The Victors: Project OSPREY
(№ 4) Michigan 79-71 Penn State
22-4, Big Ten 9-4

Never let it be said that we here at The Secret Base do not see a dark cloud behind every silver lining. The valiant Wolverines earned a victory & that is reason to be glad. The victory earned was over the Big Ten's worst club, though, & the valiant Wolverines were less than confidence-inspiring in the doing. Sophomore guard Trey Burke scored a career high twenty-nine points—& all congratulations to him—but that also means the rest of the squad managed a mere fifty points. (I know, fifty point by every else doesn't seem that bad in light of last Tuesday's fifty-two points, Burke's included, against the dastardly Spartans, but with no disrespect intended it must also be noted that the ferocious Nittany Lions, winless in league play, are hardly the dastardly Spartans.) Freshman forward Glenn Robinson III reappeared as a potent offensive weapon, but junior guard Tim Hardaway Jr. disappeared. Freshman forward Nik Stauskas was highly efficient on offense, but highly deficient on defense. The long & short of it is thus: The ferocious Nittany Lions were the perfect opponent to play after we failed the test of "Murderers' Row," but the victory was not the authoritative reassertion of the valiant Wolverines' dominant early-season form that would have steadied the nerves frayed by the recent string of defeats.

The best part of today's game was a visit with the commentators by Cazzie Russell, the Wolverine great from the 1960s after whom the Crisler Center is nicknamed "The House that Cazzie Built." Woot!

Next: Illinois, a club the valiant Wolverines defeated on the road, at the Crisler Center in one week's time. A note of caution: the feisty Fighting Illini are not the same squad they were back in January. Neither, it seems, are the valiant Wolverines. "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!"

The valiant Wolverines are ranked № 4 based on ranking that came out before last week's shellacking by the dastardly Spartans. The valiant Wolverines won't be ranked № 4 in tomorrow's new A.P. poll.

Go Blue!

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Maurice Jarre, "Main Titles" (from Lawrence of Arabia) via iTunes (T.L.A.M.)