Michigan 73, Illinois 55
The Bielfeldt shot is more representative of today's game. [Patrick Barron/MGoBlog]
The first two games between Michigan and Illinois this season featured a pair of improbable comeback victories, one by each team.
It looked to be heading in that direction again in the first half of today's Big Ten Tournament matchup; Michigan had an early 12-0 run erased by a subsequent 13-0 charge by the Illini. Even after the Wolverines closed the half with a 23-4 run, carrying a 17-point lead into the break, you'd be excused if you were waiting for the other shoe to drop—Michigan had, after all, blown an 18-point second-half lead against Illinois exactly four weeks ago.
Instead, Michigan pushed the lead higher, and the Illini might as well have absconded for the locker room when Spike Albrecht made his bid for an And1 Mixtape appearance:
Aside from an all-too-familiar scoring drought in the first half, Michigan couldn't have played much better. The team moved the ball beautifully, tallying assists on nine of their 15 first-half buckets. Albrecht had five on the game, playing as Spike does—moving the ball around and hitting a couple deep bombs.
More eye-opening was the all-around effort from Zak Irvin, who posted a 14-6-6 line, working within—and driving—the offense better than ever. Irvin's anticipation on a first-half lob to Aubrey Dawkins, cutting in from the corner, was only the most highlight-worthy sign of his progress. Today made it clear that he's broken through to another level, especially in creating offense off the high screen.
Aubrey Dawkins and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman both put their season-long progress on display, as well. Dawkins continued his hot shooting, hitting 9/12 from the field on his way to a team-high 18 points. Rahk hit his lone three-point attempt and had several successful forays to the hoop to net his 15 points, and he also posted a career-high eight rebounds. Max Bielfeldt, starting for the second straight game, became the fourth Wolverine to hit double-figures with ten points.
Whether in zone or man, Michigan proved more than up to the task of shutting down the Illini's three main scoring threats. Malcolm Hill, Rayvonte Rice, and Kendrick Nunn combined to shoot 11/37 from the field; those three accounted for well over half of the team's shot attempts. Secondary scoring was limited to backup forward Leron Black's ten points, but Black also turned the ball over four times—he compounded an obvious first-half charge with a subsequent technical, which Albrecht turned into a five-point trip that extended Michigan's lead to 13.
With the win, Michigan's NIT hopes are now very much alive, though they won't feel secure in locking down a bid unless they upend top-seeded Wisconsin tomorrow at noon. Michigan pushed the Badgers to overtime in their lone regular-season matchup. Given how the Wolverines looked today, they look ready to give the Big Ten's best another fight tomorrow.
who he reminds me of. Tayshaun Prince. Not just the left handed thing either. There was a sequence in the first half where he got a board and brought it over the timeline and then handed it off to Spike where he really looked a lot like Prince. He also seems to have the ability to make seemingly discombobulated drives come together into a coherent shot.
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Dawkins was 8/12 not 9/12. Love the kids game and his confidence.
I demand excellence.
What a grueling double-blow for Illinois - they are probably knocked out of the NCAA tournament and lose to their most-hated rival ever!
Bwahahahahaha!
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Dawkins. Wow. He's gotta have a starting spot locked down for next year at this point right? I mean even if it finally clicks for Chapman or we get Wagner, he looks like a GR3 in Belein's offense now.
No question he starts if LeVert leaves. Even if he stays, I think the best overall five could be Walton, LeVert, Irvin, Dawkins, and Doyle. A little bit small at the 4, but you get 4 lights-out three point shooters, 2-3 guys who can get into the paint regularly, and 2-3 distributors. Defense might be mediocre, I guess.
Novak disagrees that said lineup would be small at the 4.
That is definitely your starting 5...it is small, but it's by far the best lineup we can roll out unless Chatman develops into some kind of monster.
Monster?
How about a guy who can shoot 43%, get 5 rbs, get 1 assist, and not look lost?
He would start next year at 4 - no question. Same height at GR3 and just about the same hops. Beilein showed this year with a ton of Spike + Walton pairing he will play the best 5 no matter the height.
I am trying to figure out what the debate even is - you are starting Kam over Dawkins next year based on what you see now? No.
I feel as though I could jump off and Beilein would catch me.
I'm falling to reckless optimism. I dreamt last night that we'd smoke Illinois, beat Wisconsin then Walton would come back fresh to lead us to victory in the B1G championship game(my dream ignored the game in between).
Spike getting a chance to rest then went NCAA Tournament 2013/NBA Jam on fire with the hoop the size of the ocean hitting 3's at an 80% clip and we sat over 1.3 PPP and no one could keep up.
I am curious if we can extend the season NIT/NCAA if there is a chance of getting Walton back and would it be good for us/Walton, or is it risking chemistry and re-injury?
Beilein was on Sam Webb's show earlier this week. Walton was still having pain and hasn't done any practicing to speak of. If if Walton came back, without practicing for weeks, just how good could he be?
I Still think JB did a great job coaching this season. Next year, particularly if Chatman continues to figure it out, this team could be very good.
As I thought, sounds like a wait until next season. That hidden hope that he could instantly fulfull our hopes and dreams is gone I guess. I'll enjoy what we have got RIGHT NOW, then.
Even after the Wolverines closed the half with a 23-4 run, carrying a 17-point lead into the break, you'd be excused if you were waiting for the other shoe to drop—Michigan had, after all, blown an 18-point second-half lead against Illinois exactly four weeks ago.
Did we really lead by 18 points in Champaign? I didn't think it was anywhere near that much. Either way it was a punch in the gut though.
This team is gonna be nasty good. I already can't wait.
Those two losses aren't really that bad. Both of those teams have an RPI around 150.
Our problem is a lot simpler than that: our overall and conference records simply aren't good enough for an at-large bid. No single loss did us in. We just had too many losses, period.
And aside from those losses we lack quality wins - we have a lot of Rutgers, PSU, Nebraska type wins. Other than OSU and 1 or 2 other games we lack quality wins in conf. It's not happening at large - or even close. It's a shame so many of those OT games went against us due to lack of depth and just being worn out.
BTT is difficult - aside from Wisconsin we have to play 4 games in 4 days even if we pull off a miracle tomorrow. I saw Spike and Zak played the entire game today except for 1-2 minutes. I dont get that strategy with a 15-20 pt lead, if you plan to play 4 games in 4 days. We saw in the BTT game last year how dead our legs were and we are a jump shooting team with little inside game - so dead legs = bad things.
Win Wisconsin, Illinois, MSU and NW and don't have those 2 HORRIBLE losses and we're firmly in the tournament.
In fact we're 23-8 and we're something like a 5-seed like UNC.
You obviously can't say "what if"...it's just crazy to sit back and think about how this team had each of those games won and came out on the losing end. Even if you give the Wisconsin and MSU games back because those teams are just better and we played them closer than expected...give those back and we're 21-10 and still firmly in the tournament in that 8/9 area.
Just win the next 3 games.
If we take a journey back in time to 1983, Jim Valvano's NC State team had to win the ACC tournament to keep their season alive/advance to the NCAA's. Not only did they do just that, but beat UNC and Virginia, teams that had 2 and 1 seeds in the Big Dance.
So NC State snuck into the tourney as a 6 seed, and the rest is history. That team literally won 9(!) straight games en route to claiming the 1983 National Championship.
Now by no means am I holding my breath for Michigan to do the same...but crazy things have happened before and can happen again. Especially when teams come together and really play with heart.
Is there a compilation out there somewhere of all of Spike's ridiculous assists? I mean, it seems like there should be more than enough material for a highlight reel.
And I might be overstating things, but this could be Beilein's finest coaching job. We've got a rag-tag assemblage of young, under-recruited talent and they're starting to play like a legitimate team. Look at the starting lineup today. Spike, Dawkins, Rahk, Beilfeldt, and Irvin. Besides Irvin, not one of these players was a high profile recruit, and there's two freshman in the bunch. The man certainly gets the best out of his players.
Works magic with duct tape, chewing gum, some paper clips and what ever else is within arms reach.
This reminds me of his run for our first tourney several years ago. Who did we have? A bunch of kids who believed and worked hard.
I dont think anything will pass last year's team for best coaching job. We went into the season expected to be led by GR3 and Mitch. Nik was a 3rd wheel - Caris was a little used freshman. By late December we lost Mitch, Morford was mediocre, Nik had taken the lead, Caris was developing and we had a freshman PG. Most projections were 6th-7th in the Big 10 at that time. We won the conf by 3 games. Which is almost unheard of.
To hell with NIT, WIN THE GAME!
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The thing I haven't seen in the "will we make the NIT?" conversation is the "This is Michigan fergodsakes" factor. Michigan sells tickets. Every year, they seem to be invited to pre-season tournaments in NYC, where there is a big, vocal, alumni base that goes to games. If they go deep in the NIT, MSG will be packed (by NIT standards). That has to play a factor in the decision, right?
really, at least not on the surface. The process is very similar to the NCAA process now, allegedly. But I tend to come down on your side of the things. I see the NIT rolling with Michigan if they can even remotely justify it.
Fuck the NIT, lets go dancing.
Beat Wisconsin tomorrow and anything is possible in the next two games.
I'll wait until I see somewhere else comfirm before I get too excited but according to the ESPN game recap Derrick Walton said he is going to play tomorrow.
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400767075
You start looking at the schedule, and you look at games that really should have been wins: EMU, NJIT, Illinois, Northwestern. And then you realize that's a .500 team in the B1G now with 20 wins and you're talking solidly on the bubble (though without any good wins, probably not in).
Despite the disappointing season, we're even with where we were at the Amaker highpoint. And that leaves you wondering what if just a few things came up Milhouse. Dang.
Anyway, beat Wisconsin.
for effortless and well-placed use of "came up Milhouse."
But, I'm guessing I'm not the target market.
Coach Belien stated last month the team would be a improved team in March. Happy to say it's happening so far. Two blow out wins in games that should be blow out wins. Played Wisconsin tough first time. If Michigan has continued consistency they have a excellent road to victory. Team is going to be very good team in 2015.
If you're talking about today's game, by no means "should" it have been a blowout. We were underdogs going in.
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March 13th, 2015 at 11:07 AM ^
March 13th, 2015 at 12:26 PM ^
Why doesn't the BTT have UW and Maryland sit out the first round, leaving an eight team second round - the normal format?
Help! I need to not think the Big Ten management is deranged.
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