NJIT 72. Michigan 70. Really. Comment Count

BiSB

NOTE: Given Ace’s current situation, I volunteered to write the game wrap. I regret everything.

The stages of a shocking upset are predictable. It starts with amusement. Then it moves to concern about the effects on KenPom or the polls. Then it becomes a mild concern that this might actually become a problem. Then there’s a moment when you realize, “uh oh.” And it stops being fun.

When NJIT hit an uncontested layup with less than 12 minutes left to take a 46-44 lead, it stopped being fun. When they took a seven point lead with 9 minutes left, it became terrifying. And when Damon Lynn hit yet another three point bomb to give the Highlanders a 4-point lead with under 3 minutes left, you stared at the calendar and thought to yourself “I thought football season was over.”

Lynn was insane in the second half, scoring 15 points on 5 of 6 shooting from deep. As a team, NJIT came in shooting 33% from three, but shot 64.7% (11-17 )in this one. It was reminiscent of the Detroit game, with one exception; they never. Stopped. Hitting. Adding to the problem was that NJIT connected on a half-dozen back door layups. All of this added up to an eFG% of 70.7% for the game. But other than a few breakdowns, Michigan’s defense wasn’t obviously bad. NJIT was just better.

[…Nope. Re-reading that last sentence didn’t make any more sense than it did the first time…]

The first half was statistically bizarre. NJIT shot 75% eFG% from the field, but forced almost no turnovers, didn’t record a single offensive rebound, and didn’t shoot a single free throw. Michigan jumped out to an 8-0 lead with NJIT turning the ball over on its first four possessions, and it looked like the expected walk-over was underway. Michigan had a five-point lead at the break, but came out of the locker room stone cold. They were stuck on 44 points for nearly seven and a half minutes, during which time their six point lead became a seven point deficit.

All of this wasted a masterful second half performance by Caris LeVert. He finished with 32 points on 20 shot equivalents (including 6 of 8 from 3), 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. He and Lynn went back and forth trading daggers for much of the second half. Derrick Walton returned to the lineup with 16 points on 11 shot equivalents, though he turned the ball over four times. The problem was that LeVert and Walton didn’t get nearly enough help.

After a couple of solid outings, including a really good day against Syracuse, Kam Chatman came crashing back to earth with an 0-for-6 day. He repeatedly passed up open threes, instead dribbing into the lane (and into traffic). Those are shots Beilein’s offense needs the four-man to take and make at a reasonable clip, but Chatman doesn’t seem to have any confidence in it right now.  Zak Irvin also had a rough day, going 2-11 (1-8) from the field for five points.

Possibly the biggest surprise (other than the obvious) was that Michigan’s bigs did almost nothing. Despite facing a vastly undersized Highlanders team, neither Donnal nor Doyle scored in the last 26:32 of the game. Donnal hit twice from the field (including his first three-pointer). Doyle grabbed four rebounds, but couldn’t corral a crucial defensive board when he was absolutely mauled with no foul call with ten seconds left.

Michigan briefly busted out the 1-3-1 zone in the second half, resulting in one turnover and one wide open lay-up. We didn’t see enough of it to know how well the freshmen have grasped it, but at least we know it exists somewhere.

Going forward…

…uh…

…things.

Comments

991GT3

December 6th, 2014 at 2:57 PM ^

from a team that relies on outside shooting with little inside game. There will be times when Michigan will be upsetting superior teams depending on their outside shooting proficency.

Tater

December 6th, 2014 at 3:17 PM ^

"Expect more surprises?"  Of course: that's why we watch sports.  This is a young team; shit happens.  They played very well in quality victories over Oregon and Syracuse.  They played badly today.  

As long as they start to become really, really good in February and peak in March and April, a loss like this is great "coaching material."

ijohnb

December 6th, 2014 at 4:10 PM ^

Lost to Charlotte last year brah. This sucks, but it cost us 1 seed line in the tourney, nothing more. This is a team that needs to learn how to scrap. Irvin has to get in touch with his Inner-Novak. They will bring it next Saturday. Shit like this happens in college basketball. Chatman is a concern. I will give you that.

Bluefishdoc

December 6th, 2014 at 3:03 PM ^

I thought our defense was terrible in the second half. They beat us off the dribble leading to easy layups. As much as I love Spike, he was a big liability in this one.

jcgold

December 6th, 2014 at 3:15 PM ^

They made a lot of great shots, but it was unbelievable how easily they got to the basket. How many times can you remember us doing that?

At least this ISN'T football. This is easily recoverable....or a sign of things to come.

PhillipFulmersPants

December 6th, 2014 at 3:58 PM ^

think I watched the same game BiSB did.  Defensive breakdowns and poor communication all game long, it seemed to me.  Late in the game, Bardo was saying "D" wasn't bad, the offense was just better.  It was both -- D was not good on most 2nd half possessions and NJIT's O was good / shooting was lights out.    

We made very few possessions difficult for them -- beat down the floor several times with long passes, bad close outs, poor help rotations --  and even when we did make them work for a bucket, they often managed hit a shot or get to the line.   

Offense was not much better.  If not for for Caris going ham, we'd have lost by double digits. 

Very strange John Belein game.  

B-Nut-GoBlue

December 6th, 2014 at 3:10 PM ^

I'm not one for optimism but I'm honestly not that concerned about tjis loss and the team going forward. I don't know if they'll win the Big Ten, which sucks, and I know there are some weaknesses with this team but I think this is an anomaly (a bad one at that) that we'll look back and laugh at.

bluestan

December 6th, 2014 at 3:06 PM ^

NJIT actually exploited their "disadvantages" by screening with their "big" men at the free-throw line and then having them flash to the basket. Because they were much quicker than Doyle and Donnal, we gave up many open looks. 

The way that Damon Lynn was playing out of his mind reminded me of Yogi Ferrell doing the same last year.

charblue.

December 6th, 2014 at 3:14 PM ^

is that it could barely get a shot off near the rim. Forget size advantage, the Highlanders rarely permitted second shots and hardly ever conceded a shot inside the arc. They were more tenacious defensively and the fact that thery altered shots, never gave up any easy baskets in the second half and rarely committed any turnover after an early first half flurry of them. In short, they gained confidence throughout and never lost their poise down the stretch executing in dead ball throw-ins, taking long possessions to the basket before kicking out to Lynn who just couldn't miss.

If you watched Beilein's preview of this team, he warned that Lynn was NBA-good from the outside and could play for anyone inthe country. He was right. Unfortunately, his team had to find out firsthand what he thoughtfully acknowledged yesterday would be no Saturday scrimmage. The difference between this year and the recent past, is that Michigan's experience resides in the backcourt and wings, not down low where it didn't make any plays to change the demeanor of this game from an outside shooting contest between LeVert and Walton and Lynn and Howard for NJIT.

Down the stretch, in an effort to force Lynn to give up the ball, LeVert took him and blanketed him in full denial defense, only to have Lynn casually wave himself off as the No. 1 option and let Howard go to the hoop for the shot that, of course, went in.

Michigan is massively challenged inside and this will be the focal point of every opponent's gameplan against it going forward. As long as this team has three double-figure scorers, they will win a lot. But when they don't get that production, they are in trouble.

Ty Butterfield

December 6th, 2014 at 3:16 PM ^

No matter what sport Michigan finds new and creative ways to screw up. Can't wait until Greg Schiano is introduced as the new football coach next week.

m1jjb00

December 6th, 2014 at 3:18 PM ^

Mental mistakes on defense, not getting back on the break and to my limited eye not running offense but settling for the first ok shot at times does not have to happen.  For crying out loud, Spike fouled out.  NJIT had four turnovers in their first four possessions.  They had nine the rest of the game.  I hope they can learn from their mistakes.  But, due to their inattention they're now saddled with the memory forever.  Lest you think I'm overreacting Terry Mills made the point on the radio that the only score of a game he can remember is the loss to Alaska Anchorage.

Aye-yai-yai, go Wisky (even though I don't like you).

UofM Die Hard …

December 6th, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^

Seems like every year we have a head scratcher loss. Just relax, JB teams always get better as they go on. Little let down game from solid Syracue win? Jeebus you would think we just lost our 20th game or something.

michclub19

December 6th, 2014 at 6:14 PM ^

Anytime a team shoot 65% from 3, they are very likely to win the game.  Most people can't even hit at that clip in practice.  Today Michigan got caught on the wrong end of a team that was in the best zone of their lives.  If NJIT even had what would be a good day from deep, 50%, eveyone would be breathing easier because even though it was close, our guys found a way to win.

ssuarez

December 6th, 2014 at 3:22 PM ^

For many reasons, more games, each one means less, teaching moments are real things that can actually come from losses to bad teams without ruining the year. Most importantly, beacuase I know we have a very, very competent coaching staff.

We lost to Charlotte last year as well...then were a shot away from a return to the final four without our lottery pick center / most dominant returning player from the previous tournament. Trust in Beilein - things will turn out as well as they can. (And that is very comforting). 

dduvendack

December 6th, 2014 at 3:39 PM ^

I am concerned that nobody seems able to finish in transition consistently too. Other than the kick out for three, there are few lay ups, ally-oop dunks like GR3 had, or strong attempts that produce "and -1" baskets. Many shots get blocked or just flat out missed and this is costing them 3 or 4 baskets it seems every game.

Shop Smart Sho…

December 6th, 2014 at 3:42 PM ^

So lets get that^ out of the way.  The one thing I've never understood is his substitution pattern.  Maybe someone who coaches basketball can help me understand.

The few times that Donnal and Chatman did good things and looked to have some positive energy, he pulled them out of the game.  It isn't like this is anything new either, as it seems he has done this with younger players for years.

Is it just a matter of wanting to give them time they are going to get sitting after doing something good, versus having them stewing on the bench after screwing up?

And as much as we all, rightfully so, love Spike, playing him so much today when he obviously had something wrong with his left hand seemed strange.  If there was one game to give Chatman or even Dawkins a chance to have a longer leash, it seemed this would have been it.  They could have had the opportunity to exploit their athletic superiority against a relatively small team today, but for whatever reason it just never happened.  I was pretty excited to see Dawkins get in the game in the first half, but then he was nailed to the bench after that.

treetown

December 6th, 2014 at 4:17 PM ^

Things like this happen ....

1. We have a lot of younger people who have never been in these sort of situations.

2. The vets (2 or more years) are still learning to play with the younger kids.

3. Basketball can be tricky - in a best of seven series, the UM win easily but in one game, one can run into a great shooting performance.

4. There is a lot of time to coach and improve - which is what Coach Beilein is really good at.

5. Best of all, unlike in CFB, there is an actual play off system and we have the whole league and league tourney ahead, so stay calm and let's see how this develops.

HollywoodHokeHogan

December 6th, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^

Spike was terrible on defense. He cannot stop penetration. You can only counter that with help at the rim, of which we have none. We really need to find a workable line up without having he and Walton on the floor. Playing two undersized pg's is a disaster against teams that can score on drives. Ideally we could play chapman at times as a 3, LeVert as a 2, Spike/Walton at the 1, and Doyle at the 5. The problem is, as it was last year, is at the 4 spot. Our front court depth is just too thin right now.




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Jonesy

December 6th, 2014 at 6:35 PM ^

Meh, ooc basketball games dont matter unless you're a bubble team which we probably aren't.  This is weird and a bummer, but not really important.  Forgot I was avoiding this site today so I wouldn't see the score before I could watch a replay, woops, saves me a lot of frustration though!