Illinois likes to say we're rivals, which isn't true. But I like to think the person with the Morez Johnson in clownface sign will always remember the time Rez returned to Champaign* and made the sign guy's Illini the punchline.

Everyone who paid the $260+ get-in just got to watch Johnson and co seal an outright Big Ten title with two games to spare. Banners come with Muppets!

And you can't have one without the other:

*Fun fact: if it's the #1 offense in the history of Kenpom and was held under a point per possession until garbage time, it's actually just sparkling orange juice.

CLICK HERE for Game Recap from Kristy McNeil and other pertinent information and HERE for current NPI Rankings.

What just happened (TL;DR): Michigan looked a lot better and won a see-saw affair on Senior Night at Yost. TJ Hughes deflected Tyler Duke’s shot to open the scoring. Malcolm Spence scored on a breakaway. After a couple of poor plays from forwards lead to couple of Ice Gopher rush goals, Malcolm Spence continued his phenomenal night dishing to a driving Asher Barnett who popped the water bottle for his game-winning goal. The Wolverine PK came up HUGE killing off a major penalty to close the game. Spence once again assisted on Cole McKinney’s empty netter to seal it. Jack Ivankovic outdueled Luca Di Pasquo stopping 25 of 27 shots.

FINAL CORSI NUMBERS (www.collegehockeynews.com)

Forward Notes.

-While the numbers technically aren’t as strong in favor of Michigan, I thought they were much better and more dangerous offensively, especially early. Michigan also got more jump from a lot more of their touted players. While there were customary lulls, they overcame them and could have scored a couple more times if they’d hit open nets or Luca DiPasquo doesn’t make A+ saves.

-TJ Hughes added another tally…because of course he did. On Senior Night. If there’s anyone who’s been the model of consistency this season (or in his career), it’s been TJ. This one goes in off his body from the shot of fellow senior Tyler Duke. TJ is sitting at 18-29-47 on the season. He’s registered a point in 27 of 34 games so far. He’s one of the more underrated players in the history of this program. One helluva college hockey player.

-To confirm my suspicions of players who I guessed the coaching staff thought played…uh…not as well, last night…Naurato started a 4th line of Malcolm Spence, Aidan Park, and Will Horcoff. Park laid down on a centering pass from behind the goal. The problem was that he left space between himself and Javon Moore for Jimmy Clark’s centering pass. He got to the spot, but probably should have stayed on his feet to break up the pass. Will Horcoff missed Michael Hage on a breakout in the neutral zone, starting a rush the other way…that ended up behind Ivankovic. But…Malcolm Spence!

-Malcolm Spence was Michigan’s best player on Friday night. He scored on a breakaway, set up Asher Barnett’s game-winner, and got the clear that lead to Cole McKinney’s empty netter. In addition to all of that, Spence set up or had multiple A+ looks in or around the slot. He’s been a confusing player at times. He popped a little early in the year, then disappeared for a while. However, he’s now got six points in his last six games, thanks to a three point night, tonight. Spence (along with Horcoff and to an extent Michael Hage) are the wild cards for this team. When they skate with energy and intensity, this is a different Wolverine team. That’s the team that can roll the dice in Vegas.

-Kienan Draper took a terrible cross-checking to the face major penalty and got five and a game with 6:30 to go and a 3-2 lead. Draper has never shied away from contact, but the context of that penalty was just frustrating. He’s got to be smarter well, all of the time when trying to shut down an important win. Thankfully, while it was Senior Night, he will still have one (or more?) game on Yost ice to finish in a stronger way.

Defense Notes.

-Once again, the defense was pretty solid up and down the lineup all game long. There were fewer pizza giveaways. No one was caught flat-skated giving up bad rushes. Exits were clean. They made Minnesota earn everything and never really hung Ivankovic out to dry.

-Tyler Duke got his Senior Night assist. Duke has been a steady soldier on the blue line for three years, now. He’s never been the biggest, but he’s always played physical and frustrated bigger forwards. While he isn’t finding the back of the net, his assist tonight tied his career high for points with 16 (1-15). He and Luca Fantilli has formed a great senior pair that has exceeded expectations to the max.

-Asher Barnett is a goal-scorer, now! He walked in off the point, took Malcolm Spence’s pass, and popped the water bottle, beating Luca Di Pasquo to give Michigan a 3-2 lead that they would hold down the stretch. Barnett is now up to 5 goals on the season (all in the second half) to pair with his 12 assists. He was also nails in the final 6:30, killing off the game. Hard to ask for much more.

THE ESSENTIALS

THE OVERVIEW

When we reviewed the Big Ten during our season preview podcast I distinctly remember looking at the Illinois roster and thinking that they were huge, deep, and talented. Then Keaton Wagler became the biggest miss in the history of the recruiting industry.

There have been superstars who emerge from the three- and even two-star morass, but usually this involves tight ends adding eighty pounds or uncoordinated 7'4" guys developing over a series of years. Wagler is a 6'6" point guard who is third in the KPOY rankings and is going in the top five of the NBA draft. He was the composite #261 recruit. Bzzzzt! Bzzzt. Bzzt.

Anyway: they have the best offense in the history of Kenpom and their defense is… all right. They beat #16 Texas Tech,  #20 Tennessee, and #51 Mizzou in the nonconference, losing to #9 UConn and #19 Alabama. In the Big Ten they've won most games by healthy margins but lost by 3 against Nebraska and in OT against MSU, Wisconsin, and—most recently—UCLA.

This is a five-out team that can reduce Mara's paint impact and the tallest team in the country. Michigan just played #2, Duke, and saw many of their assets neutralized. Combine that with the fact that it's a road game and tickets have a get-in of ~260 and this is going to be Michigan's toughest game of the year.

If they win it, the shared Big Ten title becomes an outright one. If Illinois wins it, they might have the inside track for the last one seed. The barns, they shall burn again.

[After THE JUMP: I hope you like huge guys who shoot threes.]