Trey Burke

A recent post about the lack of Michigan Basketball wallpapers prompted me to throw my hat in the ring. I too, am in serious need of a computer/iPad background change, so what better way than to help everyone else out at the same time?!

Full disclosure: I am in no way a graphic designer or Photoshop professional, so all you get are my basic skills. This is also my first foray into creating a wallpaper, so if anyone has tips or recommendations, feel free to share.

Have you ever wondered what our current Michigan basketball roster would look like as an old-school 1970s hoops squad? No? Me either. Until I ran across a gem of a photo in the Bentley Library archives...the 1978-79 team photo – complete with feathered hair, a wicked afro, short shorts and high socks.

It was then that I set out on a conquest to mold both that photo and our current player photos into an epic composite that makes me laugh every time I look at it.

THE ORIGINAL:

After noting that the amount of players and coaches was almost exactly identical to this year's team, I knew I had to take a crack at it. Also, skin colors were almost perfect with the players that we currently have. There was only one extra body in the original that needed to be accounted for...the glorious man kneeling down on the right in the front row. And let's be honest – he just looks so cool that I had to leave him in.

After a few hours of work, below is the final product. I have multiple versions (desktop color/B&W, iPad) at the link below. I'd have to say that my favorite parts are Jordan Morgan with a sweet afro and Mitch McGary with blonde feathered hair. Also, Trey Burke looks really happy despite how tight his shorts are. I did not deal with jersey number changes because of all the shading and angles those entailed.

Special thanks to TheArtTheArtTheArt's football wallpaper for inspiring this piece.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT:

Enjoy.

   One player on Michigan’s team may have had this Saturday’s matchup with the Bradley Braves circled on their calendar for a little while.  That player is Trey Burke.  Last year against Bradley, Burke had one of the worst games of his career. 

He watched Walt Lemon go off for 16 points.  Lemon shot 5-11 that night, and a scorching 3-5 from downtown.  Burke himself shot an uncharacteristic 5/13 and 1-7 from downtown, salvaging his stat line with 8 assists.  Bradley held Michigan to 35% shooting in the first half, and actually tied the score at 45 in the second.  (Returning players) Jordan Prosser, Dyricus Simms-Edwards, and Shayock Shayock each pitched in 10 points and 7-8 rebounds. Michigan, led by Evan Smotrycz’s 20 points and 10 rebounds would eventually pull away and coast to a 77-66 victory. 

     A lot has changed since then.  I have to assume that this trip to Peoria Illinois(about 3 hours from Chicago) wouldn’t have been scheduled if Patrick Beilein (Coach’s son) was not at that time Bradley’s Director of Basketball Operations. 

Well, back in May Patrick Beilein was hired to coach the West Virginia Weslyan Bobcats(not hard to see an early season matchup there…we played Concordia, right?) and this trip became a little…well…it’s a road game against the Missouri Valley Conference.   Evan Smotrycz is gone.  6-8 Sophomore Shayok Shayok is now a little used bench player.  Michigan has welcomed the best recruiting class since Chris and Juwan.  Both teams are a lot better.

     Carver Arena is actually pretty nice, all things considered. 

This game will probably welcome around 11,000 people…as you might have guessed this is the biggest game there.  Pretty much ever.  As for the team…Stealing coach Geno Ford from Kent State is finally starting to pay off for the Braves.  And the team that went 7 and 25 last year comes into Saturday’s game with only one loss, that to a relatively decent South Florida team.

     Tyshon Pickett and Will Egolf have made all the difference. 

6-9 Sixth year senior PF Will Egolf missed last year with a torn ACL.  This year he is putting up 11 points and 5 rebounds, and of the 5 Bradley players who each take 2-3 three pointers per game, Egolf is hitting the most by far(50%).  6-6 Junior Forward Tyshawn Pickett transferred from the junior college ranks and has bolstered the Brave’s attack with 12 points and 7 rebounds per game.

     Our old buddy 6-3 Junior PG Walt Lemon

is back averaging 13 points and 4 assists…He’s still taking 2-3 from downtown, but he’s hitting on only 23%.  6-3 Senior Shooting Guard Dyricus Simms Edwards has the all-around game with 9 points, 5 boards, and 4 assists.  He is taking 2-3 from downtown, and hitting a blistering 14%.  6-5 Senior Guard Jake “Beastman” Eastman

was known for diving for balls and taking charges, but these days he is contributing with 11 points and 4 boards, shooting 33% from downtown.  6-2 Guard Jalen Crawford(of Detroit) is the other “perimeter threat”, but he is also only shooting 20% from the deep. 

     Unless Egolf catches fire from downtown, I dare say a zone defense might be pretty effective here.  Bradley’s lone semi-heralded recruit (3* Center with Iowa and ND offers) 6-9 Junior Jordan Prosser

chips in with 7 points and 6 rebounds.  Everyone else was unranked or 2*, for what its worth.  This is the type of team that might have given last year’s team a hard time.  Hell, they’d probably beat State. 

(LOL)

But even on the road…I don’t see them hanging with Michigan’s talent and athleticism.  The motivation to play nice just went out the window...And I can think of one person who just might have a bone to pick with these Braves...

  Michigan wins 85-67. 

Go Blue! 

Not enough for a full post from this game, but wanted to drop these off anyway:

Also, Tim Hardaway Jr. photo spectacularr is definitely still a thing:

See Wooden Award preseason top 50 unveiled

Trey Burke, G, Michigan: As a freshman, Burke (14.8 ppg, 4.6 apg) led Michigan to a share of the Big Ten title. He enters 2012-13 as one of the most prolific point guards in America.

. . .

Tim Hardaway Jr., G, Michigan: Burke’s backcourt mate was equally pivotal in Michigan’s push for the Big Ten title after averaging 14.6 ppg last season.

Other Big Ten players on the list:

• Keith Appling, MSU
• Aaron Craft, OSU
• Tim Frazier, Penn St.
• Brandon Paul, Illinois
• Deshaun Thomas, OSU
• Christian Watford, Indiana
• Cody Zeller, Indiana

Also saw this on Twitter:

Michigan's Big Ten championship banner will be raised before N.C. State game in ACC/B1G Challenge on Nov. 27.

— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) November 8, 2012

I would expect that puts a damper on Burke's potential selection as a team captain.

As far as basketball goes, this upcoming season brings a lot of excitement and, let's be honest, raised expectations stemming from a co-big ten championship team in 2011-12.

I'm pretty sure the Badgers and Ohio [edit: I should not have forgotten to include Indiana here] will be there in the end, but I'm more certain our team will have to go through Sparty (perhaps more than once) to reach its goals.

Since it's summer and I'm bored, I did some research to try and determine how the teams match up for the upcoming season.  I tried to state (within the parentheticals following a player's name) the position/s each player plays, with the earlier-stated position being the preference based on the player's history.  For example "TREY BURKE (1 or 2)" means that he is ideally playing at the point guard 1 position, but he could play the shooting guard 2 position if needed; small forward is position 3, power forward is position 4, and center is position 5. 

In general, I tried to group the guards into category A, the forwards into category B, and the "centers" (although bear in mind that there are few true centers playing in Big 10 basketball) into category C.  The true freshmen have traditional lettering, while returning players have names in CAPS LOCK lettering.  The bold lettering is for players expected to contribute meaningful minutes. 

The matchups are below:

(A) 

KEITH APPLING (1 or 2) and Garry Harris (2 or 1) and Denzel Valentine (1 or 2) and TRAVIS TRICE(1) (with DAN CHAPMAN (2) and KEENAN WETZEL (2) and JOE SWEENEY (1) in relief role)

v.

(A)

TIM HARDAWAY JR (2 or 1) and TREY BURKE (1 or 2) and Nick Stauskus (2 or 1) (with COREY PERSON (2 or 1) and JOSH BARTELSTEIN (1) and [edit: Carl LeVert (2 or 1) and]Spike Albrecht (1 or 2) and ESO AKUNNE (2 or 1) in relief roles)

(B)

BRANDEN DAWSON (recovering from knee injury) (3 or 4) and DERRICK NIX (4 or 5) and BRANDAN KEARNEY(2 or 3) (with RUSSELL BYRD (4 or 3) and COLBY WOLLENMAN (3) in relief role)

v.

(B)

Glenn Robinson III (3 or 4 or 2) and JORDAN MORGAN (4 or 5) and MATT VOGRICH (3) (with MAX BIELFELDT (4 or 3 or 5) in relief role)

(C)

ADREIAN PAYNE (5 or 4) and Matt Costello (5 or 4) and Kenny Kaminski(4 or 5) (with ALEX GAUNA (4) in relief role)

v.

(C)

Mitch McGary (4 or 5) and JON HORFORD (healed from injury) (4 or 5) (with BLAKE MCLIMANS (5 or 4) in relief role)

What I notice is Beilein has only 3-6 players that can demand or expect major playing time (at least 20 minutes per game) based on previous production and/or recruiting hype.  For Izzo, I think it's more like 7-9 players that could or will expect or demand that type of PT. 

I think because of this distinction, Beiliein will have more freedom to operate Xs and Os with regard to changing lineups throughout the season.  There's less pressure for him to spread a limited resource (minutes playing time) around.  For example, he only has to give Stauskus and Spike minutes if they earn them.  In contrast, the guards coming in for MSU are highly touted (by Izzo himself) and are competing against two proven guards in Appling and Trice.  That group will test Burke and THJ for sure, but I prefer our team's tandem (with our freshman and uppperclassmen supporting them).

Group B is a little more difficult for me to analyze, however with Dawson still recovering, I have to give the edge to Michigan.

Our Group C is unproven and Sparty has talent and experience there.  I have to give MSU the edge here.  Hopefully we can close the gap with regard to rebounding and defensive shot blocking with our infusion of talent. [edit: McLimans, fwiw, is a player with length and experience.]

Both teams have 10 players that (most likely) will be able to give productive minutes.  How many minutes does each player get?  That's up to the coaches obviously, but there are only 200 minutes to give out in each regulation game. 

Anyway, it looks like there will be some great games to anticipate.  I wouldn't trade our group A and group B players for Sparty's or any other teams'.  I think our group C has the most to prove though; I'll obviously be rooting for them.

I most look forward to seeing how Stauskus adjusts to the college game, and how well Horford bounces back after much time away.  I have to believe by now, Horford can provide rebounding and defense, and maybe even put-backs and shot blocking.

Anyway, as I stated earlier, I'm bored, so I welcome any and all feedback on this topic.  Thanks, all.