Wisconsin 68, Michigan 64
mfw the evil Kohl Center vibes kick in [Patrick Barron]
Entering the contest, Michigan’s defense had been on a dreadful run of form, but the Wolverines played an ugly half of basketball to trail 26-21 at the break; Michigan’s offense was completely out of sorts outside of some nice play from Zak Irvin, but they managed to hold Wisconsin well under a point per possession as a Badger offense seemingly too committed to pounding the ball inside didn’t move the ball well. It was the best half of defense Michigan had played in some time.
An extended 17-2 stretch (which was fueled by some great effort defensively) gave Michigan a 38-30 lead in the second half, but a sequence of early fouls put Wisconsin in the bonus early and the Badgers were able to assert themselves on the offensive end – their run to take the lead was keyed by an offensive rebound on a missed free throw that led to a three.
Michigan’s defense gave up 42 points in the second half, though a decent amount of those points came as the Wolverines intentionally fouled to extend the game. Bronson Koenig had some big threes for the Badgers after the game was tied at 49 with five minutes left; Duncan Robinson – who contributed some offensively – left him wide open off an elevator screen on one, and Derrick Waltonwas juked into leaving him open in the corner on another. Moritz Wagner, who dealt with foul trouble in the second half, and the Michigan offense couldn’t respond. DJ Wilson also was limited by fouls and held scoreless after a red-hot start to Big Ten play.
All of the quintessential Kohl Center elements were present: some brick-heavy low-scoring basketball in the first half, some dubious whistles (that resulted in a few make-up calls for Michigan, to be fair) in the second, and an inexorable Wisconsin run late to seize the game and put it out of reach by hitting enough of their free throws – a pair of Nigel Hayes misses notwithstanding – down the stretch.
Michigan’s defense looked much better, despite the talented Badger big man combo of Ethan Happ and Hayes, but ultimately they gave up 1.09 PPP – and their offense wasn’t quite efficient enough to get the win (the Wolverines were just 12-30 from inside the arc). The loss drops them to 2-4 in Big Ten play, though if they can replicate their success on the defensive side of the floor, a turnaround could be in the offing. At the very least, they need to beat an Illinois team – that recently routed them – on Saturday, as they're quickly running out of time.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:05 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 12:18 AM ^
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January 18th, 2017 at 10:34 AM ^
Refs arent the issue... the issue is Donnal and Robinson are the two mentally softest players, we've had, in 40 years. Until they are gone, we will underperform.
January 18th, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^
Robinson has his moments. Donnal needs to adult up.
BUT the refs are ALSO an issue.
it doesn't have to be an either / or.
January 18th, 2017 at 3:49 PM ^
Refs were atrocious, Beilein looked like he wanted to cry after they called 6 fouls (most questionable at bst) against us in the first 6 minutes in the second half while not calling any of the hacks our players were suffering. Sucks that we finally play a good game and have the refs screw us.
January 18th, 2017 at 10:55 AM ^
I thought to myself 'hmm Michigan is outplaying Wisconsin in the Kohl Center and has a second half lead, I'm sure this won't last long.' I was right. Refs decided to let some blatant fouls by Wisconsin slide while calling touch fouls on Mo Wagner. At one point Irvin had a good take to the basket with a relatively clean path. Three Badgers descended upon him and all seemed to foul him, ball goes out of bounds to Wisconsin. No replay from ESPN, thanks dickheads. The screw job was on.
Michigan played tough though- they deserve credit for that. I was amazed when in the 2nd half they had 7 fouls to Wisconsin's 2. A team that barely ever fouls was out-fouling one of the Big Ten's most physical teams. Makes sense.
Michigan definitely didn't help themselves either, but I just wanted to complain about more shitty officiating at the college level.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:41 AM ^
I'm sorry, I just hate Wisconsin basketball. Wisconsin holds, grabs, bumps cutters and undercuts rebounders constantly and it's never called. On offense they flail every time they lose the ball (or if there is a loose ball) and get cheap calls. How many phantom pushes in the back were called on our bigs tonight? Least fouling team in the country at 14/game commits 10 fouls in about 6 minutes. Are you fucking kidding me?
Yes, there are so many reasons why we lost the game tonight, but it's just infuriating. And I didn't even mention the brutal out of bounds call 12 inches in front of the official's face. For the first time all year I'm just pissed the hell off that we lost this game.
And spare me the "well, don't allow a 15-0 run" logic. Well, Wisconsin gave up a 17-2 run. Runs happen. The officiating can still impact the game. And it did in a big way.
This team has 4 of the next 5 at home. Illinois, IU, @MSU, OSU, MSU. You really can't do any worse than 3-2 if you want to have shot, but the B1G is so down this year that all 5 are winnable.
Lastly, Mark Donnal is beyond atrocious. If Beilein even thinks about giving him a 5th year that in itself is fireable. 2 crucial missed block outs on free throws and was generally abused by Happ when he was in the game. Totally unacceptable.
January 18th, 2017 at 9:02 AM ^
Would hold water if it wasn't for a little thing called time.
Wisconsin gave up their run early/middle of the 2nd half, which is essentially basketball. Runs happen all the time in the early going.
Michigan gave up that run when the game mattered most, in the last 5 minutes, which speaks to a team that has ZERO killer identity to close out a game when you have an opportunity, or to match your opponent even a little bit to maintain some semblance of that lead.
So yes, I'm going to say "Don't give up a 15-0 run." They had an opportunity to put all that ref BS behind them and were sitting in the driver's seat. And they showed why they aren't a good basketball team.
January 18th, 2017 at 10:43 AM ^
has been an on-going issue, both last year and this year. This team is often right in games with five minutes left. Take this BIG season alone, Iowa, Maryland, and now Wisconsin. All three games were coin flips with five minutes to go, and Iowa was arguably in the bag. When the game is on the line, teams go to their bread and butter. Our break and butter is three point shots. Gunning from deep becomes more and more difficult the more that nerves become a factor. It is one of the traps of an offense based on shooting threes as the primary source of offense. As the time runs down, we stop making shots.
Indiana in the BIG tourney last year is one exception that comes to mind, and that is why we are all so collectively shocked about that outcome.
January 18th, 2017 at 9:34 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 2:55 PM ^
Wisconsin holds, grabs, bumps cutters and undercuts rebounders constantly and it's never called. On offense they flail every time they lose the ball (or if there is a loose ball) and get cheap calls.
...and if the refs aren't calling it, we should be doing the same.
You have to adjust your style of play to what the refs are going to allow. If they are going to allow blatant grabbing, you're just giving the other team an advantage if you don't follow along.
January 18th, 2017 at 3:50 PM ^
In case you missed it they called constant ticky tack fouls on us and nothing on Wisconsin for most of the 2nd half.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:06 AM ^
Illinois on Saturday. The closeness of this game and a win there could give the team the confidence to at least contest their remaining games.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:08 AM ^
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January 18th, 2017 at 12:09 AM ^
I try hard to avoid the stereotype of being a Michigan fan that whines about the officials, but this was a classic boneheaded ref game. Two of the top teams in the country at avoiding fouls suddenly are saddled with foul trouble? BS.
Michigan takes a lead and control....then their two best players are on the bench. It was impossible to tell what was a foul and what wasn't. The only "make up" call that you might think Michigan got was when Dakich showed Walton pushing off on a drive to the hoop. That NEVER gets called and thus wasn't a missed call in a standard game.
The icing on the cake was that Michigan, despite having to play without two starters in foul trouble and with Walton barely able to walk after getting crushed by Hayes (no call), actually got a steal when they were down 4 and had ~20 seconds left. Only for a ref to make a horrible call on Simpson - just horrible.
Whenever Wisconsin needed a pick-me-up, the refs were there to give it to them. Michigan played well enough to win and got jobbed.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:12 AM ^
7 fouls in 5 minutes, almost strictly soft, touch fouls, isn't basketball. We played a huge portion of the second half without some combination, and largely all 3, of Walton, Mo, and DJ. Wisconsin was shooting 1-and-1 for the last 15 minutes of the game. They didn't review the Simpson out of bounds. They didn't give Duncan the tie-up. They didn't realize that Wisconsin's shot clock reset, after they called a time out. And they let Haye's get away with playing like he's 160 pounds. Sure, we could've still won the game, despite the referees. But everyone knew we would have to play a great game to even keep it close, and we did. The difference had whistles in their mouths.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:27 AM ^
Wilson shouldn't have come around the back of the guy. Dumb play. Keep him in the trap and let the guy (Robinson) on the ball side tie him up or foul him.
January 18th, 2017 at 2:07 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 12:42 AM ^
was the simpson out of bounds...errr not out bounds....play at the end, reviewable? It was not a matter of determining who the ball went out off of, and i dont think determining whether a player steps, or dribbles out of bounds is reviewable. Could be wrong.
January 18th, 2017 at 6:41 AM ^
Wisconsin was shooting 1-and-1 for the last 15 minutes of the game.It was worse actually - Wisconsin was shooting two shots the last 12 minutes of the game.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:25 AM ^
from everyone except Donnal, but this was an undisciplined team on the defensive end in the second half. On Koenig's three to go up 55-49 and essentially put the game away, Walton inexplicably left him to give a half-hearted poke towards, Hayes who had his back the basket and was being well-defended. Of course Hayes easily found Walton's man for the wide open three. No excuse for such a terrible play from a senior.
Donnal had a lot of bad lapses, the worst of which was the FT that just just somehow lost Happ instead of keeping a body on him. When DJ and Wagner had to come out with 12 min left, the game was essentially over as Wisconsin abused Robinson and Donnal for a huge run.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:28 AM ^
Donnal didn't box out on a couple of missed FTs. It's incredible that he's still so bad in his senior year.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:32 AM ^
the second one didn't really matter, but yes, finally Beilien decided he would try to discipline his player and he put Teske in. It's sad because I feel like Donnal is just demoralized by the demotion and has given up. He wasn't this bad last year. He played inspired ball for much of the conference schedule when the job was his and he seemed to have confidence.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:46 AM ^
By contrast Wagner plays at volume 11. He's an animal and competitor. He and Wilson are silver lining on this team for me.
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January 18th, 2017 at 7:56 AM ^
You could kick his dog, fuck his gf and pour a beer on his head and he would have that same stupid emotionless expression on his face.
January 18th, 2017 at 9:03 AM ^
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January 18th, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^
doubt that. You just don't waste a beer like that. I could see him drawing the line there and getting pretty fired up.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:30 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 12:33 AM ^
The reffing was a complete fucking disgrace. You could see the foundation being built early in the second half. The refs did everything possible to get Wisconsin points during that period. The load of touch fouls called and boom they are in the bonus immediately.
Not only that, guys that we need in the game our forced to sit out. Its just a domino effect.
The loss against Ohio State is widely accepted as complete farce of reffing, but people here are more likely to not equate this to that (even though it was pretty similar in incompetence.) basketball its the in thing to hate the basketball team.
January 18th, 2017 at 8:43 AM ^
of a jobbing in the making. I worried I was being paranoid, but felt that way too.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:53 AM ^
I love what Wagner has shown he can do, but that stretch where he had two WIDE open missed threes was killer. He has been making that shot a lot lately and HAS to make one or both of those.
Then the missed front end of the 1 and 1.
Also, he has to stop committing really pointless fouls (that drive missed layup by MAAR, he had an absoultely terrible over the back foul (that call was actually one of the legitimate ones).
I hate that I singled him out here, but he is so close to really getting it. He just has to continue to work and he is going to turn the light on for good when he does.
January 18th, 2017 at 12:59 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 2:03 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
and sometimes they just don't go down, but it was a killer for the team's chances that both did not go in. And yes, the missed 1-and-1 and the travel were worse in terms of what a player can control.
January 18th, 2017 at 2:13 AM ^
Wagner is one of my favorite players on the team, and he's got a ton of potential. But there were a couple boneheaded plays tonight, per usual. we just have to take the good with the bad and hope he cleans it up.
There were a couple alley oop dunks that he inexplicably didn't put down in the first half. It was good to see Walton get on him for that. I love his fire though and have no problem with him taking those 3's late. I think he'll hit those down the line... I also hope he looks to be more aggressive in general.
January 18th, 2017 at 5:57 AM ^
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January 18th, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
Frustrating by Wagner but can't fault the kid's hustle and grit. He'll get better.
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January 18th, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^
his decision-making sometimes. He will get better and has tremendous upside, but makes too many frustrating mistakes at this point.
January 18th, 2017 at 2:10 PM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 12:58 AM ^
Also we need to rip that skinhead mother fucking asshole's skidmark team to shreds on Saturday.
January 18th, 2017 at 1:02 AM ^
Dan Dackish said that this was the best effort put forward this year on the defensive end.
January 18th, 2017 at 1:26 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 3:53 PM ^
No it was lost by the refs putting Wisconsin in the bonus at the 14 minute mark and dj and mo on the bench with 4 fouls for a lot of the 2nd half.
January 18th, 2017 at 1:37 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 2:09 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 8:31 AM ^
I'm starting to be there with you. Although I think it is more of the same. If you look at how the next possesion looks after a timeout, it completely depends on if we are on offense or defense, either way, it probably leads to a score. Beilein can draw up offense better than anyone in the country, but my god, that Elevator screen play on the Koenig three is run as an out of bounds play by every high school team in the country.
I am a firm believer that effort is the simplest way to improve defensively, but Beilein certainly doesn;t help schematically on that end.
January 18th, 2017 at 2:36 PM ^
Was it me or is the pressure getting to JB? His halftime interview and courtside behavior looked very unhinged. I think he knows he is fighting to keep his job and it is going to be an uphill battle.
January 18th, 2017 at 6:12 AM ^
January 18th, 2017 at 7:16 AM ^
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January 18th, 2017 at 8:01 AM ^
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