Michigan BBall Predictions
Current Record. 7-4
Record needed to make NCAA Tournament. 18-12. (17-13 would require a lot of luck)
That means Michigan needs to beat Holy Cross and go at least 10-8 in conference play.
Here is the remaining schedule:
Sat., Dec. 28 | vs. Holy Cross | Crisler Center | BTN |
6:30 p.m. ET |
Thu., Jan. 2 | at Minnesota * | Minneapolis, Minn. | BTN | 6:00 p.m. CT | |
Sun., Jan. 5 | vs. Northwestern * | Crisler Center | BTN | TBA | |
Thu., Jan. 9 | at Nebraska * | Lincoln, Neb. | ESPN/2 | 8:00 p.m. CT | |
Tue., Jan. 14 | vs. Penn State * | Crisler Center | BTN | 8:00 p.m. ET | |
Sat., Jan. 18 | at Wisconsin * | Madison, Wis. | ESPN | 5:00 p.m. CT | |
Wed., Jan. 22 | vs. Iowa * | Crisler Center | BTN | 7:00 p.m. ET | |
Sat., Jan. 25 | at Michigan State * | East Lansing, Mich. | ESPN | 7:00 p.m. ET | |
Thu., Jan. 30 | vs. Purdue * | Crisler Center | ESPN/2 | 9:00 p.m. ET | |
Sun., Feb. 2 | at Indiana * | Bloomington, Ind. | CBS | 1:00 p.m. ET | |
Wed., Feb. 5 | vs. Nebraska * | Crisler Center | BTN | 6:30 p.m. ET | |
Sat., Feb. 8 | at Iowa * | Iowa City, Iowa | ESPN | 1:00 p.m. CT | |
Tue., Feb. 11 | at Ohio State * | Columbus, Ohio | ESPN | 9:00 p.m. ET | |
Sun., Feb. 16 | vs. Wisconsin * | Crisler Center | CBS | 1:00 p.m. ET | |
Sun., Feb. 23 | vs. Michigan State * | Crisler Center | CBS/BTN | Noon or 6 p.m. ET | |
Wed., Feb. 26 | at Purdue * | West Lafayette, Ind. | BTN | 7:00 p.m. ET | |
Sat., Mar. 1 | vs. Minnesota * | Crisler Center | BTN | 6:00 p.m. ET | |
Tue., Mar. 4 | at Illinois * | Champaign, Ill. | ESPN | 6:00 p.m. ET | |
Sat., Mar. 8 | vs. Indiana * | Crisler Center | ESPN | 6:00 p.m. ET |
I predict a 12-6 conference record (losses - @Wisc, @MSU, @Ind, @ Iowa, @Ohio, MSU)
I hate even thinking MSU could sweep, but they're a lot more physical than us and not a team we match up with well. That'll probably result in about a 6 seed in the tourney.
I hope I'm wrong and Michigan wins out.
Thoughts?
December 22nd, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:01 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:18 PM ^
Yeah, for some reason we always seem to get a couple of teams with horrid RPIs on our non-conference schedule to drag it down. The big problem though is the loss to Charlotte - that alone is probably costing us 30 spots in the RPI right now. Its impact will lessen as the year goes on but it's always going to be a drag on our ranking. Beating Arizona would have basically negated that loss, but we couldn't finish the deal.
On the plus side, we probably went up a whole bunch in the RPI yesterday, with our win over Stanford and FSU's win over UMass.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:03 PM ^
I was thinking that the Big Ten was looking like a 8-bid conference this year, which may mean that even a 8-10 might be enough to get a bid.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
8-10, coupled with 8-4 out of conference, almost certainly wouldn't do it. 9-9 probably would put us squarely on the bubble. 10-8 or better and we're in.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^
Do you really think a 16-14 overall record makes the tourney?
December 22nd, 2013 at 3:00 PM ^
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/conferences/standings/_/id/7…
9-9 in the B1G, but no signature wins, and a patsy OOC w/ a couple of losses to so-so teams.
8-10 Illinois & Miinny got in, but not 9-9 Iowa.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:12 PM ^
that is ranked nationally for several weeks does not make the NCAA tournament. Unless there is an epic collapse, Michigan will get invited.
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:21 PM ^
frequently.
Just looking at past NIT champions and runner-ups, for example, a quick scan shows that Baylor 2013, North Carolina 2010, Baylor 2009, Clemson 2007, and Michigan 2006 (and these are just the ones that had a wiki link to their seasons and could be checked quickly) all spent multiple weeks ranked in the Top 25 and didn't make the tournament.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:24 PM ^
How was 2013 the "worst year ever" for basketball? Let's see: national title appearance, national player of the year, two guys turn down the NBA to come back to school, and the two who did go pro are both successful first-round picks. I don't think the loss to Charlotte outweighs all that.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:28 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:30 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:06 PM ^
OK, but the part about Mitch/GR3 staying, and Burke/THJ becoming 1st rounders and successful rookies still is after that time.
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:36 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 3:30 PM ^
national championship run = sucking ass
reaching #1 for first time in 20 years = sucking ass
finally exorcising ghosts of fab five = sucking ass
beating msu, osu, and many other teams at home = sucking ass
rampaging our way through the sweet sixteen, elite eight, final four = sucking ass
December 22nd, 2013 at 4:17 PM ^
This has been the worst sports year of my life by an incomprehensible margin (it's not just Michigan-related). But man, you didn't enjoy the straight up flaying of Florida to get to the Final Four? That was the most fun I've had watching Michigan basketball since Sean Higgins was raining threes on Virginia to signify that 1989 was the year we finally made that climb.
I happen to agree with the crowd that looks at things as pre-April 2013 and then post-April 2013 being its own special 2/3rds of a year of hell, but I don't know how you can leave out the Florida game, or the Syracuse game, or the shredding of VCU. Those were all awesome.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:17 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:28 PM ^
Well that's entirely doable, right? ...right?
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^
I think 10-8 with at least one (hopefully two) conference tourny wins will get us in. As of now we have an RPI of 100 (just a bit outside....) but a SOS at #1 so that will help a lot.
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:43 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:37 PM ^
I think we can go 13-5/14-4 in conference. Based on the OP's losses, I think we'll get two out of @Indiana, @Iowa, & MSU at home.
December 22nd, 2013 at 4:44 PM ^
If McGary can stay heathy, I think we can go 14-4. B1G scheduling blows again as we play AT Wisc, MSU, IU and ohio before any of those come to Crisler (and we only play ohio in Mordor). This team has shown the ability to play up to the next level, but we need a health McGary and some decent 3 point shooting to be really dangerous!
Go Blue!
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:55 PM ^
Predicting anything for this team is almost impossible. The inconsistant shooting is what makes it so difficult. They have been pretty consistant on defense, just average, but at least it's been consistant. Realistically It wouldn't be a huge upset for the team to win any game left on the schedule. Records wise, I see them winning at least 2-3 games that they probbly shouldn't and lossing 2 games they should have won. WILD GUESS 12-6 with the losses being @MN, @NEB, Iowa, @MSU, @OSU and Indiana. I predict a 5-6 seed in the NCAA tournament.
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:03 PM ^
actually.
There's no answer to this topic without knowing if Mitch can be fully healthy after sitting out the Holy Cross game (which I'm guessing he will).
Without Mitch, we're a team that will struggle with most teams left on our schedule.
With Mitch, we have a top level big man, a freak athlete who can be a mismatch on the offensive end in many situations, and a defensive presence in the paint (although he has got to stop leaving his man under the bucket - it leads to dunks and easy put backs).
With a healthy Mitch, this still should be a pretty good season. In the other scenario, it's pretty ugly and most games will be desperate struggles.
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:05 PM ^
"I see them winning at least 2-3 games that they probably shouldn't and losing 2 games they should have won."
This for sure^ The freshmen are being freshmen and McGary's injuries will continue to contribute to the inconsistent offense, but I'm a also believer in Beilein's ability to get this team ready to roll come March. I think we go at least two games over .500 in conference and perhaps even win the B1G tourney. I see a run to the Sweet 16 and way more if McGary is healthy and Walton's developing game doesn't plateau.
December 22nd, 2013 at 12:57 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:18 PM ^
missed the tourney altogether the next year?
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:26 PM ^
didn't make it to the 2010 tournament. So they're probably the most recent answer to that question, at least.
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:34 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:35 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:39 PM ^
dang, forgot about them!
It's interesting that you've got both Carolina and Kentucky in the last five years as two National Champions who didn't even make it back to the tournament in the next year.
That's got to be a first to have two champions in a five year stretch suffer that fate in the modern-expanded tournament era.
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:34 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:46 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:54 PM ^
Let's just win the Big Ten that way we don't have to worry about getting invited
December 22nd, 2013 at 1:56 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 2:06 PM ^
With a mostly healthy Mitch, we go 13-5; without him, 10-8.
December 22nd, 2013 at 4:14 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 2:32 PM ^
a good run in the B1G Tourney. Selection committee looks end of year trending.
December 22nd, 2013 at 3:27 PM ^
December 22nd, 2013 at 3:31 PM ^
Michigan just needs to break down their season into smaller goals and right now that goal is to get to 12-4 and start 4-0 in the Big Ten before they play Wisconsin.
December 22nd, 2013 at 6:15 PM ^
I think we'll probably lose at OSU and MSU, but we'll be tough to take down at home. I think we'll score a huge win against MSU at home, and we'll have a huge road win somewhere, too. Maybe Iowa or Wiscy, if for no other reason than that school has absolutely ripped our guts out a few times over the past few years. It's about time fate went the other way for a change.
Honestly, if there's any team we could sweep this year, I'd be hard pressed to not want it to be against Wiscy. I despise Bo Ryan and his team. They ruin everything fun about the game of basketball.
December 22nd, 2013 at 6:28 PM ^
December 23rd, 2013 at 9:39 AM ^