Charlotte 63, Michigan 61
Have a banana. You'll feel better.
I'm writing up the fourth game of some sort in four days and it's after 10 p.m. on a Sunday, so this will be brief. Michigan lost by two points on a last-second defensive breakdown after trailing for most of the game, only to tie it up late on a Mitch McGary layup off a brilliant inbounds play. Caris LeVert couldn't stay in front of his man on the next possession, McGary had to contest a layup, and Terrence Williams was all alone for the putback with 0.4 seconds left.
Because, based on the Twitter reaction, this is necessary to do, here are some reasons not to freak out and abandon all hope:
- The odds of Michigan shooting 31% from the field again—27% if you excise Nik Stauskas's 6/13 performance—are exceedingly low.
- Glenn Robinson III played all of nine minutes after falling hard on his back in the first half. His absence led to Michigan having to play a lot of two-big lineups, which really bogged down the offense. It also forced them to rely on freshman Zak Irvin, who struggled offensively (3/14 from the field on mostly open looks) and made a couple critical defensive errors.
- Stauskas, who single-handedly carried the offense for most of the game, rolled his ankle badly on a fast break right around the midway point of the second half. He was clearly hobbled for the rest of the game.
Michigan lost by two points against a team that, while not great, is by no means terrible; they did this despite missing a ton of open shots they'd normally make and playing without one of their best players—losing lineup versatility and the ability to switch up defenses—for most of the game. To top it off, the one guy who'd been playing well was clearly limping through much of the second half.
It's one game in a long season. The sky is still intact. Once these seemingly-minor injuries heal up—and Michigan is off until Friday—so is Michigan basketball.
November 24th, 2013 at 10:43 PM ^
for providing some perspective. Hopefully those who don't back away from the ledge now meet the same fate as those who jumped off after the Penn State loss last year.
November 24th, 2013 at 10:46 PM ^
I seem to recall similar sentiments following the football team's victory over Akron.
November 24th, 2013 at 11:29 PM ^
Belein's teams have answered and come back from hard ship in the past. Like last years Tourney or in 2011 when we where 11-9 and finished 21-14 and nearly knocked of 1 seed Duke.
November 24th, 2013 at 11:50 PM ^
November 25th, 2013 at 12:43 PM ^
So because a team in a different sport had a bad season, Michigan basketball will have a bad one as well? Curious logic.
November 24th, 2013 at 10:48 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 10:51 PM ^
HOLY SHIT A MUFFIN
OM NOM NOM
November 24th, 2013 at 10:55 PM ^
It was useful for Irvin and Morgan to get more crunch time action, and good to see Bielfeldt get some meaningful playing time. Assuming Robinson and Stauskus recover, it will be to our benefit in the long run.
The officiating was a bit wierd IMO. How many games will M play where they have 4 players in serious foul trouble before halftime. I don't think M is a team that fouls a lot. The officials were whistle happy. Add that to extremely cold shooting (from a good shooting team) and a couple of injuries, and you're looking at an entertaining game, and one that was probably better than a 30 point blowout against the Little Sisters of Podunk...
November 24th, 2013 at 10:55 PM ^
Nothing systematically wrong with this basketball team...still has all the pieces to be a solid top 10-15 club.
Football on the other hand...Fire Everyone!
November 24th, 2013 at 11:22 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 11:00 PM ^
Hey Ace, what did you think of the officiating? It seemed like Michigan was having to get fouled like 30% harder than Charlotte to get the same calls. What did you see?
November 24th, 2013 at 11:15 PM ^
we went to the line 24 times, Charlotte 8. I am sure Charlotte doesn't think they got the benefit of the officiating. Officiating had little to nothing with the loss---defense and mostly poor shooting did.
Also, not even sure we can say we were really in foul trouble in an objective sense as it is simply Beilein's philosophy to sit out anyone who gets 2 fouls in the first half---as Burke in the NC game proves. Most other coaches are not as inflexible about it---not saying its right or wrong, just that it is what it is--okay, I'll admit I'd prefer he'd be a little more subjective in his approach.
edit: took 24 and 8 foul shots respectively--not trips to the line as it mis-implies.
November 24th, 2013 at 11:19 PM ^
As far as that time went, the 8-0 run in the minute surrounding halftime went a long way to the game feeling like an uphill climb.
November 25th, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^
November 25th, 2013 at 5:16 PM ^
I, personally, would really like to see you coach against Beilein. I'm certain you would take him to the woodshed.
November 24th, 2013 at 11:15 PM ^
Not blaming the game on it, just answering the question. The game was lost on bad defense at keys points, couples with the cold shooting and GR3 not playing the 2nd half. This team will not be a great defensive team (although there is no reason they couldn't be), but they will need to not give free baskets away due to blown assignments, lack of focus.
November 24th, 2013 at 11:03 PM ^
so hard.
November 24th, 2013 at 11:05 PM ^
and not assuming that that man is yelling, "There's always money in the banana stand!!!"
November 24th, 2013 at 11:08 PM ^
I would argue the sky is not intact if, in fact, the team has sustained potential season long injuries on two of our biggest stars (Stauskas/Robinson).
Hopefully they will not be out long.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:53 AM ^
November 25th, 2013 at 12:47 PM ^
I would not describe a year in which a team plays for a national title in one of the two glamour sports to be anywhere near "pitch black."
November 24th, 2013 at 11:20 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 11:38 PM ^
Every coach has some losses to supposedly inferior teams after catching a lot of bad breaks, shit happens sometimes. After going to the Final Four last year and winning the Big Ten the year before, this coaching staff has earned the benefit of the doubt, and it would be nice if all the posters on here realized that. Instead, some "fans" feel the need to complain about this staff after a very understandable loss. Just stop posting please.
November 25th, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^
say a goddamn word against the coaching staff.
November 24th, 2013 at 11:21 PM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 11:29 PM ^
November 25th, 2013 at 12:51 AM ^
November 25th, 2013 at 12:53 AM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 11:32 PM ^
that Stauskus was hurt and for the last 8 minutes was just a body on the court. In reality it was more 4.5 vs 5 basketball. I think with him healthy and Levert and Spike playing like they did in the last 5, we would have won by 5 points. Really hope he is healthy as he has been our most consistent scorer this year at 20.3 ppg. This team has a lot of talent, they just need time to gel.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:01 AM ^
A win by even more than five if Nik wasn't hurt. Injury messed with his D and his jump shot.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:10 AM ^
Still a really shitty sports weekend.
November 25th, 2013 at 7:48 AM ^
November 24th, 2013 at 11:55 PM ^
November 25th, 2013 at 9:30 AM ^
We'll be fine. By the end if the year we'll have 8 or 9 losses but Levert, Stauskas and McGary will have a better understanding of how to operate together.
November 25th, 2013 at 12:00 AM ^
Coach B's own words via UMhoops: "We had adversity tonight like we hadn’t had, and we just kept plugging away, it’s all good. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s all good to come into that environment, play as hard as we did and fight back to have a chance to win.”
November 25th, 2013 at 1:18 AM ^
I can't help but feel like GR3 is soft. He had an ouch-y back and went out for the night. Stauskas rolled an ankle and went all Sugar Bowl Molk on it, despite it totally throwing off his jump shot and defense.
November 25th, 2013 at 2:54 AM ^
You are a moron. Do you have any idea what his injury was or how severe it was? He didn't even make it back to the bench so clearly it was something fairly serious.
November 25th, 2013 at 8:46 AM ^
You cannot even compare the injuries. The best thing to do for a rolled ankle is just keep playing. Dakich said it best last night, if Stauskas sits, the ankle swells up and he doesn't come back in the game at all.
November 25th, 2013 at 7:32 AM ^
man, i hate this crap. i just watched the post-game press conference, and there was no passion, no fire, no anger. i wish the coach would take some personal responsibility, but he just stands there and defends his staff and pretends nothing is wrong. well, something is wrong - we're barely above .500 and losing to two teams that we should beat.
looks like more years of mediocrity in ann arbor, until we sweep these guys out the door and go in a new direction.
wait, this is the iowa game column, right?
November 25th, 2013 at 8:42 AM ^
We have to remember what happened last year was special. If this season goes the same way it did two years ago, then we should all rejoice in happiness.
I'd rather take these punches now than in the Big Ten. Our non-conference is not weak by any means, and it will get us battle ready if anything else.
By the end of the year, you will not remember that we lost to Charlotte. I can guarantee that.
November 25th, 2013 at 8:47 AM ^
I agree with everything Ace says in terms of not freaking out but something I have been wondering about is all the hype about GRIII. I mean, he doesn't do much on offense and even less on defense. I am not an NBA scout obviously, but other than pure potential, what are they evaluating him on because the in-game evidence doesn;t suggest to me that his guy is a hgh first round pick? Has he even once created his own shot since coming to UM? He's an athletic freak but lots of good athlete's don't make great BBall players. I guess I'm just missing something where he is concerned.
Oh...and will someone please teach these players to box out on defense and follow their shot (instead of admiring it out of their hand) on offense? Some rebounding from people other than McGary would be a good thing.
November 26th, 2013 at 3:34 PM ^
Yeah I don't get it either. I said it all last year and I'll say it all this year. GRIII is just a dude who has a decnt shot and can jump, nothing else. Stauskas is far far better than him. He barely played against Charlotte and I didn't even notice he was gone (though obviously he would have been an improvement over Irvin's brick-fest). Once Nik got injured I didn't enjoy that game at all, spent the whole time watching and wincing, i wish they'd taken him out, it's not worth making things worse.
November 25th, 2013 at 9:59 AM ^
Wait, LeVert blew a defensive assignment late in a close game? What a shocker. For all his length, he's a pretty poor defender.
November 25th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^
November 25th, 2013 at 11:11 AM ^
Maybe after a few more seasons, Alan Major may turn out to be a little grumpy like his ol' mentor.
November 25th, 2013 at 7:55 PM ^
November 26th, 2013 at 3:36 PM ^
Best part of this game was Charlotte's coach's hair. 'Nah, I'm not going bald, I just have a big forehead that grows every year.' It's like the afro version of the comb-over and I couldn't stop staring.
Comments