Unverified Voracity Says Obvious Thing Comment Count

Brian

Saginaw Valley exhibition things. Highlights:

The UMHoops recap notes that it was an immensely slow 54 possession game, making Michigan's PPP pretty freaking good: 1.4.

All due caveats apply to the below bullets.

  • Trey Burke is good at basketball.
  • Tim Hardaway Jr continued what looks like a concerted effort to become a more complete player with another half-dozen assists. He's being a lot more judicious with his shots—just five in 26 minutes. If that carries over to the regular season his ORtg will rise considerably and Michigan's offensive efficiency will rise with it. I did catch one of those contested long twos that give me twitches.
  • Glenn Robinson was 3 of 5 from three with the two misses coming off the inside of the rim IIRC. If he can maintain a replacement three-point shooting percentage (33% or so) that clears up any concerns about where Michigan is going to get its rain of threes from. In this game over half of Michigan's shots were from deep and M hit at a 41% clip.
  • Nick Stauskas is now 6 of 11 from three after the two exhibition games and he had an impressive take to the basket. Defense needs work etc.
  • Michigan-vs.-Saginaw-Valley-State-221-399x600[1]Mitch McGary is going to be one of those little things guys from day one: rebounds, hard hedges on screens, moving around on offense to open things up for other guys. He seems selfless out there. Doesn't care he's not starting, doesn't demand the ball, just goes out there and tries to win. Also sometimes he steals the ball and throws it down impressively. When he's healthy == Lebron, except bouncy.
    /fredjackson'd
  • The Caris LeVert redshirt debate seems like it will end with a redshirt. With Albrecht and Stauskas coming off the bench plus compressed minutes at the three with Robinson sliding down there from time to time, LeVert would probably end up getting scant minutes anyway, and he hasn't demanded playing time with his exhibition minutes.

I'm excited about the passing—Stauskas, Robinson, and McGary have all made at least one nice assist in the two exhibitions to go with the Albrecht/Burke/Hardaway shot generation axis. They've got a versatile, large, skilled lineup. They will be good at basketball.

[photo HT: UMHoops/Dustin Johnston]

Horford to return. He should get some minutes Friday against Slippery Rock:

"I think he's full-go," Beilein said after Michigan's 76-48 exhibition win over Saginaw Valley State. "Our expectation is that he'll be in the lineup at some point -- he'll probably be rusty -- but at some point Friday."

I was going to say something negative about scheduling what's effectively another exhibition that somehow counts but then I remembered that if you're going to play a team that can't beat you it's better if they're not D-I because it won't drag down your RPI.

Not on board. Not to skip over what promises to be a thrilling and rewarding season, but Michigan's going to have an interesting time when it comes to the early draft entry window. Trey Burke, presumed gone, is still not any taller and checks in 30th on Jeff Goodman's inaugural 2013 Big Board:

30. TREY BURKE, 6-0, 185, PG, SOPH., MICHIGAN

Burke isn't physically imposing, but he can shoot and also excels in a ball-screen offense.

Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary, Hardaway, and Dennis Norfleet do not appear, nor do any of them appear on the most recent edition of NBAdraft.net's 2013 mock. GRIII is currently a lottery pick in 2014, though, so he is obviously a threat to move that timetable up. Hardaway is currently projected to be a second-rounder after a full four years. Chad Ford, meanwhile, has Burke 54th(!), McGary 65th, Hardaway 73rd, and Robinson 91st. I'm guessing that changes radically around midseason.

Michigan actually needs an early departure to fit their three-man 2013 class in. More than that and they could add another guy, but I'm guessing they'd just roll with what they have.

You may see this again. Via The MZone]:

Wreck-It-Ryan MZONE[1]

Looks shopped to me—Ryan's arms are larger than that.

This again, with feeling. Many, many twitter wags piped up that Gardner's performance against Minnesota would start up the Gardner redshirt debate/fretting/confusion again, and lo twitter wags collect your prize:

"I've always been told the process was after the eligibility," Hoke said. "But I don't know if that is completely correct."

Turns out what Hoke had been told is not entirely accurate.

Michigan could have applied for the waiver at any point after Gardner's freshman season and there is no statute of limitations on when the school can file for the waiver.

"Institutions do not have to wait until after a student-athlete's true senior year, but rather, may submit a request as early as the end of the season in which the injury or illness occurs," Big Ten associate director of compliance Kerry Kenny said in an email on Monday. "Although we establish deadlines as to when an institution can submit a waiver request for the purposes of the bi-weekly review schedule, we leave the decision about when during a student-athlete's career to submit a medical hardship waiver up to institutional discretion."

Hoke said Monday that the school has not yet applied for Gardner's waiver.

Apparently it's the conference, not the NCAA, that decides these things. I'd assume Michigan applies for it after this season so they can plan for having him or not in 2014.

OL changes? They have been hinted at:

"Yeah, I am," he said. "I think we had some protection breakdowns that we can't have last week -- that we haven't had, to some degree. I think us moving the line of scrimmage (is an issue).

"We got to do a better job at the point of attack."

Hoke said he has considered making personnel changes to the line, including inserting Joey Burzynski or Jack Miller, but has held off because the current group also has had nice moments.

I know that the coaches have been high on Miller and his nasty disposition for a while now. He's listed at 288; while that's somewhat light it's not like he's 270. He's also been a center for over a year now, which is more than either Barnum or Mealer can say. I'd guess they give him a drive or two the next couple weeks to see if that helps things.

Hatch back on the court. Conditionally, anyway:

Austin Hatch has been conditionally released by his medical team to begin practicing with the Canterbury High School basketball program. The first official practice is today, however, Austin is limited to the types of drills he can participate in at this time. Although everyone is encouraged by the progress he continues to make, Austin and his family ask that you do not approach him for interviews at this time.

He has reclassified to 2014 already. The most likely outcome is that Michigan takes him and puts him on a medical scholarship, but he's got a couple years yet to recover fully.

Angry Michigan Defenseman Hating God progressing towards sated. Michigan had a rough weekend in Marquette, barely squeaking out a tie in game one and losing 4-3 in game two with Jacob Trouba sitting out for what sounds like a devastating hit on Wildcat Reed Seckel. Michigan had to ice Jeff Rohrkemper on D.

Michigan should be getting towards healthy this weekend in a home and home against State. Trouba won't see his suspension extended and Brennan Serville may return after missing the NMU series with a concussion. Emphasis on "may":

Sophomore defenseman Brennan Serville, who suffered what Berenson called a “facial concussion” against Miami (Ohio), should be back for this weekend’s series against Michigan State, according to Berenson.

Berenson said before the defense can live up to its high preseason expectations, there need to be enough healthy bodies.

“We’ve got to get everybody healthy, number one,” Berenson said. “And then start jelling like we thought we would. Hopefully Serville’s back.”

No word yet on John Merrill's potential return.

Lewan quote of the week. It's a goodun:

"I've never focused on scores my whole life," Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan said. "In high school we played in a state championship game, we were getting killed and I had no idea. It was the fourth quarter and I was like 'guys, we got this, we got this.'

"Then I look up and it's 38-0, and I'm like 'alright, I guess we don't got this.' I've never been one to watch scores."

Etc.: Everything you ever wanted to know about CHL/NCAA eligibility issues from the Bylaw Blog. A post-jail Greg Skrepenak profiled by LSA Magazine. UMHoops requests your support.

Comments

los barcos

November 6th, 2012 at 1:21 PM ^

i saw this pop up on twitter too and was hoping this would be brought up on the board ---

but does anyone know why we wouldnt have already applied for his redshirt?  seems odd that, instead of doing it immediately after his first year, we would wait for a capricious time years later, no? 

Sambojangles

November 6th, 2012 at 2:08 PM ^

Well, if you remember, Tate managed to get himself suspended for the bowl game, so DG was the primary backup for the Gator Bowl in 2011 (lucky Denard did not have to come out of that one, because that totally would have burned the redshirt). Rodriguez was fired shortly thereafter, and I don't think he was worrying about Gardner's redshirt status in the few days after the bowl game.

Baceo Maston

November 6th, 2012 at 1:24 PM ^

Michigan does not need anyone to leave the program (NBA or otherwise) to fit in the 2013 class, it has already been made clear that this is Blake McLimans last year with the program (no 5th year).

Indonacious

November 6th, 2012 at 1:45 PM ^

I don't think he will necessarily redshirt but I don't think he will see many minutes, as I think he is behind trey, spike, vogrich, and stauskas for the guard slots. He is a solid ballhandler and I think that will be valuable to have around, if need be. So...I don't think belein will feel the need to redshirt him.

Blue boy johnson

November 6th, 2012 at 2:05 PM ^

Yes, early on minutes look bleak for Levert, but that doesn't mean they won't need him in some tight spots. For example, Burke on the bench in foul trouble against OSU and Aaron Craft giving Spike an awful hard time. You need someone to come in a alleviate pressure from Spike? I think Caris Levert is your man.

GrowBlue

November 6th, 2012 at 1:28 PM ^

I'm pretty sure Miller has been in during garbage time - at least last week against Minny. I'm not sure there is anything to learn from that, but we could obviously focus on him in those places and try to draw some conclusions.

Johnny Blood

November 6th, 2012 at 1:40 PM ^

Vogrich also looks like he is playing pretty well thus far this year, which is an added (and unexpected) bonus.  Limited sample size and competition-level applies, but he has definitely looked more confident out there.

His Dudeness

November 6th, 2012 at 1:51 PM ^

That Lewan score-phenomenon happened to me quite often in IM basketball. I would be playing and thinking we were killing then look up and see that we were behind 5 or 10. Weird shit, man.

Blue boy johnson

November 6th, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^

If anybody on this team is similar to Graham Brown it is Max Bielfeldt. McGary is in a whole different league.

I was at the game yesterday and it was striking how much bigger McGary is than Jordan Morgan. Mitch McGary has an NBA body with a great work ethic. The only thing that will stop McGary from being a star is the possibility of chronic foot problems.

Tater

November 6th, 2012 at 2:26 PM ^

One can tell from the tone of the coach's voice that Austin Hatch is a long way from being all the way back.  Also, on the video it looks like his stroke isn't nearly as quick as it will need to be.  I won't count him out, becuase I know he isn't counting himself out, but I am guessing that the "most likely outcome" as written in this piece is correct: Austin Hatch attends Michigan on a full medical scholly.

I still feel the same way I did when the accident happened; I just want this kid to attend Michigan and be able to have a great life after he leaves.  If that means he plays basketball, great.  But if he doesn't ever play a minute, I will be just as happy for him when he graduates.

 

borninAnnArbor

November 6th, 2012 at 4:06 PM ^

I watched the game monday night and was really impressed with Glen Robinson the !!!.  I understand that it was not against the best of teams, but he is a great all around player. 

I hope that Michigan can keep up the three point % from several different players.  If so, we will definitly live up to the #5 ranking.