Michigan Basketball is making their presence felt in the Big Ten Conference and it couldn't come at a better time with March approaching. Sunday marked the team's third straight conference win as they took down rival Ohio State, 74-62.

The team, led by veteran coach John Beilein, has found a rhythm on the defensive end. Coach Beilein giddily praised his group's defensive effort after the win on Sunday.

"I saw a team really connecting. We had to play great defense. Isaiah Livers and Duncan Robinson did an incredible job on D," Beilein said to CBS Sports after the game.

Both Livers and Robinson pose a threat to opposing teams because of their size on the wings. They have similar 6'7, 200-plus pound frames and relentlessly go after the best players across from them. Ohio State's Keita Bates-Diop is second in the conference in scoring, but Livers and Robinson held him to 17 points on 5 of 17 shooting.

In February, the Michigan defense held opponents down and Sunday marked the third contest in the last four, in which they didn't allow 70 points. Currently, they give up the fewest points (63.5) per game in the conference.

Michigan's March to Madness

The Wolverines' final regular-season games are conference matchups as they travel to Penn State (Feb. 21), and then to Maryland (Feb.

24). These contests will provide an opportunity to sustain momentum as they head toward postseason play.

With the recent surge, the team has a safe RPI ranking, coming in at No. 38 as of Sunday. The last two games won't mean much in terms of NCAA tournament ramifications but could impact their seeding in the conference tournament.

They're currently ranked fifth in the conference, trailing Nebraska by one game in the loss column. Meanwhile, Michigan is just one spot ahead of Penn State. The top four seeds in the Big Ten Tournament receive a bye and don't have to play the first round. If the team could jump up to a top-four seed, it could be huge for Beilein's bunch as they try to conserve energy for what they hope to be a long March.

Energy and hustle are vital components to the group's success. They like to turn teams over and capitalize on bad shots and passes.

Take a look at this effort play in the win against Ohio State that fueled the momentum for the rest of the game.

Junior forward Moritz Wagner is the pulse of this team. Watching a 6-11, 245-pound center pressure guards at halfcourt and dive for loose balls energizes the entire unit. But he and other teammates will inevitably wear down if they don't get a top-four seed and have to log heavy minutes in early rounds of the conference tournament.

Pay close attention to the upcoming three-week stretch as Michigan marches through their remaining Big Ten schedule in hopes of cutting down nets.
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