this team is back on track. that losing streak was awfully painful, and it likely ended any hope we had at the tourney, but even so there is a ton to play for this year. i love seeing the kids take the step forward.

the butterfly is gonna make all big ten honors next year, if not this.

tim hardaway jr is a stud. 3 star i dont think so. he's got all the tools to be a PTP'er
http://www.lacrosseplayground.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/dick_vitale.jpg
and now that sr is broke i wouldnt be surprised if he got a little extra coaching from dad in the offseason. maybe teach him the ol' "killer crossover". tell me thats not fundamental.

evan smotrycz, cant call him disapointing, more like lost in the shuffle. kid has game. just think he needs a little time to establish his role on the team playin third fiddle to morris and THjr.

and the big men are legit. morgan is decently polished as a red shirt freshman, john horford is a beast and seems to get better every game.

even matt vogritch seems to have found his shooting stroke.

its not gonna be 11 before UM wins in the breslin center, you can bet that.

sooooooo....apparently the UM hoops thread was not good enough for you?

Here's the catch, I like this team when they hit 3's. When they don't they can be painful to watch.

Also, these freshmen bigs have hit the wall. Morgan was fantastic the early part of the season, and is worn down now. I still wish the incoming recruiting class, while talented, wasn't exclusively two 6 footers. Iowa is horrible and still had the game manageable the entire first half. A lot of that came from our wiped out freshmen allowing the green hot sauce with sushi to go nuts. (I swear I kept hearing wasabi while watching the game).

They need to get better each year and not go backward, then they'll be quite good. Like last year's team - Harris and Sims were stagnant instead of taking the final step forward most expected them to.

^ shining some basketball knowledge

nice win today. win at psu isnt easy, and michigan did it with THJ game being ruined by foul trouble.

the butterfly and jr will be the best backcourt in the big ten next year, if they arent already this year.

frankly, this win is more impressive than winning at the breslin.

Is anyone else concerned that people will get to Morris and Hardaway with talk of their "upside" and the potential weakness of this year's draft, and therefore make leaving early a potential concern?

Both still have a ton more to work on, but for the last few years we've seen really good NCAA players drafted behind unproven guys. There were some lottery picks last year that were far from ready. People might see a guy with the slashing ability, court vision, and size of Morris and get him thinking about the draft. Hardaway seems further away, to me, but not outside of the realm of possibility.

By the way, I in no way want to suggest that Hardaway would be a 1st round pick in this year's draft, but if you compare him to Elliott Williams drafted by Portland out of Memphis last year - I thing the comparison is fair. Similar in size, and Williams was picked as a sophomore last year and teams might choose to take a guy with the same "potential" earlier if the draft looks weak.
I'm not sure which SGs are in line to be top picks this year.
My hope is that his 37% FG scares them all away. While some may blame that number on 3-happy Beilein system, his % on 2 pointers is even only 43%.
Clearly he is an athletic talent that can be a great asset on this team, but his shooting and shot selection need great improvement.

I don't follow as much but thought Morris would be more apt to go, no?

i dont think so.

1) with the cba expiring, not a good year to go pro. the most they'll raise the minimum age, if at all, wouldnt effect either guy.

2) beilein convinced harris to stick around a year when manny was further along than these two and a worse fit for the offense.

3) beilein, unlike amaker, has shown that he molds talent very well. this is a crucial time in their careers to develop their games. would you rather do it with a proven coach like beilein, at the end of the bench in the nba, god knows where in the nbdl, or even miss a year do to a lockout?

never say never, but players bolting this year isnt a worry of mine.

also, the dream of ncaa tournament is not dead, yet. the 6 game losing streak + losing at OSU hurt, but there are still scenarios to get into the tourney.

remaining schedule:

vs nw
vs indy
@ il
@ iowa
vs wisco
@ minny
vs msu

we're 14-10 (4-7). a pretty likely scenario is finishing 4-3, 8-10 in the big ten. even though msu is gonna bring it for that last game, i maintain my stance that they are just a bad team, and michigan will beat their best.

at 18-13 (8-10), and not really having a signature win, they'd need to do alot of damage in the btt. right now, theyre schedule is ranked 9th hardest in the country, and theyve played the top teams tough, but thats a pretty weak argument.

they would do themselves a huge favor by winning the 4 obvious ones, and stealing a win out of one of my 3 losses. if we can finish 9-9 in the big ten, suddenly the argument changes from "why should they belong" to "why shouldnt they belong". also, those iowa and indy losses dont look quite as bad with both playing well of late. 1 win in the btt and we'd have 20 wins and have finished in the top half of the big ten.

anyway, my point is the path is still open, and doesnt involve having to win the btt.

solid win tonight. love the diaper dandies taking over.

http://misterirrelevant.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/vitalte2.jpg

i have no doubt last year, northwestern would have taken this game. instead, we almost let it slip away but didnt.

i think if we beat indiana saturday the bubble talk will begin.

i still think 3-3 is the likeliest finish, but looking at that schedule, they got to think there are no unwinnable games left.

I think it's nutty that Lunardi has MSU among his "first four out" and PSU among his "next four out" in his Feb 7 Bracketology. Nevermind they are 13-10 and 12-10 respectively, and neither team has beaten UM this year in a total of 3 games. Yet UM gets no love.
Between those two schools, playing tonight, I think he bumps the winner into the dance and the loser is essentially done. Both of them still have games against OSU left, while MSU still has Purdue and PSU has to go to Kohl against Wisconsin. Wisconsin has lost twice at Kohl in the past 24 months.

Meanwhile, I agree that UM has to feel like they could win any and all of their remaining games, but they have to still play each one as well. Indiana kicked their butt in Indiana and has been playing better than their record, but they still have weaknesses. Illinois is at 5-5 in the Big Ten so they're not unbeatable, but size has been a factor in this game ever since Tisdale and Davis arrived in Champaign. They took care of Iowa at home, but Iowa has scared some other teams and UM hasn't been awesome on the road. Wisconsin handled UM at Kohl, but UM should believe they can surprise them at home. They played Minnesota close, and obviously they beat MSU in EL.
So it's scary, because finishing 0-6 and finishing 6-0 are both still possible. One puts them squarely into the tourney, the other misses the NIT. The Big Ten tourney is a final shot to show something as well, but it would be nice if they could earn a spot first and add at least another win in the Big Ten tourney, if not more. They have played different teams well enough that they could even shock the world and take that tourney. The only team in the league that I think is unbeatable for UM is Purdue. The Boilermakers just match up way too well and have too much size, talent, and experience for UM to play with.

not crazy about the play in the second half, but another good showing today. we played well enough to blow indiana out, instead it looks like we'll win a closer one.

im already getting pumped for wed. game @IL. to me that game UM is playin with house money. not a must win, nor a game michigan will be favored.

howeva, thats a huge trap game for IL, who's season has gone to hell. they just had a big win @minny, tomorrow they purdue, and the game after michigan is MSU. the UM game is a huge trap game for them.

bold prediction: if UM wins @IL and @Iowa this week, they will recieve atleast one vote in the AP top 25 poll.

while i was writing that UM went back into ass kicking mode. hardaway with a career high 25, eying 30.

Yes, some rough stretches but otherwise a nice little dominating performance in general. This game, from the very beginning, was never really close. UM had close to a double digit lead almost the whole time.

back to bad play, leaving the door a crack open.

like i said earlier in the thread, i like smosrycz, but kid is lost right now. he has brutal body language and just seems like he's in a fog. his talent is obvious, and i believe he's the highest rated michigan recruit since probably jamal crawford (am i wrong here?). i could see him taking a big step next year. just wish he'd snap out of it this year.

IU making it at least a little interesting.

this is brutal. if michigan gave away this game i might cry.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT_tTLcZ7Q7T7MBszyAs-dlL1xpnFQB6vp3ieAb1BV0EOevBuZUKg

^ OT: I do a pretty good Dickie V impression.

God awful display at the FT line. So bad.

^ OT: I do a pretty good Dickie V impression.

is it very funny?

that was about a 9.5/10 as far as chokes go. never seen a a team try harder to give away a game they had already had on lockdown.

a wins a win, though.

smosrycz are excellent with cinnamon graham crackers

Talk about aiming your FTs instead of shooting them...holy moly. That was horrible. Held on for the win.

They lost that Beilein 'motivation' at the end.

first half beilein was izzo '10. second half beilein was izzo '11.

http://www.bracketology101.blogspot.com/

these guys typically are pretty good, i believe.

right now they have UM as the first team out. thats a little better than i expected.

They need at least 3 more wins (counting Big Ten tourney wins) to get in, probably more like 4 to really be secure. 5 wins and it's a lock.

agreed.

some people get so negative about our chances.

3 wins were probably not in - but theres a chance. there'd still be a likely scenario we finish in the top 1/2 of the big ten. so, unless you think the big ten gets less than 6 teams, we'd probably go.

4 more wins and its better than even money. i'd say it'd be something like 80% chance of going.

the one concern is that we get a bye in the first round of the btt. not sure how much that'll matter, though. i know a big thing for the committee is top 50 wins, which kills michigan. but they also look at how you finished. michigan is undoubtedly playing its best ball of the year. its best ball in a long time, i'd say. so much so that i'd be pretty disapointed with just 3 more wins.

that Clemson is playing stronger should help UM's cause for a quality win.

heartbreak city!

honestly, michigan didnt desrerve this one. they played like garbage for 1/2 the game, and never really found their shot. really, i thought beilein was the star of the game. he out x/o'd webber all game long, by a long shot. and almost everything he did worked -- benching morris was ballsy.

not to mention novak and douglass sucked tonight. what was up with that?

i like novak, kid has guts. but im looking forward to beilein bringing in the next pitsnogle. i think its coming in this class.

overtime!

cant believe morgan made both ft's.

i was ripping my hair out in the first half, so if we can leave with a win i'd be quite happy.

also, this is the second game in a row novak hasnt shown up. need him to play alot better to beat any of the last 3 teams.

we were taking this win for granted, but any road win in the big ten is nice. these guys beat msu by 20 at home, so its no gimme.

hardaway's first 30 pt game. im less inclined to think he's a lock to stay. seems like the biggest hole in his game is his handles. theyre pretty bad. but he can work on those on his own.

got to root for good ol' sparty tonight. dont like to do it, but we need to that potential season capping win to be a a good one.

Novak had 4 blocking fouls?

i dont know if it was 4, but it seemed like he couldnt do anything right this game. sort of like illinois where down the stretch he missed the front end of a 1 and 1, went for the board but deflected it to an illini that also led to a game changing fast break basket (not that im pointing fingers).

novack ice cold again.

this game is a white knuckler if there ever was one.

freethrows a fucking gain. i swear, no team has ever insisted on doing things the hardest way possible than the beilein wolverine basketball teams.

Wow, UM up 2?

Lol, announcers talking about UM's lack of quality wins and completely left out MSU. Burn!

WISKY WIN AT THE BUZZER. Damn.

Bank was open.

you gotta be kidding me.

That's rough. Good thing I'm only a UM football fan....

And I was JUST about to say " i like this michigan basketball team II".

Whew!

I'd take a blowout loss over a buzzer beater any day. Sting a lot less.

awful ending -- they're gonna have to win out and possibly win a b10 tourney game now...

the good news is minny and the msu games are both very winnable. but ugh. how do you get off the mat after this one.

IL and wisky both came down to making one circus shot. douglass missed his, wisky made theres.

F.

lol, that sucks guys :D

d-day. its win or go home. calling out zach novak: better bring it.

novak might have to sit.. hate to pick on the kid, but he's been awful for two weeks now.

he's doing that thing everyone was doing last year, falling away on three pointers. no idea why they do it.

i'd roll the dice with smostrycz. it hurts, but novak's play is awful.

d-day. its win or go home. calling out zach novak: better bring it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65jMVPLajms

embakwe just hit the rim with the ball in the cylinder? isnt that goaltending? i dont like ripping on the refs but he was staring right at it. what the hell?

mclimans and horford have both shot 3's this game. do they know this game is important?

My guess is Michigan loses this one on a halfcourt shot.

morris may have to carry us home. he's been unstoppable in the paint.

My guess is Michigan loses this one on a halfcourt shot.

im thinking we foul in the act of shooting from 90 feet.

UM are playing Minnesota in football this year, right? It's been a couple years since they last played.

mbakwe is a monster. jesus. how is minny 6-9 in the big ten?

UM are playing Minnesota in football this year, right? It's been a couple years since they last played.

cant remember if minny is a legend or a leader.

Also been a while since UM have put a decent player in the league.

b-d, IYO is Morris capable of playing at "the next level"?

yes. 6-4 pg. assuming he can get better with his left hand and expand his range.

i think the critique of him being slow is way overblown.

you?

I completely agree.

3 point game. IT'S TIME TO START BITING NAILS

Whoa, big shot.

Novak heard you, b-d

holy f.

Novak hits the big shot, comes up with the steal and outlet pass to Morris for the and 1.

Dude's bringing it.

i thought novak got abused all game, but based on those 2 plays in the last minute he's player of game.

Novak hits the big shot, comes up with the steal and outlet pass to Morris for the and 1.

Dude's bringing it.

the pass to morris was the definition of "bringing it".

He's a closer.

man i like this michigan basketball team (II).





sorry for stealing your joke, glan.

oh boy.

minnesota might be worse than michigan at closing out wins. i guess that explains their record.

Me III, I guess.

Until someone comes in and shines some basketball knowledge on me.

awesome win. in the last 3 games we needed to go 1-2, and we got our win. too bad we easilly could have sown up an invite, but its still looking good. get a whole week to prepare for war next weekend.

bobby knight was talking about how v-tech just needs to play duke tough tonight to help their tourney odds. if thats true, i hope michigan gets partial credit for all the dick kick losses we had this year.

Be sure to hit up the "other games" thread if you plan on watching that one. I'll be rooting against Duke, as usual.

tubby pretty much just ripped apart his players and blamed them for the loss. youch. dont think he'll be sticking around minnesota many more years.

vtech winning last night sucked for michigan. i think they were considered the last team in, but before the duke win michigan's case was actually stronger than theirs. not anymore.

its difficult to say whats best for michigan regarding MSU. if they beat purdue theyre RPI goes up, making our 2 wins against them better. but i'd rather finish ahead of them in the big ten standings. some people think the standings dont matter at all. but if michigan finishes 5th in the conference, and it beat the 6th (MSU) and 7th (PSU) teams twice, i dont see how they could take either of those teams before michigan, and i cant imagine the big ten getting only 4 teams.

in the above scenario, i obviously assume michigan beats msu. if we dont, we have a ton of work to do in the btt. also, if the above works out, we'd probably have 1st round bye and play IL in the first round. i would love that. of all the teams i'd like a second chance at, IL is #1. playing on a neutral court makes it that much better. if we finish 9-9, then beat IL in the btt, i dont think michigan would have anything to worry about.

also, psu has a chance to get back into the RPI top 50. that would be huge for michigan, making those 2 wins look much better to the committee.

Welp, Purdue is pushing MSU's shit in.

overstating it slightly, but am i the only one who is ammused by amaker doing more to get UM in the tourney as harvard's coach than he ever did as michigan's?

also, i might write another manifesto about UM winning the big ten next year. not sure it'd be controversial enough, though.

How many days till our National Championship? 311

nice little article about smostrycz

http://annarbor.com/sports/um-basketball/a-long-process-led-to-the-growth-of-evan-smotrycz-as-a-michigan-basketball-post-player/?cmpid=NL_DH_topicbox_headline

explains why he seemed so lost. i love having a coach that actually develops his players.

Can someone explain to me how Darius Morris only got third team all Big Ten after leading the league in assists and being 11th in points?

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2011/03/23/ohio-mr-basketball-is-northlands-trey-burke.html

michigan recruit named ohio's mr basketball. this kid is exactly what this team needs. sounds like this kid is a real ball hawk. if he can do that, i bet he gets pt right away.

I expected this to be about a center with real size.

Interesting that he's best friends with Sullinger at OSU and is not going there. Sure, Sullinger will be in the NBA next year anyway, but you'd think there'd be an influence there. If he's anything like his nickname (Trey) then Michigan will be a great fit for him.