Michigan vs. Northwestern Basketball Open Thread
What a difference a game makes. What would have seemed like a ho-hum Tuesday game is now a crucial game in the Big Ten title race after beating Ohio. As always, Go Blue!
Edit: For your entertainment, while we're waiting, for the students on the Blog, don't leave you evening companion to do the "walk of shame"...call her a shuttle-
http://www.annarbor.com/news/u-m-students-walk-of-shame-shuttle-service…
February 21st, 2012 at 8:52 PM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 8:54 PM ^
shooting 33% from the field isn't exactly shooting the lights out. After a hot start we can't hit anything
February 21st, 2012 at 8:52 PM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 8:53 PM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 8:58 PM ^
My mind, boggled it is.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:53 PM ^
Big Ten refs wanna get NU into the tourney... there's no other explanation for the atrocious officiating.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:57 PM ^
When McLimans is in the game, he might as well just wait by the three point line. His rebounding skills and post-up game are nonexistent.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:58 PM ^
Look, I'm sure Blake McLimans plays great in practice and is a great kid, but he is not a viable option on the court for more than two or three minutes at a time. He makes you play 4-on-5 on the offensive end and barely registers a blip on the defensive end.
Not having Horford really hurts when the refs decide to make a concerted effort to call a slanted game and put our bigs on the bench.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:56 PM ^
Sitting Smotrycz and Morgan for most of the 2nd half was a very bad idea. McLimans stunk out the place - he couldn't rebound, couldn't score, and couldn't play D. You can't play a 5 guard offense and expect to win in the Big Ten. I say you pull out the stop from the get-go in the 2nd half. This game is too important.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:57 PM ^
I really hate complaining about refs in sports, but this is just insane. NW has been in the bonus for 9 minutes! That's a load of crap.
I wish I could say that NW is playing well enough to beat us or that we're just beating ourselves. But the refs are beating us, pure and simple. We better step it up and figure out how to get into the paint and play defense without fouling in the second half.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:57 PM ^
Northwestern has to have the ugliest team/fan combo in the NCAA
February 21st, 2012 at 8:57 PM ^
Just doesn't seem fair that refs in a game like this can so heavily affect our first realistic shot at a first Big Ten Championship in 26 years.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:58 PM ^
It's infuriating to have your keys to victory sitting on the bench, but as long as we win I'll keep my mouth shut
February 21st, 2012 at 8:58 PM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 8:58 PM ^
That commercial was awful. Atleast get some decent singers.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:58 PM ^
ballgame forget the big ten title not going to happen. just win couple down the stretch and ill be happy.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:58 PM ^
Getting out rebounded by 11 is enough reason for them to be behind against NW. There is no reason to blame the ref's.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:00 PM ^
We're getting outrebounded because we played our 4th string center for 15 minutes because the refs removed out first and third string centers from the game on ticky tac bullshit.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:01 PM ^
Last time I checked, Morgan was not averaging 20 rebounds a game...
February 21st, 2012 at 9:04 PM ^
If he played an entire game against Shurna playing center he would easily get 10 boards. That's five boards in a half which means the rebounds would be even right now. That's a conservative estimate of his impact considering he played thirty seconds and had an offensive board and immediately put it in.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:01 PM ^
You don't think that getting outrebounded has anything to do with Morgan and Smotrycz sitting for most of that half because of absurd fouls?
February 21st, 2012 at 8:59 PM ^
Blake Mclimans brings zero to the table. Why don't we invert the offense and post Hardaway when he's in? He's easily a better rebounder than Mclimans and at least Mclimans can occasionaly hit an open three so hopefully it pulls Shurna away from the basket.
February 21st, 2012 at 8:59 PM ^
Look quit complaining about the refs. If they didnt make an effort to balance things out then teams with less talent would always lose and that just isn't fair. I'm so glad that everybody gets a chance to win a game in the B1G, just like my 7 year old's t-ball team, instead of that awful competitive nonsense you see in some leagues.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:03 PM ^
are you being facetious? ......hope so.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:00 PM ^
Zebras are Not kind to Ro-Ad teams in our conference. Sweet baby Hezues. Big flaw in B1G
February 21st, 2012 at 9:00 PM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 9:03 PM ^
The only thing that bothers me about the refs is how much contact they're allowing NU to have on our guards while coming up the court. To be fair, though, the other team is most DEFINITELY playing with more urgency. We look like a team that just beat Ohio and is just happy with that. Screw that, guys, we need a CHAMPIONSHIP! Get your big boy pants on and TAKE THEM OUT.
EDIT: Perhaps a better word than "happy" is "content." The guys look "content" that they beat Ohio and are fine losing a few down the stretch because they're a tourney lock again.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:02 PM ^
If the calls are anything like they were in the first half, we won't have enough players by the ten minute mark of the second half.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:07 PM ^
I coached a boys travelling bball game once with homer refs like these. We lost by one and at the end of the game i was playing 2 on 5 as they had fouled out 10 of my players and they 2 on the floor had 4 each. And they called a T on one of my players dads for complaining....
Kinda like this one.
February 22nd, 2012 at 9:56 AM ^
Must have been in the Lake Erie League. Those refs are awful.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:02 PM ^
This is annoying right now, but we'll win this game. It'll be a very different ball game with JMo and Smot back.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:02 PM ^
I Gues we can throw all releveant stats out the window. NW is last in the B1g in rebounding and FT % yet they are out rebounding us 20-9 and outshooting us at the line in attempts and %. Morgan better watch out when he goes to the score table to check in, or the refs might call him for another foul.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:03 PM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 9:04 PM ^
Good point. If we burn it, we may not only win a B1G title with the help he brings, we also may make a much deeper Tourney run in March.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:05 PM ^
We can win and not burn the shirt. It's not like NW has a Twin Towers lineup.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:23 PM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 9:06 PM ^
What a disappointment it would be to throw away the OSU game by losing this one if M's collective head isn't extracted from its collective arse in the 2nd half. Not gonna blame the zebras--when NW kicks your ass on the boards, a 7-point defecit is well earned.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:07 PM ^
I'm expecting a big half from Morgan as long as he can stay on the floor.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:07 PM ^
Way to start us off Timmy
February 21st, 2012 at 9:08 PM ^
has to keep it up all half... he is too athletic for them
February 21st, 2012 at 9:08 PM ^
There you go Burke. You have to get inside the zone
February 21st, 2012 at 9:09 PM ^
February 21st, 2012 at 9:10 PM ^
Throw it up STU
February 21st, 2012 at 9:11 PM ^
Trey for Trey!
February 21st, 2012 at 9:12 PM ^
How often does that happen? Miss both FT's and get 3 points
February 21st, 2012 at 9:12 PM ^
Just had an epic NOOOO YES moment with Burke's 3 there.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:12 PM ^
Did someone mention that this Shon cat is a NW grad?
February 21st, 2012 at 9:12 PM ^
THJ has forgotten how to shoot. Lay-ups, 3 pointers, FTs, anything.
He's cursed. Get him to kiss a frog. Sacrifice a live chicken in the locker room. Do something. Anything.
February 21st, 2012 at 9:14 PM ^
Did you not watch the Ohio game?