Experiencing a letdown after a huge victory is one of the toughest tendencies to avoid in sports. The tremendous confidence that results from a marquee win can easily propel a team to look past its next opponent.

Fresh off its upset over No. 4 Notre Dame last week, the Michigan men's tennis team (1-3 Big Ten, 10-5 overall) will try to sustain its momentum tonight against Michigan State (1-3, 13-6) at the Varsity Tennis Center.

"There are only two ways we can go after the Notre Dame match," Michigan coach Mark Mees said. "Either we can really use it as a springboard to get better, or we can sit back and feel good about ourselves and not play as well. That was a good win for us, but we have to make sure we build on it."

Although the rivalry between the Wolverines and Spartans has been entirely one sided of late, with Michigan taking the last 10 matches, junior Chris Rolf knows that the team can't afford to get complacent.

"Michigan State has a very good team this year," Rolf said. "They are young and talented and will be tough at every spot. We can't look past them at all."

With only six matches remaining before the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan will need to augment its dismal 1-3 conference record if it wants to make the NCAA tournament for the fifth consecutive year. In the past 10 years, the Wolverines have never advanced to the postseason with a sub-.500 record in the Big Ten.

Despite the team's precarious state, junior Chris Shaya believes the Notre Dame win solidified Michigan's spot in the NCAA Tournament.

"I don't think there's any concern about making the tournament," Shaya said. "I think we're in, and even if we're not in (at this point in the season), I don't think anybody cares. After a win like that, you can't really put a limit on this team anymore."

A big reason for Shaya's immense confidence is that Notre Dame is a legitimate contender for the national championship. Earlier in the year, the Fighting Irish defeated No. 3 Illinois 4-3 in Champaign.

Since the Fighting Illini are currently atop the Big Ten standings, Shaya expressed some brash words about the Wolverines' chances in the conference tournament.

"I believe that we will win the tournament," Shaya said. "I am calling the team out right now. I don't see any reason why we can't be Big Ten champions."

The Wolverines have yet to win the regular season conference championship or the tournament title under Mees. The Wolverines' best finish was runner up to Illinois in the 2000 tournament.