The Michigan men's basketball team is wearing its regular blue Jordan Brand jerseys during its Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game against Purdue "after playing in practice uniforms on Thursday," according to Brendan Quinn of MLIVE.com. UM's contingent in DC for the tourney has now gotten all of its belongings "from a plane that skidded off the runway" Wednesday at an airport in Ypsilanti, Mich. Ed Kengerski, who works for the MGoBlue.com website and travels with the team, said that the team's "bags and equipment were shipped in two parts -- some arriving on Thursday night, some on Friday morning" (MLIVE.com, 3/10). In Detroit, Mark Snyder reports the UM team was evacuated from the plane after it skidded off the runway, but "everything else had to remain" on the plane "until the NTSB/FAA investigation was completed." That resulted in the use of the practice gear in Thursday's win over Illinois. UM's uniforms and shoes were the "most visible difference" during Thursday's game (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 3/10). ESPN's Molly McGrath reports UM G Derrick Walton Jr. “was actually lobbying" to wear the practice uniforms during Friday's game. He said the team is "playing loose and having fun, and it’s 100% because we’re wearing our practice uniforms" ("Michigan-Purdue," ESPN, 3/10).
JUST ENJOYING PLAYING A GAME: UM players and coaching staff earned praise Thursday for playing at a high level after enduring such a precarious situation the day before. ESPN’s Dalen Cuff said, "Tip my hat to John Beilein and crew. That was a life-and-death situation. ... That was really impressive, and they dominated that game" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 3/9). ESPN's Chris Cotter: "Certainly tipping the cap to the Wolverines.” ESPN’s Andy Katz: "And to the Big Ten, because the Big Ten left it up to Michigan what time they wanted to play” (“College Basketball Live,” ESPNU, 3/10). CBS’ Adam Zucker: “They looked to be just so happy to be out on that basketball court” (“Inside College Basketball,” CBS Sports Network, 3/10).
