MBB vs. Indiana Open Thread
Go Blue, beat IU!
Storylines:
- Michigan attempts to end its three game losing streak
- Novak and Douglass return to their home state
• Radio: Michigan Sports Marketing (IMG)
• Detroit: WWJ (950 AM) | Ann Arbor: WWWW (102.9 FM) | WOMC 104.3 FM
• Internet: MGoBlue.com | Sirius: 90 (U-M broadcast) | XM: 143 (IU broadcast)
• U-M Radio: Matt Shepard (p-by-p) & David Merritt (analyst)
• Television Broadcast: Big Ten Network | Eric Collins (p-by-p) & Quinn Buckner (analyst)
After beginning the season 9-2, Tom Crean’s Indiana squad has since hit a slide, dropping its last six contests. After two tough losses at the Las Vegas Classic to Northern Iowa (67-61) and Colorado (78-69), the Hoosiers have lost each of their fi rst four Big Ten contests to Penn State (69-60), Ohio State (85-67), Minnesota (67-63) and Northwestern (93-81). Indiana holds a 9-8 overall record (0-4 Big Ten).
Under John Beilein, the Wolverines are 2-2 against the Hoosiers, with the teams splitting their matchups last season. In 2009-10, Michigan fell at Assembly Hall in their Big Ten opener, 71-65 (Dec. 31), but came away victorious in Ann Arbor, 69-45 (Jan. 14). This season, the Hoosiers are led by sophomore Christian Watford, who leads Indiana with 16.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.
- Michigan will play three of its next four games, and expanding further fi ve of its next seven, on the road, starting with a game at Indiana (Jan. 15). Michigan had played 10 of its last 11 games in Crisler Arena, going 7-3 at home in that stretch.
- Three of Michigan's six losses this season have come against three of top-fi ve ranked programs in the nation. U-M lost by just three to No. 4 Syracuse (53-50), lost by seven in overtime to No. 3 Kansas (67-60) and by just four to No. 2 Ohio State (68-64).
- In conference play, Michigan is shooting a league-best 89.2 percent (33-of-37) from the free throw line in Big Ten games and is 47-of-54 (87 percent) over the last five games.
- Overall, Michigan is second in the Big Ten in free-throw percentage (73.1 percent) and has two players in the top-10 in the conference in free-throw percentage. Tim Hardaway Jr. is eighth in the conference (81.5 percent) while Darius Morris ranks 10th in the league (76.8 percent).
- U-M coach John Beilein needs to coach 15 more games to reach 1,000 total contests in his 33-year career. At the current pace, the 1,000th game will be the Wolverines' opening game at the 2011 Big Ten Tournament.
- With 131 three-point fi eld goals, Stu Douglass is eighth all-time at U-M. Douglass needs four to move into seventh (Glen Rice, 135).
January 15th, 2011 at 8:35 PM ^
We are getting fucking blown out now by the same shitty Indiana team. What the fuck? Pull it together guys. I hate this inconsistency.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:38 PM ^
for what seems like the past 5 games, we should start turning it over and bombing ugly 3's right abouuuuuuut.... now.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:37 PM ^
Right now we look like an underclassman-dominated team on the road. Time to grow up.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:38 PM ^
I would just like to add that Morgan is absolutely horrendous. We need a big man.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:39 PM ^
put money on Indiana
January 15th, 2011 at 8:40 PM ^
Our offense looks like Greg Robinson is coaching them
January 15th, 2011 at 8:41 PM ^
I haven't been watching at all, which apparently is a good thing. Any particular reason we have 11 points right now? Just general suck?
January 15th, 2011 at 9:07 PM ^
to create opportunities late in the clock seems to mirror the reliance on Harris to create late in the clock from last year.
That is a broad brush, but in this offense, I think Morris dribbles too much. If this were more like a drive and kick offense, I could definitely see Morris doing that; however, the O is quick reversals, back cuts and more reversals. Spacing is good, which allows Morris to dribble more than he ought, but their cuts and screens off the cuts is what is vexing me right now.
Their cuts serve no purpose except when they back cut off of overplays. Defenses don't really have to deny passes to our guys or overplay because when one of our guys gets the ball, other teams can keep them in front of them without the need for help.
The book is pretty easy on Michigan right now. It will get better and the book won't be as easy to read
January 15th, 2011 at 8:41 PM ^
that is all.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:43 PM ^
Why can't we put Horford out there with McLimans or Morgan against bigger teams? We always have 4 sprites out there with just our 1 "big". Pathetic.
EDIT: I'm sorry I'm so fucking negative right now... it is just killing me to watch this horrible basketball for what seems like forever. Even when we are in "close" games it seems like we don't play very well.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:42 PM ^
That was a shitty fucking call on that D Morris charge. Good lord. WTF.
Got a Netflix DVD of The Pacific sitting here. Gonna kick that off sooner than expected.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:42 PM ^
at allowing opponent FT's and we have 0, because we settle for off balance jumpers and play offense 35 feet from the basket.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:43 PM ^
Is there a reason why beilein pulled Hardaway Jr. and sat him? Is there a reason why mclimans is in? Also, the lineup consisting of Morris, Douglass, Vogrich, Novak, and one of the 3 bigs is never going to work, period.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
Fouls
January 15th, 2011 at 8:58 PM ^
About a thousand of them
January 15th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
My blood pressure needs a break. To the NFL game we go.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
not the best looking students
January 15th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
I can't begin to tell you how irritated I get when Morris over dribbles. Who the hell is going to go for his shoulder fake to the left. The whole world knows he is going to his right.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
for some reason this UM makes this place like Cameron Indoor...IU sucks guys!!! come on!!
January 15th, 2011 at 8:53 PM ^
our offense is making one of the worst defeneses in the big ten look really good.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
... because we are sucking it up.
Poor execution, bad shots, turnovers, no rebounds, pretty much everything.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:44 PM ^
Like i said all season
we have no inside game and no bangers inside
this team has no movement inside, doesn't set picks or anything inside
and settles for 3's all day
no cutting to the basket, no pick and rolls
I like coach B, and his fundamentals, but in regards to his inside game recruiting and skills, he has been horrible in this area since getting to Michigan !
January 15th, 2011 at 8:50 PM ^
His recruiting big men is just fine. A little bit of bad luck....combined with us being extremely young and you have a bad presence down low.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:58 PM ^
I don't know if most of the cuts are supposed to be flex cuts or simply fill cuts, but I think it's fairly easy to play man against this offense simply because most of the cuts aren't threatening.
WVU's offense was predicated on a ton of back cuts and flex cuts; they also had physical players who could shoot and get to where they wanted on the floor off the ball.
This really is WVU 'lite' and until Michigan gets more players who can go inside as well as be a threat on the outside, you're going to see what seems like 20 passes per possession that don't take a player closer to the basket or serve a purpose other than to simply reverse the ball to set up the next cut to the top of key.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:45 PM ^
Michigan vs Indiana/ Ed Hightower
January 15th, 2011 at 8:47 PM ^
is beyond annoying
January 15th, 2011 at 8:56 PM ^
I feel like I'm watching a completely different game than this guy. One of the things I hate about BTN is they get obviously biased commentators to announce the games. We get it; you were undefeated...
January 15th, 2011 at 8:47 PM ^
We are on pace to score like 30 points, against Indiana. You boys better step it up in the second half!
January 15th, 2011 at 8:48 PM ^
I love how the announcer just pronounced making like 1 free throw a "mini run."
January 15th, 2011 at 8:49 PM ^
Why are we standing around so much? There should be more movement away from the ball.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:58 PM ^
Isn't that kinda what we've done the past several years? Play 30 feet from the hoop, go one-on-one, and play perimeter ball???
January 15th, 2011 at 8:49 PM ^
Morris can't fu*king buy a basket! Time to turn on the NFL
January 15th, 2011 at 8:55 PM ^
i am notthe only one getting upset I really expected much better play.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:51 PM ^
Horrible foul calls, no offense, Indiana hitting all their shots, no rebounds and thank god this half is over.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:53 PM ^
Don't blame the refs. This game has been evenly called and UM has gotten some breaks. Blame Belein and the players. They are mentally not in this game.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:01 PM ^
We're playing terrible basketball, but the refs have definitely called this game in favor of Indiana so far. Smotrycz's third foul was one of the worst calls I've seen all year, and they've called some very iffy charges as well.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:40 PM ^
at 6:48 in the 2nd half:
UM: 15 fouls
IU: 14 fouls
Pretty evenly called game...
January 15th, 2011 at 10:15 PM ^
It's always great to get a couple of calls once the game is out of reach.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:17 PM ^
they haven't helped. Indiana is playing aggressive defense on Morris and not getting called for the bumps and hand checking but Smotrycz has got 3 bump fouls. Not the refs fault they can't hit a jumper but its got to be effecting how they're playing defense.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:51 PM ^
How is Tom Crean so tan?
January 15th, 2011 at 8:53 PM ^
Herbstreit spray tan... available only at wal-mart.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:52 PM ^
I am sure he is a nice guy... but this speaks to the problem with this team. He is not a big ten caliber player. Beilein's recruiting has lacked any post players and what do we have signed for next year and the year after ... 3 more guards.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:54 PM ^
He played because we're in serious foul trouble. He's not normally a member of the rotation.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:59 PM ^
Why does everyone say he hasn't recruited any post players? Morgan is going to be pretty good after, you know, his redshirt fucking freshman year, Smotrycz is going to be pretty good after, you know, his fucking true freshman year, and Benzig has played really well over seas. This shit needs to stop.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:04 PM ^
he is a wing/small forward. Just because he is 6-8 does not make him a post player. I will give you Morgan, but that's exactly 1 guy in 5 recruiting classes counting next year.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:25 PM ^
You have apparently forgotten about Benzig and Cronin. For someone who has followed Michigan basketball for so long, I would think you would know about those 2. I think Beilein is trying not to get any big men though. I hear he told Amir Williams to go fuck himself because he wouldn't fit in at Michigan. I agree though, all of our guys should be dominating as redshirt freshmen.
I also hear that true freshmen like Smotryz are not allowed to put on any weight. He will stay exactly like he is for his 4 years here.
January 15th, 2011 at 9:42 PM ^
was a project at best, and he didn't land benzing, so really there is nothing to talk about as far as he goes. It's all about who you bring in.
January 15th, 2011 at 8:54 PM ^
Worst case scenario certainly played out. It all starts with being unable to match IU intensity. I see no way IU lets this one slip away.