Michigan must find a way to slow down Joe Trapani and the Eagles.

Coming off back-to-back losses in the Old Spice Classic, Michigan is currently unranked and heading into a tough matchup against Boston College. Some fans are already touting this game as a must-win, even with the lion’s share of the season still ahead. So, is this really a game Michigan has to win? Let’s look at both sides:

Yes, this is a must-win:

1. A third straight loss against a beatable opponent could send this team reeling, especially without the senior leadership that C.J. Lee and David Merritt provided last season. With just one game between Boston College and a trip to Utah, there would be little time to right the ship before the Wolverines would be facing another tough challenge. With all the youth on this team, confidence is very important.
2. Every at-large tournament team needs a signature non-conference win. If Michigan loses to BC, then the only chances at that win remaining are on the road at Utah and Kansas and at home against UConn. It’s never easy to win on the road against a quality opponent, and it would certainly be a huge upset if Michigan were to knock off Kansas in Lawrence. UConn is a very tough matchup for Michigan themselves, boasting a lot of size and athleticism. Tonight looks to be Michigan’s best crack at a big non-conference win.
3. John Beilein has yet to settle on a rotation for the rest of the season, given Michigan’s struggles in the past few games. Another loss would raise further questions about playing time, and who deserves it, with only a handful of games left until the Big Ten season begins.

Are you crazy? This isn’t a must-win:

1. Remember last season, when Michigan dropped several “must-win” games deep into the conference schedule before getting hot and making the tournament? I don’t think Michigan fans particularly want to go through that again, but we have to remember that the tournament committee is often swayed by how well a team is playing heading into the postseason. Those December games that felt so meaningful at the time are many times quickly forgotten once the team heads into the conference slate.
2. Michigan still has several chances to earn that signature win. Besides Utah, Kansas, and UConn, Michigan still has a very strong Big Ten schedule to deal with, and victories over the likes of Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State, and Illinois would go a long way towards an NCAA tournament berth.
3. This team is still very young, still learning John Beilein’s system, and has a lot of games left to gel and mature. Yes, Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims are the clear top guys on the team and upperclassmen, but the rest of the players are still figuring out their roles as complimentary guys. Darius Morris is still a true freshman with all of five games under his belt. Same with Matt Vogrich. Stu Douglass, Zack Novak, and Laval Lucas-Perry are all in their second year in the program. Michigan is still hoping to find a third big man after Sims and Zack Gibson. These guys will get better, given time, and this team should play very different in March than they have in November and December.

Which side do I fall on? I’m leaning towards the latter argument, although a win here would give the team a huge boost heading into a  tough stretch in the schedule (after a home cupcake in Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Michigan has @Utah, vs. Detroit, @Kansas in a ten-day span). Luckily for Michigan, Boston College is struggling with injuries — their leading returning scorer, Rakim Sanders, is out, senior forward Tyler Roche is questionable, and go-to guy Joe Trapani is dealing with flu symptoms, although it appears he will play tonight. I think Michigan takes this game — we can’t shoot that poorly from three all season, right?

For more on the game, check out UMHoops and MGoBlog, who both have previews up. Go Blue!

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