Comments on: Game 15: Michigan at Indiana Post Game

By: MooN

MooN — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:42:45 +0000

Sorry, for not posting more, but I usually post from my old school smart phone and well…. it’s a pain in the arse!

By: MooN

MooN — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:41:05 +0000

I think part of the problem here is that we are watching our team every game. We haven’t watch the every other team in the country play all their games. I am sure you could find reasons for anyone not being as good as their record, but the point is that it is our record so who cares. What’s your point? That were going to fall apart. That won’t happen with JB in charge. Obviously, we won’t keep winning at the same rate, but what is exactly the point point behind were not as good as our record. In fact, you could say that Maryland got lucky when they beat us.

By: Michigan Postgame: Keeping Calm « Hoosier Town — Blogging the Indiana Hoosiers

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:09:49 +0000

[...] UM Hoops notes, Michigan won three of the four factors to winning (eFG%, turnovers, and free throws) with IU [...]

By: rlc

rlc — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:03:13 +0000

Well, the good news is that this was UM’s last chance to play down to the competition – barring a rematch with the Hoosiers in the Big Ten Tournament.

The bad news, of course, is that every team left on the schedule is at least as good as we are – every single one is currently in Sagarin’s and Pomeroy’s top 65 teams. Every game remaining is a “could” win – though I wouldn’t give very good odds on the games in Storrs, Madison, and West Lafayette – but none of them are “should” wins.

And I think this is a good thing. This team plays much better when it believes it is overmatched and can only win by executing the coach’s system. When the players start reading their press clippings and thinking they can win on talent alone, they come up with some miserable performances – which, luckily, have not translated into any losses.

By: Bluebufoon

Bluebufoon — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:00:49 +0000

Guys– regarding Ben Cronin even though he was forced to redshirt
and will have surgery next week– the little bit he played I was impressed with his nose for the ball. Plus he appeared to have nice hands and he wasn’t afraid or timid when it came for looking for his
shot and he stayed in the post where big men belong. Am I being too optimistic in regards to Big Ben ? Has anyone heard Coach Beilein
or another staff member discuss Cronin’s potential –from the little bit they’ve been able to work with him ?

By: Steele

Steele — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:29:05 +0000

After reading my last comment, I think it sounds contradictory. M DOES find ways to keep winning and HAS come back from a 20 point deficit twice, so being ranked just outside the top-25 isn’t all that inflated. The stats might not be all that impressive at times, but this team has still fought it’s way to a 12-3 record. My main point was that I’ve definitely got a lot more faith in this squad than I did pre-season…mostly due to attitude, chemistry, leadership, etc.

By: Ky Fox

Ky Fox — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:09:05 +0000

Slightly agree with you steele. I wouldnt quite say they are overrated though. If UM is considered being right outside of the top 25, and having watched about every game they have played.. I think they could beat most teams ranked 15th and worse on any given night. UM is a good team right now, I believe that they are lacking two ingredients to the recipe to make them a VERY good team. In my estimation those ingredients are… having one more versatile forward to back Peedi, and 2 is getting Cronin, Jordan Morgan, Mclimans in here to help out on the front line. There is no doubt UM is still in the toddler stages of what JB is building here, and they are still a bit fragile and thin in areas. But they have some skilled players and its starting to unfold. Sprinkle some more experience with the afore mentioned lacking ingredients and we will soon have a solid squad. To say UM is not deserving of their record Im not sure…Teams still win and lose games for a reason, and UM is winning because they have gotten much better.

To regards to Matt’s comment; I do agree that JB’s system relies on shooting the 3 ball. But I think the number of 3’s attempted is inflated because of lack of any other option(other than Manny, Grady, LLP driving). Also I believe that how you execute and how well you are scoring/shooting on offense has an effect on your defensive intensity. Now very good teams will trust in their defense and bring the intensity even when shots arent falling, UM is not quite there yet…probably due to inexperience…a post season run would do wonders for experience. I think that if they had a few more ways to score(low post..ie; Ben Cronin, Jmo, garbage points…ect) in games where they find themselves on the road in hostile places and their shots arent falling, scoring in those other ways can get a team on track and open other things up, as well as fuel for the defensive side of the ball. Its balance. Like Dylan said teams that rely strictly on the 3 ball will live and die by it. I would hate to think of UM as one of those teams. I want to see a balanced well rounded team. I think when we have all the cylinders firing we will have a more balanced attack(still a lot of threes, but not quite as many as this year) and that will feed our defense. Like Gidd’s said, it would have been interesting to see our offense run with a healthy Cronin. Next year we should have a dangerous little line-up.

By: JimC

JimC — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:22:28 +0000

Valiant comeback, great tenacity.

There were a lot of problems–shooting/selection, D, etc. The one thing that looks like a fundamental flaw is the inability to drive/dish, both on fast breaks and in half-court. e.g. it is maddening to see Grady drive into the paint (rare to begin with) then pass DIRECLTY BEHIND HIM! So I second Bufoon’s comment too.

But hey, it was a thrill & a W!!!

By: Steele

Steele — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:24:35 +0000

Based on recent performances, this M team is not as good as their record and definitely over-rated in the polls. But somehow they keep finding ways to win, which is huge (and wasn’t even a possibility last season). They have now come back from 20 point deficits twice this season- and even though the competition wasn’t top notch, it still takes a ton of confidence and poise to respond in that situation. There are a lot of issues that need fixing, but overall this team’s attitude, the chemistry between the players, and the way different people have stepped up and taken on leadership roles (CJ Lee, Peedi) have made me a whole lot more optimistic than I was earlier on.

By: MattNYC

MattNYC — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:01:02 +0000

I’m not that down on this team at all. Brian over on MGoBlog is talking about reducing expectations and the KenPom rating serving as a huge red flag.

Well, I’m not ready to concede this is a bubble 9/10 seed team yet. The defense HAS to get better in the 1st half of games though.

The offense is fine, this is coach’s system guys. Outside of this game and the EMU game this team has had a more balanced attack. They were jacking up 3’s last night, but that is the abberation so far.

And: this is a good shooting team, a good offensive team. The offense is the least of my worries. Defence is the problem right now, especially the lack of intensity in the 1st half of games.

I still see this team as finishing no worse than 5th in the conference and getting a 6 or 7 seed in March.