Game 19: Minnesota at Michigan
Post Game: Wow. Depressing. Not much to say besides Minnesota came into our house with their students (who outnumbered ours probably) and kicked our butts. The game wasn’t really ever close. Manny is getting frusturated to the brink of disaster I think which is a scary thought. Minnesota shot 59% for the game which makes anyone sick to their stomach especially when compared to Michigan’s 36%.
As I expected Grady got the start but only managed 2 points, 2 turn overs and 2 assists. Manny got his 19 points but at the cost of 2 assists to only 5 turn overs. The fact that we were out rebounded only 35-33 (and Michigan had 15 offensive rebounds to Minnesotas 9) is shocking to me because it seemed like again Minnesota got every 50-50 ball. Not to mention both teams had the same number of turnovers (17) and you wonder how the game was such a blow out. Michigan simply can’t score the ball and can’t keep opponents from getting (and making) open shots.
Don’t really know where we go from here… It’s not going to get any better.
And another one
Carmel keeps rolling behind Stuart Douglass and company and retains their undefeated record. John Beilein was in the house to check him out Saturday.
University of Michigan coach John Beilein was in attendance Saturday to see Douglass, a future Wolverine, in a regular-season high school game for the first time. Douglass and Beilein spoke briefly after the game as Beilein had to get on a plane to return to Michigan. The Wolverines played Sunday at in-state rival Michigan State.
“He just said, ‘Good game,’ and I said, ‘Thanks for coming,’ ” Douglass said. “It was cool, him and his two sons were here. It was nice.”
Check out these Ebuka highlights off Youtube (questionable competition I would say)
New 08 Recruit: Aaron Fuller
UPDATE: It’s posted here that Beilein is going to check out 09 guard Darius Morris. I would assume he would stop by to check out Fuller and Morris.
As mentioned here, Aaron Fuller is a new recruit on the Michigan hot board. Fuller is a 6-7 wing from out west whom Michigan is expected to check out.
Fuller, who has Michigan interested in him and will be in town Wednesday to watch him play, had 28 points and 12 rebounds. But Fuller said this wasn’t about him vs. Rohde. “This was about everybody, not just me,” said Fuller, who made 12 of 19 shots and played tough defense in ending a four-game win streak by Pinnacle (16-5).
Fuller seems to be more of a true wing at 6-7, maybe he could also play the 4? I wouldn’t mind adding him or Ebuka or both. We need ballers. I’ll try and dig up some more info on Fuller later today.
Game 19: Michigan at Michigan State
Post Game: We are what we thought we were. That’s the kind of loss I expected yesterday and it sure came. We got hot for about 5 minutes in the first half and hit those threes but other than that the shooting and defense was terrible. One aspect we have improved on is rebounding. Only got out rebounded by one (36-35) at MSU who is a very good rebounding team is impressive. Gibson probably had the best game for Michigan and he needs to keep getting better. DeShawn sums up the mental state of this team best I think:
“It’s been a long year and we have a ton of losses,” Sims said. “You learn something out of each loss and we are going to get all the losing out of the way now, because we’re going to be a special team one day.”
Pre-Game: I am going to say that I expect the same things I expected in the Wisconsin game this week. I am not convinced that the Wisconsin game wasn’t a fluke. Hopefully the game today is more like this than this. I think its safe to say that MSU will come to play tonight and try to blow Michigan out of the water with the big name recruits in the house.
Manny is going to have to come to play thats for sure, and I think he will. This is his first taste of the rivalry and I think he’s ready.
“I hear a lot of stories about the Izzone and how crazy it is, but I just look at it as an opportunity and fun,” Harris said before the Wolverines practiced Friday at Crisler Arena. “We haven’t really had a chance to shut a student section up at the end of a game, but we have a perfect opportunity to go there, win and leave them with some sad faces.”
The kid I worry about that we need tonight is DeShawn Sims. He is probably a little down after a 4-19 shooting effort at Wisconsin. He also struggled in other big time road games such as Georgetown. A good effort from Peedi and Manny is necessary to stay in this one.
Be sure to check out the Detroit News Big Ten Blog for some drama that only a Michigan versus Michigan State game could bring.
Some articles of note:
- Rosenberg says Beilein is not to blame for UM’s woes.
- Beilein and Izzo’s different styles.
- Manny and Lucas: Buddies turned rivals.
- 3 good, 3 bad, and other notes.
- Drew Sharp doesn’t think much of Terrelle Pryor.
UMHoops Prediction: MSU 70 - Michigan 50 (Maybe its good luck to predict blow outs)
Recruiting Updates
- Ben Cronin and company fell to Proctor for the second time this year. Cronin was held to 13 points in the three point loss.
- Mason Plumlee continues his stellar play with a 14 point effort for the 21-2 Greenies.
- Darius Morris has been lighting up the stat sheet with big numbers as well, the 09 Cali-PG would be a great get for Michigan.
- Ebuka Anyaorah, North Gwinnett: Since the Christmas break, the 6-4 guard has been playing well for the Bulldogs. He is averaging 25 points and nine rebounds as North has won three straight. He had a 43-point performance against Spartanburg, S.C., in a holiday tournament. He has received interest from several major colleges, including Georgia and Georgia Tech. [UMHoops: And Michigan :-)]
- Justin Watts also seems to still be putting up solid numbers. Watts and T.J. Thorpe combined for 45 points in a recent game.
Game 18: Michigan at Wisconsin
Post-Game: Great effort tonight. After that negative blog before the game the team showed me something. A gutty effort in Madison where it’s never easy to play.
Most impressive aspects of this game were Manny Harris, rebounding, and defense. Manny Harris has showed up before (although he had himself a damn game and showed the whole country what he was about). The rebounding and defense shocked me though, getting 50/50 balls against a team like Wisconsin really suprised me. That has been a struggle for Michigan all year long. Great to see that this team still hasn’t quit and went into a hostile environment and played with a good Wisconsin team.
A few interesting numbers: Manny 6 turnovers, DeShawn 4-19 shooting (YIKES!), Rebounds 33-20 in UM’s favor, 7 assists on 26 baskets, 42% shooting for us while Wisconsin shoots 52, we also only made 2 out of 4 FTs.
Some things to work on: bunny shots for DeShawn (and getting him more solid post touches) and spreading the floor on the break. Read more
Where is Brent Petway now?
Great article in the Ann Arbor News about one of my favorite Wolverines Brent Petway. I don’t think any Michigan fan can wish Petway anything but the best and hope he makes it.
Petway didn’t mind. The last year has been filled with adjustments, from his 10-month-old son, Khalil, back in Ann Arbor to rapping under a new name, Justice, to switching to wing after playing forward at Michigan.
Mention that position change and Petway’s demeanor changes, turning away from the television and putting down the cell phone.
“I already play with a chip on my shoulder because in college people didn’t get to see the real me,” Petway says.
“They didn’t get to see the complete player I really am. If they saw me play today, they’d be like, ‘He’s a lot better than I thought he was.’ ”
Classy From The Detroit News
Dave Dye is already in rivalry mode with this post on the Detroit News’ Big Ten Blog:
Posted by Dave Dye on Mon, Jan 21, 2008 at 12:09 PM
“Eller-Beilein?”
I knew things were tough around Crisler Arena, but not to the extent that people are starting to call coach John Beilein “Eller-Beilein,” a mock reference to former U-M coach Brian Ellerbe.Ouch.
Sunday’s Michigan-Michigan State game, by the way, will start at 1 p.m. now at the Breslin Center, not noon as previously scheduled.
The early line has Michigan State as a 79 1/2-point favorite. I’d pick MSU, but that 1/2 point could be the difference.
Not a very journalistic balanced point of view from Dave Dye. Funny that I heard some Spartan fans complaining of Lacy’s bias toward Michigan. I have certainly never seen anything like that from Lacy. Something nice to get the juices flowing on the Monday before the first game of the UM/MSU rivalry under the new regime I guess.
Game 17: Iowa at Michigan
Post Game:
- These games are just becoming painful to watch. Iowa didn’t look like they were a better team per-say but Michigan is just missing that “it” it seems like.
- Far too many times UM would play great defense for 33 seconds and then give up a dunk in the last 2 seconds of the shot clock.
- Manny hasn’t seemed himself the last two games and I am sure the foot injury has had a lot to do with that but this team needs him to play well to win. Period. If Manny isn’t scoring this team is not going to beat anyone.
- Getting out rebounded 25 to 37 is terrible as well, Manny was the leading rebounder on the team again with 6.
- Gibson played a good offensive game but is just too soft on the glass.
- Seems like the same story, Michigan plays well for spurts, one player dominates (Freeman 28 points) , get outrebounded, poor shooting, another loss…
- In terms of visitors besides the football guys - Stuart Douglass, Jordan Morgan, and Brad Guinane were all there.
Commitment Updates
- Stuart Douglass continued his hot shooting in another Carmel win. Douglass was 7-14 (3-8 3pt) for 17 points in another solid game.
- Jordan Morgan had a great game for U-D in a win over DeLaSalle with 18 points and 12 boards. One to keep an eye on for UM is Alex Marcotullio who scored 27 points against U-D last night.
- Cronin put up another monster game this week as well: “The Henninger big man made Auburn seem small Thursday night. In a 71-58 game where the Maroons were never really close, Cronin wasn’t satisfied until he had put up 34 points, 23 rebounds and 10 blocks.”
- Also Lacy has posted some good Pryor tidbits on his blog. Be sure to check them out.
-
Subscribe