Selection Sunday is supposed to be a moment of excitement and anticipation, but for Michigan Wolverines fans, it quickly turned into frustration. Despite capturing the Big Ten Tournament title in one of the toughest conferences in the country, the Wolverines landed a No. 5 seed—far lower than expected.
Michigan Competes as a No. 5 Seed That Elicits Frustration
When Michigan captured the Big Ten tournament championship, people wondered how it would affect which seed the team would receive. To the shock of many within the fanbase, the Wolverines will receive a fifth seed.
That sound that reverberated through the Midwest was the collecting groans of disapproval from their fanbase, a fanbase that truly believed that their team was being slighted.
Despite winning a tournament in what many consider a top-three conference, the Wolverines will play behind a dozen or so teams that did not win their respective conferences.
From the moment that you hear Michigan’s name during the tournament bracket announcements, the fanbase took to social media and vented their anger to anyone with the ability to read. With so many angry tweets, the difficulty in choosing the best becomes a hilarious endeavor.
Michigan has 2 wins against Wisconsin & 2 wins against Purdue.
Wisconsin is a 3-seed. Purdue is a 4-seed.
Michigan has 11 Quad 1 wins. Only 3 teams in America have more. They won the Big Ten. They have no bad losses.
Being a 5-seed in Denver is an absolute joke.
— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) March 16, 2025
Using facts yet still conjuring up a visceral reaction is a masterclass in explaining your opinion. It takes nuance married to confidence in the facts. Nothing here looks wrong.
Is This A Justified Reaction?
If you take the vitriol and look at the facts, one thought flows to mind. Michigan, from their players, alumni and fans, they have every single right to be upset at such a lower-than-expected seeding.
Now, we can slowly fill this entire article with social media as a jumping bad for testy fans. However, if we turn the page and discuss a few facts, that will place everything into context. CBS Sports Kyle Boone makes a strong case. However, first, he draws a rational parallel.
“If evaluating performance based on quads were the end-all-be-all, then Saquon Barkley would be the highest-paid player in NFL history, and Auburn would have already been crowned champion before the tournament got underway. ”
This attacks the notion that quad wins matter more than anyone, as far as the tournament is concerned. Without a distinct set of stats or criteria, the NCAA selection committees can really use nebulous factors that they can twist to whatever justification as humanly possible. Boone brings clarity to this point.
“But Michigan’s resume is overwhelmingly more impressive than every team it faced this week. Five more Quad 1 wins than Maryland and Wisconsin, three more than Purdue. That’s not to mention a WAB (wins above bubble) that lapped the other teams it beat this week.”
Saying the Quiet Part Aloud
Joe Lundai, ESPN’s bracketologist, may have let the metaphorical cat out of the bag. Hours before the game, Lunardi foretold the Michigan snub.
“It’s worth wondering how much, if at all, Sunday’s game (or the Big Ten Tournament in general) really mattered as far as seeding. Michigan should be a 4 seed with a win today but has likely already been slotted as a 5 seed.”
This runs counter to what Tournament Selection Chairman and North Carolina Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham discussed.
“You know, every game matters all year long”
KEEP READING: How Many Double-Digit Seeds Make the Sweet 16? A Look At Their History
Yet an NCAA insider predicted that the Big Ten championship wouldn’t really matter, while the head of the selection committee offers a Sizzler-quality word salad about how games matter.
Michigan earned a better seed, but the NCAA punished them with a lower seed. The fanbase lashed out because they perceived aspects of the tournament not lining up.
Plus, Cunningham comes under fire for even being on the committee as the athletic director of a school (UNC) that some believe should not be in the tournament. Now, the Wolverines can make the committee eat their words by running through opponents.
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