2013-14 Michigan Basketball: Big Ten Champions!

Dgilpin · Jan 18, 2014

Well for starters great win , finally the statement win that has been alluding them all year. It's been great to see Nik evolve into the team leader role that Trey held last year. Part of me wonders if Nik still takes control of this team like he has if Mitch McGary is still out there. GR3 has been playing really well late as well, however you can almost get the feeling he's not comfortable as "the man ". The real sleeper has been Zak Irvin, not that he's a true sleeper since he was pretty highly regarded as a recruit. But he's really been progressing the last few weeks , reminds me a lot of the way McGary grew into his role last year. As they alluded to in the broadcast this upcoming stretch of games is pretty brutal so it will be interesting to see how they respond next game.

Granite Sox · Jan 18, 2014

I realize it's a cynical point of view, but I think GRIII has cost himself some $$ this year with his passive, subordinated play. On the one hand, he is contributing within the structure of the team. On the other, he had borderline 1st-round grades last year, and it was considered a relief when he and McGary returned. Now, he's third wheel behind Stauskas and even Levert (not to mention McGary).

In a loaded 2014 draft, it will be curious to see how he handles the remainder of the season.

What a fantastic win today. Besides Morgan and Horford, it's still incredible how young this team is.

sachmoney · Jan 19, 2014

Not that I disagree with your point, but you say that like the season is over and he doesn't still have a chance to prove his worth.

Yesterday was a great win. Anytime you can make Bo Ryan's face turn a special shade of red is a great win.

Granite Sox · Jan 19, 2014

Yep... only halfway through the season. Still plenty of time for GRIII to assert himself. Valid points.

In fact, if he does step up, Walton and Irvin continue to improve, and Morgan and Horford bang/stay healthy, this team will be a bear come tournament time.

When they've got it going, they are fun to watch.

Speaking of an apoplectc Bo Ryan, I also tee hee'ed seeing Crean and IU lose at home to Northwestern yesterday.

Zososoxfan · Jan 19, 2014

They shot lights out against Wisco yesterday, going ~55% from the field and 54% from 3, compared to 49% and 39% respectively on the season. Granted shooting such a high percentage in some games contributes to the average, but this team is going to have to shoot very well to beat good teams. Nonetheless, they are very fun to watch and probably have a chance to have a tourney seed between 4-8 and should have a reasonable chance to make the sweet 16. GRIII should have a role in the NBA, but it will be small. Nik on the other hand, looks to have some skills that will translate to the next level (obviously pure shooting, but possibly others as well).

Dgilpin · Jan 22, 2014

Another great win. The lack of respect in the polls don't bother me much, especially how little impact they have in tournament seeding. The evolution in Nik's game has been unbelievable , really reminds me of JJ Reddick.

Dgilpin · Jan 22, 2014

I know it's early but who do you guys expect to come back next year, I think if Stauskas continues on the trajectory he's on he's gone. Does McGary come back? I know it doesn't mean much but he seems like a guy that really relishes the college experience. I think GR3 probably should stay , as he more than likely is a late first round pick at this point. I could see all three coming back or all leaving.

sachmoney · Jan 22, 2014

They can get their respect with a win on Saturday.

Zososoxfan · Jan 23, 2014

Terrific win last night. More convincing to me in fact than Wisco. Stauskas is playing on another level and if he continues like this, I think he's gone. I also think you're underrating his NBA prospects, as a 6'6'' dead-eye outside shooter has a lot of value alone in the NBA, and he has a good handle, has added some offensive weapons to his game, and is an above-average passer. Can he hang on D is the question IMHO. I love me some GRIII, his 2-handed dunk and several alley-oops were phenomenal, but he's shooting 29% from 3 and that needs to stop. Maybe 1 or 2 a game to keep the D stretched, but otherwise he should be doing other things, which he's better at. Spike is awesome and I heart him. Caris has all the potential in the world, he just seems to bring little consistency on offense at this point. Morford is awesome, but I dunno how it will hold up in the long term. I also think I saw Irvin put up a FG, which shocked me because I just assumed he's only allowed to shoot 3s. Excited for the Bres this weekend.

sachmoney · Jan 23, 2014

Well, Brandon Dawson broke his hand, so Michigan's chances Saturday got a little bit better.

sachmoney · Jan 24, 2014

sachmoney said:
Well, Brandon Dawson broke his hand, so Michigan's chances Saturday got a little bit better.

And Izzo is saying that Adreian Payne's chances of playing is "slim to none." I don't want to sound overconfident, but I like Michigan's chances tomorrow. The cards seem to be stacked in the Wolverines' favor.

radsoxfan · Jan 25, 2014

WayBackVazquez said:
Stauskas has really been neutralized by Harris; not only is he having trouble creating space to get a shot off, he can't even regularly get possession. And GR3 has been absolutely invisible.

Agree Harris has really made it tough on him, but 16 points on 4-5 from 3 isn't too bad at all.

Stauskas' offense has been OK, his D on the other hand....

Dan to Theo to Ben · Jan 25, 2014

Stauskas just held off Beilein from picking up a T. Heady move. That kid is going to be special. Maybe down the line as a coach.

Dgilpin · Jan 25, 2014

Hail to the Victors !!

sachmoney · Jan 25, 2014

Respect? Respect. 3 top 10 teams in a week. Not bad.

sachmoney · Jan 25, 2014

Dgilpin · Jan 26, 2014

Respect? Respect. 3 top 10 teams in a week. Not bad.

In less than 2 weeks they have gone from potentially a 7-8 seed to a 2-3 seed.

sachmoney · Jan 26, 2014

sachmoney said:
I'd say this is the thing that most resonated with me. I only watched a few minutes of the game, but I was shocked by the utter lack of emotion, the heart, the drive, the energy, none of it was there. There wasn't even that quiet swagger of "we're going to beat you in your house." This is a game you should be amped for. You know how excited the fans are? You should be at least that excited. Show me you want to win.

I don't know, this team seems really soft to me at times. They're not tough. You can't let teams push you around like State was doing. You can't let a team outphysical and outwork you. That was embarrassing.

I'm not upset about the loss. I am upset about how the team played. Credit to Michigan State for playing their game the best they could play it and bringing out the worst in Michigan.

This is what I had to say about last year's game when Michigan got blown out at Breslin. This year was a lot different. There was that swagger. There was that confidence that you want to see. It's weird what a year a difference a year makes. This team doesn't have Burke or Hardaway anymore and McGary isn't playing, but they've been there. They have the experience of winning big games. I think that makes a huge difference. There were probably times during last night's game that things would have unraveled in the past, but the guys fought back like that's what they always do. That's what I wanted to see and that's what makes the victory, beyond beating your most heated basketball rival, sweeter.

The kid I was most impressed with last night was Walton Jr. We all know that he's going to be a great player, but he hasn't been asked to be great this season with Levert and Stauskas picking up a lot of the ball handling load. Last night, however, Walton was huge down the stretch and absolutely cold blooded at the free throw line. It was great to see.

LogansDad · Jan 27, 2014

10th in AP and 14th in the Coaches' Poll. Not a bad jump after a pretty awesome week.

sachmoney · Jan 30, 2014

Derrick Walton Jr continues to improve. He's 6/7 with 14 points right now. The confidence is coming and he's starting to look like a real college point guard. Levert has been phenomenal this game.

Zososoxfan · Jan 31, 2014

WayBackVazquez said:
I didn't get to see the game, but it's nice to get a win in a potential letdown situation. I must say I am concerned about turnovers. 16 turnovers (to 10 assists) is not something we should be seeing.

I wouldn't worry about it. This team took very good care of the ball last week. The letdown happened in the first half, and really only lasted a few possessions. There were 3 consecutive turnovers when Purdue pressed, then Capt. Beilein called a timeout, and the ship was righted. Sach, I also saw Walton's performance as very encouraging. More than anything, he looked confident and aggressive on offense. His D really is quite good. Caris continues to impress me and his overall game is a pleasure to watch. Stauskas didn't have to do anything amazing, but had a solid night again. GRIII is still getting lost a bit, but he can continue to just be athletic and do GRIII things as long as the rest of the team keeps humming along. This team will likely lose a couple of games along the way, keeping them as a 2-4 seed for the tourney, but given how they played Zona, I definitely have a 'why NOT them' attitude towards their NC chances.

sachmoney · Jan 31, 2014

I really want to win at Assembly Hall on Sunday. Like a lot a lot.

Zososoxfan · Feb 3, 2014

Not a great showing from the boys over the weekend. Nik didn't touch the ball nearly enough because of good D (similar to the Duke game) and the shots weren't dropping to soften up the D. Curious to see how the team responds.

Zososoxfan · Feb 10, 2014

WayBackVazquez said:
Despite the bad loss at Iowa, Michigan moves back into a tie for the conference lead with Wiscy's win over MSU.

I continue to be troubled by turnovers, and it's obvious teams are going focus on denying Stauskas the ball, which both Iowa and Indiana were able to do. GR3 has seemingly regressed badly in every facet of the game. He's going to need to turn things around if this team is to go anywhere, and if he wants to even have a shot at the first round.

Agreed. Levert, and to a lesser extent Walton, are the only other players other than St. Nik creating offense. Irvin is trying and IMHO it looks like he will become more assertive and effective, but for GRIII's sake, I hope he picks it up.

Dgilpin · Feb 10, 2014

WayBackVazquez said:
Despite the bad loss at Iowa, Michigan moves back into a tie for the conference lead with Wiscy's win over MSU.

I continue to be troubled by turnovers, and it's obvious teams are going focus on denying Stauskas the ball, which both Iowa and Indiana were able to do. GR3 has seemingly regressed badly in every facet of the game. He's going to need to turn things around if this team is to go anywhere, and if he wants to even have a shot at the first round.

Not that I disagree with any of this, but I wont really be concerned until they turn in a performance like that at home. You are going to have games like Saturday where the home team is just on fire. They have already picked up more big roads wins than I expected they would so as long as they hold serve at home they will be ok. I will be interested to see how they come in to Ohio St. tomorrow, the only concerning thing is the team seems to go into a bit of a shell if their shots arent falling early. They never made a run in the game on Saturday, something last years team was able to do even if they got down early. The lack of someone who can effectively create shots for themselves is especially problematic on the road, when you need a basket or two to break up an opponents run. However this team is still really young, and I hope by tournament time Levert or Walton start to grow into that role. I think Stauskas is also falling into a bit of the same slump he went into last season, which was a lot easier to endure when he wasn't being relied upon to be a primary scorer. Still if they can go 2-1 in their next 3, I'll be extremely happy.

Dgilpin · Feb 11, 2014

Great win, what a way to bounce back after an ugly loss and a tough start. I really believed they were going to mail it in when the shots weren't falling early but Walton really willed them to a W in the second half. This was a very Trey Burke like game for Walton.

Zososoxfan · Feb 12, 2014

Dgilpin said:
Great win, what a way to bounce back after an ugly loss and a tough start. I really believed they were going to mail it in when the shots weren't falling early but Walton really willed them to a W in the second half. This was a very Trey Burke like game for Walton.

When Walton started breaking down his defender 1 on 1 and getting into the lane, the game started to change. Until then, our offense looked ugly. The other player that really stepped up last night was Jon Horford. He didn't fill up the stat sheet that impressively, but when UM went on its run about halfway through the 2nd half, he was playing solid D, was very active (particularly setting screens), and also finished strong at the rim. Irvin also seems to be gearing up for a bigger role. Right now, I'd say our best 5 is Walton, LeVert, Stauskas, Irvin, and Horford. No real weaknesses on offense, and on D Irvin would probably be the biggest liability (his foul on the 3 at the end of the first half was a facepalm moment) as well as Horford's penchant for bad fouls. That lineup is small at the 4, but Horford is a much better rim protector and rebounder than Morgan and LeVert, Stauskas, and Irvin are all about 6'6'' which makes it bigger at the 2. That's also why Walton's rebounding was important and lauded appropriately by Dakich (who's the worst).

Dgilpin · Feb 16, 2014

This has become a disturbing trend the last three games, open the game with bad shooting and no defensive. Their only saving grace last game was Ohio St was too crappy offensively to take advantage. I don't want to become a broken record but their inability to create easy baskets is killing them . Especially since they aren't an especially strong defensive team especially in transition.

Zososoxfan · Feb 17, 2014

Dgilpin said:
This has become a disturbing trend the last three games, open the game with bad shooting and no defensive. Their only saving grace last game was Ohio St was too crappy offensively to take advantage. I don't want to become a broken record but their inability to create easy baskets is killing them . Especially since they aren't an especially strong defensive team especially in transition.

Not much else to add. Just a craptastic game. I still think this squad makes it to the sweet 16, but I don't think they have the horses to go much farther this year. Winning the B1G title would be a huge accomplishment, but there's a lot that needs to happen between now and then.

sachmoney · Feb 23, 2014

Swept Sparty.

Stauskas and Levert were on another level today.

mabrowndog · Feb 23, 2014

That was an impressive win.

With four eminently winnable games left, all against second-division teams (@ PUR, vs MN, @ IL, vs IN), they'll be a 2-seed at worst provided they don't screw the pooch in the conference tournament.

mabrowndog · Feb 23, 2014

WayBackVazquez said:
I don't know that it'll be fair to call even losing the first game screwing the pooch. As the 1-seed, UM's first game could be against somebody like minnesota, which Sagarin has around #50. By the second round, we're talking opponents like Wiscy or OSU. It's a tough tourney.

Nobody's arguing over the degree of difficulty in the BTT. But in terms of gaining a #2 NCAA seed, losing their first BTT game to the 8/9 seed would absolutely be viewed by the committee as screwing the pooch, because with 7 losses already on their resume the Wolverines simply don't have much margin for error.

If Arizona, Cuse, Florida & Wichita stay on course for #1s, a Michigan team with 8 losses would be competing in the committee room with the likes of Duke, Villanova/Creighton, Kansas & Virginia. Throw in St. Louis and either Cinci or Louisville should any of them win both the regular season & tournament in their respective conferences. Not to mention that if either MSU or WI win the BTT in UM's absence, they'd likely end up higher in all the comparison metrics.

One more thing: The committee has historically favored 2nd-place teams that win their conference tournaments over regular season winners that lose early. They love strong finishers, and always have. That bodes well for Iowa State, UCLA & Kentucky should they pull it off, as it would for the Badgers or Sparty should either win the BTT after being the runner-up. They'd all join the fray as TUC for the four #2 slots, with the aforementioned regular season winners (KS, AZ, FL) still in the hunt as well. The Wolverines' odds would grow slimmer still as they've already lost to Duke, ISU and AZ head to head.

sachmoney · Feb 23, 2014

Not sure we give Beilein enough credit, but he's taken 6 of the last 8 from the Spartans. He's increased the talent within the program, not just on the top end, but also from players 3-8. The whole team and program have grown as a result. I do think it's important to revisit the success against rivals though. There aren't many that are on equal or better footing record-wise vs Izzo in the Big Ten (Matta and Bo Ryan are the only others in this category, Beilein is now 6-6). He's really worked his way back and started winning the games that, if you don't have postseason success, serve at a bare minimum as a consolation. That's not even counting the shared Big Ten title or the FInal Four/Championship game appearance. It's been great to see.

Dgilpin · Feb 24, 2014

Well obviously a fantastic performance by the Wolverines yesterday, who are now in excellent position for their first outright B1G title in a long time. Levert's scoring really opened things up for Stauskas, its kind of scary to think about what this team could have done with a healthy McGary. But as WBV mentioned the last 4 games aren't going to be easy as they might appear, @Purdue on Wednesday has the biggest opportunity for a trap. But I think even going 3-1 down the stretch will probably be enough with MSU having to play Iowa and Ohio St. still. Sach did an excellent job of summing a point I have been meaning to make all year, on what an excellent job Beilein has done turning this program into a perennial top 15/B1G title contender. I would expect more improvement to come as the recent success and fantastic facilities at Crisler has allowed Beilein to recruit some top flight players, as we've seen with the (Stauskas, McGary, Gr3 & Irvin, Walton classes). As far as tournament seeding goes I think they have solidified a 2-4 seed, which its really all you can ask. I really don't expect a B1G tournament championship, and even though Beilein would never say it, I don't think that's something really important to him. It seems as though Michigan has only ever won the games they had to in the conference tournament, in years they were sitting on the bubble they won the 1 or 2 games they needed and last year they put in a less than inspiring performance. Just speculation but I think Beilein values the extra time, rest and preparation for the tournament rather than pushing his teams through the grind of the B1G conference tournament. Also as WBV mentioned even as the 1 seed, they would need to beat 3 top 50 opponents in threes days to win the tournament.

2013-14 Michigan Basketball: Big Ten Champions!

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