For about 35 game minutes on Friday night here in Champaign, it appeared that Michigan was on the cusp of what could have been a season-altering performance.

The Wolverines with a ton of adversity, so much against them, were right there against a 12-3-and-0 Illinois team that had circled this game on its calendar ever since the schedule came out.

The final five minutes and Trent Frazier's explosion down the stretch ultimately prevented Michigan

from getting that victory. And that's what this team and this program defines itself by.

They will not look at this as a moral victory. They will not take this as a positive moving forward.

They didn't get the job done.

They lost to fall to 7 and 7. However, it is important to say that this game has the potential

to still be season changing. You see, Michigan's energy, their effort, their collaboration,

their want to, their grit in this performance needs to carry over

when this ball club is at full strength. Michigan had a ton of adversity. They had so much

against them. No Hunter Dickinson, no Brandon Johns Jr., no Zeb Jackson, Musa Diabate, who started

at the five against one of the national player of the year candidates in

Kofi Coburn.

He picked up two fouls before the first media timeout.

Michigan was leaning upon Jace Howard, who had not been able to carve out a spot in rotation

until I think probably now.

I think he's ready to do that in the middle of his sophomore season.

And Jaron Fault, a preferred walk-on who passed up playing time at Columbia to come to Michigan for an opportunity like he had on Friday against Illinois.

Again, ultimately, this was not a victory. This is not a positive step forward.

But because of the performance, the energy, the effort, it has a chance to

help flip the script on the season. What Michigan does Tuesday at Maryland and beyond will

help to determine that. Because I feel like this has a chance to be a circle to wagons. Let's

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