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Tim Daniels is the featured Columnist for January 8, 2022.
Rick Osentoski is a photographer.
The Big Ten men's basketball game between Michigan and Michigan State has been canceled.
The team fell below the minimum for playing after Friday night's testing. The Big Ten and the schools will work on rescheduling the rivalry game.
The Michigan squad has been hovering around.500 for most of the season, and upcoming games like the one against the 10th-ranked Spartans are crucial.
The Wolverines opened the year with a 2-0 record, but have since fallen to 6-7, including 1-2 in conference play. They'll need a couple big wins down the stretch to get into the Big Dance, as they're left on the fringe of the NCAA tournament picture.
Thanks to the strength of the Big Ten, the U-M will have opportunities. It has a road game against Wisconsin and two home games against Michigan State and Ohio State.
Juwan Howard was asked about the difficult schedule on Friday. He replied that he was.
Our approach has always been one game at a time. You have to protect your home court.
Home fans will be there supporting you. The Maize Rage is your family, friends, alumni group, student body. Your fans are going to get behind you and support you, so play inspiring basketball.
It's good to know that the next games are very competitive. The Big Ten is a very competitive conference.
Michigan State has a 13-2 record and a perfect start to conference play that makes it a lock for the NCAA tournament. The Spartans can improve their seeding over the next few months, with an outside chance of landing on the top line.
A road win over Michigan would have helped bolster those chances, but that always intriguing match up will have to wait a little longer.
The Spartans will play Minnesota at the Breslin Center on Wednesday.
If enough players clear the COVID-19 protocols over the next three days, Michigan will host the Boilermakers on Tuesday.
