For lesser country music followers like myself, it was a surprise Thursday night when one of Lady Antebellum’s trio of singers walked onto the Freedom Hill Amphitheater stage eight months pregnant. Thankfully for the nearly 10,000 fans on hand, Hillary Scott still delivered a top-notch performance, pacing the seven-time Grammy Award-winning band through a two-hour long show that kept the Sterling Heights crowd on its feet during the program’s entirety.

 
Although Scott’s on-stage mobility and stamina was obviously affected by her pregnancy, her singing was as good as advertised. Scott led the trio in the performance of just about all of Lady Antebellum’s hit radio singles, including the newest radio single, “Downtown,” and older favorites “American Honey,” “Just a Kiss,” and “Need You Now.” She sang with a voice even superior to that of the group’s studio albums, and joked on occasion about her pregnancy to the sympathy of many mothers and high-school aged teens in the crowd.

 
Co-lead singer Charles Kelley played a more significant on-stage role, leading most of the dialogue between songs and dancing about the stage with Dave Haywood, the band’s third singing member.

 
The one small shortcoming in Lady Antebellum’s performance was the band’s decision to play an acoustic rendition of “Locked out of Heaven,” originally by Bruno Mars. The song itself embodies the poppiest of pop music, and didn’t transition very well to the acoustic, country-like style of Lady Antebellum.

 
The show as a whole gave locals on hand a reason to smile, and the band will certainly be welcomed back their next time in town; with one new member of the family.

Mitch McGary blocks the shot of Syracuse’s James Southerland in the first half of Michigan’s 61-56 win on Saturday (Chris Steppig/AP Photo)

June’s NBA draft figures to have at least one Michigan player if Trey Burke makes the decision to go pro next season.

But with Glenn Robinson III and Tim Hardaway Jr. apparently on the fence, Michigan could have as many as four players represented with the recent emergence of Mitch McGary in the NCAA Tournament.

After stating he was “100 percent” coming back to Michigan next season, McGary has since rebuted his statement, claiming he was misunderstood. Although it would be premature to say that McGary is likely to go pro, his 16 points and 11.6 rebounds per game average in the NCAA Tournament list him as high as 22nd on NBA Draft boards.

Regardless of Michigan’s performance in Monday’s National Championship game against Louisville, the Wolverines will likely lose between one and four players to next season’s NBA Draft. But for now, the focus remains on the task ahead.

“I’m not here to talk about that right now,” said Burke on Saturday when asked about his future. “I’m thinking about Louisville. And playing Michigan basketball.”

Tim Hardaway Jr. and the Wolverines lost a heartbreaker against Victor Oladipo and the Hoosiers

Quick Recap: In an electric Crisler Center, the Wolverines dropped a 72-71 heartbreaker to the Indiana Hoosiers, in which they had numerous opportunities to secure a victory in the final minute. The Hoosiers clinched the outright Big Ten title with the victory, while Michigan to fifth place in the conference. Despite being a top-10 nationally ranked team, the Wolverines will not earn a first round bye in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.

One Final, Horrible Minute: With Michigan leading 70-66 and just over a minute to play, the Hoosiers committed a turnover. It looked like Michigan was about to secure it’s second consecutive share of the Big Ten title. Glenn Robinson III was fouled on the ensuing possession, and split his two free throws to give Michigan the lead. Indiana scored on the next possession to make the score 71-68. Tim Hardaway Jr. was then fouled on the next Michigan possession, missing the first of a 1-in-1. With no Michigan players standing on the outside of the lane, Indiana had an uncontested rebound, leading to a possession in which Cody Zeller was fouled going inside. Zeller then hit two free throws to make the score 71-70 with 30 seconds left. Trey Burke then missed the front end of a 1-in-1, and Indiana came back with a Zeller bucket to take the lead with 14 seconds left. On Michigan’s final possession, Trey Burke drove to the basket against Zeller, drawing no foul call despite a fair amount of contact. Jordan Morgan was in prime position for the rebound, but missed the tip-in layup front point-blank range, sending the Hoosiers home as champions.

Staying Mentally Strong? It will be very difficult for the Wolverines to avoid dwelling on this heart-crushing loss. What remains to be seen is if this loss will hamper Michigan’s mental strength moving forward. If anything though, Michigan’s performance today proved they can be a legitimate national title contender, as they fought punch for punch with the national title favorite for the entire game. Michigan will need to approach the post-season with the same confidence that carried them to a near-victory today.

Big Picture: Despite the gut-wrenching loss, Michigan finished the regular season 12-6 in the Big Ten, and 25-6 overall. Even though many fans had hopes of a Big Ten title, Michigan’s Big Ten record is very respectable and going undefeated throughout non-conference is a legitimate accomplishment. Next matchup is against Penn State on Thursday in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.

Trey Burke carried the Wolverines over Purdue with 22 second half points

Quick Recap: The Wolverines, who led by 12 points early, had to overcome a 12-point deficit Wednesday to defeat the Purdue Boilermakers and keep their Big Ten title hopes alive. Tyrone Johnson scored 32 points for Purdue, who fell to the 7-10 in the Big Ten. Michigan, at 12-5, moved to within one game of Indiana for first place in the conference.

Burke to the Rescue, Again: After submitting one of his worst 20-minute stretches of the entire season in the first half, Trey Burke scored 22 points in the second half and propelled Michigan to victory in a tough road environment. Burke was the offensive catalyst for the Wolverines in their 21-8 run over a seven minute span in the final half, giving Michigan the lead 61-60 with 4:16 to play. Burke was money from the free throw line down the stretch too, going 7-8 in the last minute of the game. His performance strengthened an already compelling Big Ten and national player of the year resume.

Mental Lapses on Defense Continue: Ten minutes into the first half, the Wolverines led 21-9 and looked to be on their way to a blowout victory, while Purdue looked erratic on offense. Suddenly, Michigan relaxed on defense, a constant theme on the road as of late, and Purdue responded with 4 three-pointers to take a 34-30 lead at the half. Michigan lost their toughness near the basket, got lazy closing out on jump shots, and struggled to secure defensive rebounds. Even though the Wolverines eventually made up for it on the offensive end, their weak defensive play continued into the second half. Defensive issues could limit Michigan’s ceiling in March if they can’t get tougher and commit themselves to a steady game-plan.

Stauskas Back Strong: Nik Stauskas showed no ill effects of the elbow he took to the face against Michigan State, which sidelined him for most of Sunday’s game. Stauskas came out aggressive on offense, notching 17 points, including two three-pointers and seven converted free throws in eight attempts. His confidence is essential to opening up Michigan’s offense and will be pivotal for the Wolverines to make a deep run in March.

Big Picture: Despite the erratic roller-coaster of a game, it was nice to see Michigan maintain their composure against adversity on the road. A fifth consecutive road loss would have been crushing and perhaps mentally debilitating at this point in the season. The Wolverines seemed to play with an extra chip on their shoulders, looking determined to win a championship. They have the opportunity to seal a second-consecutive title on their home court Sunday against Indiana. There isn’t much more Michigan fans can ask for.

Trey Burke scores in the first half against Michigan State. Burke had the game-winning steal against Michigan State’s Keith Appling

Quick Recap: Michigan survived a wacky end to their contest against Michigan State, defeating the Spartans 58-57. The victory vaults Michigan into a four-way tie for second place in the Big Ten at 11-5 with Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State. This means Indiana has clinched at least a share of the Big Ten title. For the Wolverines though, the victory over Michigan State is a huge mental boost to a team that has struggled against elite Big Ten competition over the past month.

Big Time Players Make Big Time Plays: Michigan’s only points in the last 2:53 of the game came courtesy of their leader, Trey Burke. With Michigan State in the midst of a 7-0 run to tie the game at 56, Keith Appling brought the ball up the court with 32 seconds left and Michigan State holding for the final shot. As Appling gazed to the bench to communicate with head coach Tom Izzo, Trey Burke went for the steal, picked Appling’s pocket, and streaked uncontested up the court to the Michigan basket for a dunk. Later, on the game’s final possession, Burke picked off Gary Harris’ attempted pass to Appling with under two seconds left to play, allowing Michigan to escape with the victory. Burke finished with another player-of-the-year type performance, posting 21 points, eight assists, five steals, and four rebounds.

Two Bigs on the Court? Throughout the season, coach Beilein has received some criticism for under-utilizing Michigan’s post players. With three legitimate post-men in Jordan Morgan, Mitch McGary and Jon Horford, Beilein has rarely showed any lineups featuring two of them on the court at the same time. However, this afternoon against a Spartan team with two post-oriented players on the court at all times, Beilein finally decided to match them. This lineup decision may have been coming with or without the matchup against the Spartans, as Michigan’s defense, particularly their rebounding, has struggled of late. This alignment was used for close to 65% of the game, and it worked perfectly, as Jordan Morgan matched up well at the power-forward position guarding Adrian Payne, who was a matchup nightmare for Glenn Robinson III.

LeVert Pushing for a Starting Spot: Nik Stauskas suffered an elbow to the face, right above his left eye, early in the game and did not return. Caris LeVert spent much of the game at shooting guard, making up for Staukas’s lost offense with brilliant man-to-man defense. He may find himself starting soon if Michigan continues to emphasize defense moving forward.

Big Picture: Michigan badly needed this victory to re-legitimize themselves as national title contenders. Finally, the Wolverines looked to be playing with an extra edge that will be necessary to advance far in March. The Wolverines showed that correcting their defensive woes are a top priority and that they’re a mentally tough team. The Spartans threw every punch at Michigan and the Wolverines responded, defending their home court in a personal fashion. The Wolverines put to bed any questions of whether they can compete on an elite level and turned a corner this afternoon, right as the calendar flips to March. Michigan’s next matchup is Wednesday at Purdue.

Penn State’s D.J. Newbill and Michigan’s Jordan Morgan battle for a loose ball on Wednesday. The Nittany Lions upset the Wolverines to earn their first win in Big Ten Conference play

Quick Recap: The Wolverines suffered an inexplicable mental collapse in State College, falling 84-78 Wednesday to Penn State. The Nittany Lions were previously 0-14 in Big Ten play, and earn their first win of the conference season against Michigan. The Wolverines led by 66-51 with over 10 minutes to play, but did not convert a field goal in the last 6 minutes and 37 seconds of the game. With the loss, Michigan has fallen out of contention for the Big Ten title, now trailing Indiana by two full games with three to play.

The Defense…Disappeared: Penn State scored 48 points in the second half of Wednesday’s game. There isn’t much that can be said to justify such an offensive output from the worst team in the Big Ten. Penn State’s performance erased much of Michigan’s defensive progress made in the previous matchup against Illinois. The return of Jordan Morgan to the starting lineup did not have much of an impact on Michigan’s ability to rebound the basketball or defend the pick-and-roll, as Penn State carved up the Wolverine defense, just like many other teams have in the past seven games.

Moving Forward? This game brought to light many of the flaws in the Wolverines that seemed to reveal themselves throughout the tough February schedule. Most observers tend to disregard those flaws due to Michigan’s youth and the level of competition they faced going up against the likes of Wisconsin, Michigan State, Ohio State and Indiana over a two-week stretch. However, it was clear tonight that those flaws still exist. Michigan’s defense is below average. Their crunch time offense is very one-dimensional. The Wolverines rarely open basketball games with energy and urgency. And John Beilein can’t seem to find an on court combination of players that balance good offense and good defense equally.

Big Picture: Michigan can easily erase Wednesday’s nightmare by beating Michigan State on Sunday. For now though, the Wolverines have probably slid out of contention for a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament and will have to fight just for a first round bye in the Big Ten Tournament. There are still plenty of opportunities for the Wolverines to end the season on a high note. But they’ll have to do it against superior competition and can’t afford any more mental lapses like tonight. We’ll know more about this team’s character after Sunday’s game against Michigan State.

Quick Recap: The Michigan Wolverines played their most complete basketball game in what seemed like quite a long time, topping the Fighting Illini by a score of 71-58. Michigan kept pace in a crowding race for second place in the Big Ten, improving to 23-4 on the season and 10-4 in conference play. The Wolverines turned a 31-28 halftime deficit into a blowout in the second half, putting up 43 points while looking like the Wolverines that rose to #1 in the country earlier this season.

Finally….Some Defense: After a lackadaisical defensive performance allowing 71 points to Penn State, following a rough stretch of 4 games where Michigan’s defense was, well, not very good, John Beilein finally found a combination that worked for him on that end of the floor. After starting center Mitch McGary picked up his 3^rd foul early in the 2^nd half, Beilein went back to the veteran Jordan Morgan and Michigan went on a 12-3 run and never looked back. Caris LeVert played the majority of the final 10 minutes of the game in place of Nik Stauskas, whose poor defensive performances of the past month have made him somewhat of a liability when his shots aren’t falling. Sporting the lineup of Burke, LeVert, Hardaway, Robinson and Morgan, the Wolverines put on an absolute clinic on defense, holding Illinois to 18 points over the first 17 minutes of the 2^nd half. Illinois’s 3 starting guards combined for 10 turnovers and Michigan held the hot shooting Illini to 32% from 3-point territory.

Glenn Robinson III is Back: Sure, a modest 10-point and 3 rebound performance is not anything to get overly exited about. But Glenn Robinson appeared as if his energy level has heightened back to the point where it was earlier in the season when his athleticism was such a crucial part of Michigan’s success. Robinson was on the receiving end of 2 dunks, one on a nifty pass from Jordan Morgan, and he took his jump shots with a confidence that was unseen in the past month against the Big Ten’s best. This performance, along with last week’s dunk-fest against Penn State, will hopefully restore Robinson’s confidence back to the point where he’ll be able to make an impact on a bigger stage against better competition.

Trey Burke’s Stats Continue to Impress: Trey Burke, amid all of Michigan’s recent struggles, is quietly amassing performance after performance of unparalleled efficiency. Burke scored 26 points on 8-11 shooting, including 8-10 from the free throw line, to go along with 8 assists and only 1 turnover. This followed a 29-point performance on 16 shots against Penn State. The more Trey Burke impresses, the more Michigan fans realize that they might not see another player like him come along in the next 20 years. I’m not sure if he’ll win national player of the year, but if he continues to operate at this high level of play, he might singlehandedly lead Michigan deep in March and potentially April.

Big Picture: This was a game Michigan absolutely could not afford to lose if they wanted to keep their slim Big Ten title hopes alive. Michigan’s home winning streak is up to 15 and they remain the only in the Big Ten without a loss at home. Positive momentum heading into matchups against Michigan State and Indiana will be crucial. Next matchup is Wednesday at Penn State.

Until just three weeks ago, Tayshaun Prince had spent his entire 11 year career playing home games at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Tonight, for the first time, he returns as a visitor and a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Despite leaving the Pistons (21-33), Prince finds himself in a much better position to make a playoff run with Memphis (33-18) than Detroit. The soon to be 33-year-old has averaged 10.3 points since joining the Grizzlies on January 31^st, and is playing identical minutes to that in Detroit.

The Pistons, now six and a half games back of the 8^th position in the Eastern Conference, have won three of four games and are looking to make it four out of five tonight. Memphis has won three straight games dating to before the All-Star break, and currently stands in fourth place in the Western Conference.

Tip off at 7:30 ET

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After dealing Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye to Memphis on Wednesday, just minutes before tip-off in Indiana, a dejected Pistons team was blown out by the Pacers. Detroit (17-28) returns home Friday to host the Cleveland Cavaliers, but will be without newly acquired point guard Jose Calderon.

Having played his entire professional career in Spain and Canada, Calderon isn’t legally able to “work” yet in the United States. He participated in the Pistons’ morning shootaround earlier today, but wore a green warm-up shirt. Calderon is expected to be inserted immediately into the starting lineup when he becomes eligible to play. The Pistons are hopeful he’ll be available Sunday against the Lakers.

At 13-33, the visiting Cavaliers are among the worst teams in the East, but have won three of five games thanks to the solid play of second year point guard Kyrie Irving. Irving is averaging almost 28 points over the last five games and leads the Cavaliers with season averages of 24 points and 5.5 assists per game. Rookie center Tyler Zeller has seen increased playing time since starting center Anderson Varejao’s season ended on December 19^th , and will likely be matched up against Detroit’s Andre Drummond.

To fill in for Daye and Prince, both Viacheslav Kravtsov and Khris Middleton are active for the Pistons. Reserve forward Corey Maggette may also see playing time for the first time since December 15^th.

The Pistons have won four straight games against Cleveland dating back to last season. Detroit currently stands in 10^th place in the Eastern Conference, 5 ½ games behind eighth place Boston.

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At 17-27, the Detroit Pistons find themselves only four games behind the Boston Celtics for 8^th place in the Eastern Conference. With Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo suffering a season-ending ACL injury on Sunday, the Pistons’ goal to make the playoffs suddenly doesn’t seem so unrealistic.

Standing in Detroit’s way on Tuesday night is central division rival Milwaukee (23-19). The Bucks are led by guards Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings, averaging 18.8 and 18.6 points per game respectively. Veteran forward Mike Dunleavy averages 11 points and four rebounds off the bench, and center Larry Sanders averages over three blocks per contest, good for best in the NBA.

After starting 7-21, the Pistons have won 10 of their last 16 games, including a 104-102 shootout in Orlando on Sunday. Brandon Knight recorded a career-high 31 points, and Will Bynum a season-high 12 assists.

Reserve point guard Rodney Stuckey returns for the Pistons after being inactive for Sunday’s win at Orlando. Stuckey indicated the reason for his deactivation was because of an argument with head coach Lawrence Frank.

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