add a little fuel to their fire, no matter how dim it may be at this point.
"We are what we are right now and we do have a lot of young who have to continue to stay positive and keep bringing them along," Albrecht said to MLive.com. "We're not making excuses for that. We're competing and fighting our butts off out there, but we're just not winning games and playing great basketball."
