UM's Beilein: Last week was 'smack in the face'

Ann Arbor — Caris LeVert is "close," Michigan coach John Beilein said Monday.

But we've heard that before — and LeVert has missed one game after another, 10 in all.

He practiced for an hour Monday, ahead of Wednesday's road game against Minnesota. That's a win Michigan desperately needs, given that last week, in Beilein's words, was "really a smack in the face."

"You don't sleep after a couple games like that," Beilein said on his weekly radio show. "It's really hard. What do you do? Do you wallow in it or feel sorry for yourself, or do you try to do something about it? That's what we're trying to do, do something about it."

Michigan entered last week 17-5 and 7-2 in the Big Ten, then got absolutely destroyed, at home no less, by nationally ranked Indiana and Michigan State.

Only emptying of opponents' benches late kept Beilein from suffering the most-lopsided home losses in his nine-year tenure as Michigan coach.

"That was a great lesson in humility for all of us," Beilein said.

Bracketology has MSU a 2, 3 seed; UM a ninth seed

All seven of Michigan's losses have been to teams that were ranked at the time, most of whom remain ranked.

"So, obviously, we're not a nationally ranked team," Beilein said. "We're not in that status.

"We'd love to be."

Without LeVert, the leader, it's been tough, especially against the elite teams — and Michigan faces many more elite teams down the stretch, including Purdue at home Saturday, at Maryland, and at home against Iowa.

That's to say nothing of Ohio State and Wisconsin on the road, neither game in the bank — not given how bad Michigan looked last week.

The Wolverines don't have a senior in play, and juniors Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton, elevated to leadership status, have grown, between this year and last.

"But they didn't learn how to win last year," Beilein said. "They've gotta learn how to win."

Playing defense will help, because there wasn't a lick of it against Indiana and Michigan State.

Getting Duncan Robinson open will help, too; it hasn't happened much the last several games — and even when it has happened, he hasn't been nearly the sharp-shooter he was during nonconference play.

Against Minnesota, Michigan will face a team that still is looking for its first Big Ten win, but has given tough teams a scare, including Michigan State and Michigan.

Beilein just wants a win — if for no other reason than to put last week's horror show behind him.

"We've gotta find more wins," he said on the radio show. "I don't care who they're against.

"Seven and four doesn't mean anything when you've lost these last two games the way we've had."

tpaul@detroitnews.com

twitter.com/tonypaul1984