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Michigan Wolverines would be foolish to overlook Loyola Ramblers

By John Buhler

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 24: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines reacts against the Florida State Seminoles during the second half in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional Final at Staples Center on March 24, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 24: Head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines reacts against the Florida State Seminoles during the second half in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional Final at Staples Center on March 24, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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The Michigan Wolverines have the easiest path to the national title of the Final Four teams. However, they would be foolish to overlook the Loyola Ramblers.

It’s been a great year for Michigan Wolverines basketball. This might be John Beilein’s best coaching job while in Ann Arbor. Michigan is 32-7 (13-5) on the year and won Big Ten Tournament in 2018. This is Beilein’s second trip to the Final Four and the first since 2013, where the Wolverines lost to the Louisville Cardinals.

So one would think that the Wolverines are both battle tested having come out of the tough Western Region and the always feisty Big Ten Tournament. While they are 5.5-point favorites in their Final Four game, Michigan would be foolish to overlook this year’s tournament darling in the Loyola Ramblers.

Sure, the Wolverines have the luxury of seeing two worthy adversaries duke it out on the other side of the bracket in the Kansas Jayhawks and the Villanova Wildcats. Michigan obviously won’t have to face both en route to a national title. However, nobody has been a giant killer like Loyola and the Fighting Sister Jeans have been all March.

Loyola might be the No. 11 seed, but did win four tournament games in the wonky South Region. The Ramblers handled the No. 6 Miami Hurricanes in the Round of 64, the No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers in the Round of 32, the No. 7 Nevada Wolf Pack in the Sweet 16 and the No. 9 Kansas State Wildcats in the Elite 8. Like Michigan, the Ramblers are obviously battled tested.

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That being said, Loyola has been the underdog in all four of their tournament games up to this point. No. 3 Michigan was the higher seed in all four of their games.

Michigan’s path to San Antonio was knocking off the No. 14 Montana Grizzlies in the Round of 64, the No. 6 Houston Cougars in the Round of 32, the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies in the Sweet 16 and the No. 9 Florida State Seminoles in the Elite 8.

Sure, Loyola is getting a ton of publicity for their biggest fan in Sister Jean, but let’s not overlook the great job head coach Porter Moser is doing for the Ramblers.

He’s not on the level of Beilein, Bill Self of Kansas or Jay Wright of Villanova, but he could be the next great mid-major coach in the NCAA.

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Overall, Michigan stands a great chance to win its second-ever national title and first since 1989. But obviously, the Wolverines have to take care of business. At least four teams have overlooked the Ramblers up to this point. It’s time for Michigan to buck that trend. Tipoff is at the Alamodome in San Antonio at 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday, Mar 31.

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