In the summer and into the fall, it felt possible. After Las Vegas in November, it felt inevitable.

Then, Michigan men's basketball, a final four favorite. Many believing they're the best team in the country, they were scrutinized.

Even if a win wasn't as big of a win as people expected, questions were asked.

Then when LJ. Kaysen went down due to injury, more doubt did creep in.

This is not a team that had to endure a ton of adversity from a game-to-game standpoint,

but there was a huge spotlight.

That's commonplace at the University of Michigan,

but especially when you put together the type of season that Michigan has to this point.

And then back here in Chicago,

Michigan two weeks ago got to a championship game and saw another team celebrate. But the team that

many expected to get to the final four did indeed get to the final four. They learned from that

experience 14 days prior, and the confetti that fell at the United Center was maize and

blue. Michigan, a dominant Midwest region championship pulling away from Howard, overwhelming St. Louis,

running past Alabama, and then bulldozing Tennessee to get to where we all thought they would

get to, even if at times the

journey was unique and as mentioned scrutinized. So now Michigan has a chance to hang a third

banner, to solidify what many think it can be, and prove once and for all that this team is

the leader and the best. They are the number one team in the nation. They'll have a

chance to play for that second national championship and join the 1989 banner high atop

Chrysler Senate. Full reaction from Michigan's win over Tennessee to get to the final four

right here on Defend the Block.

We're talking Michigan basketball.

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