swalburn

March 30th, 2014 at 7:26 PM ^

This was a great season and the team overachieved.  They lose the National player of the year, an additional first round draft pick and their preseason all-amercian and still are one play from the final four.  They played with so much heart today.  Kentucky was so much more physically gifted but the kids wouldn't quit.  One of my favorite teams of all time.

SHub'68

March 30th, 2014 at 9:21 PM ^

very familiar to me. This is probably the 3rd or 4th time in the past few years I've felt "this is one of my favorite teams of all time."  John Beilein is quickly becoming one of my favorite coaches of all time.  And as I think about it, he might be already.

umfan323

March 30th, 2014 at 7:26 PM ^

That will always be one of our downfalls we are to small and get out rebounded..but great rebounding sequence to tie it up.. Gave up to many 3s... but great season

Princetonwolverine

March 30th, 2014 at 7:26 PM ^

Mitch PLEASE come back.

Oh ,and On Wisconsin. Beat Kentucky. 

Thanks Beilein and the young men for a great season.

 

MGoBlue96

March 30th, 2014 at 7:27 PM ^

Proud of the way the battled in this game and throughout the year after being left for dead earlier in the season.

They deserved better in this game. Officiating was a fucking disgrace, it was largely the difference in the game IMO. Morgan having to go to bench with two of those fouls being bullshit, was enough to make a difference in this tight of a game. The officials, in general, throughout the tournament have been a disgrace.

MI fan in MT

March 30th, 2014 at 8:08 PM ^

that compared to other games that we have watched in this tourney, the officiating wasn't too bad. I'm usually one to complain about officiating, too. I think Kentucky just shot way above their norm from 3. Both teams played really well

umfan323

March 30th, 2014 at 7:27 PM ^

That will always be one of our downfalls we are to small and get out rebounded..but great rebounding sequence to tie it up.. Gave up to many 3s... but great season

umfan323

March 30th, 2014 at 7:27 PM ^

That will always be one of our downfalls we are to small and get out rebounded..but great rebounding sequence to tie it up.. Gave up to many 3s... but great season

MGoBlue96

March 30th, 2014 at 7:27 PM ^

Proud of the way the battled in this game and throughout the year after being left for dead earlier in the season.

They deserved better in this game. Officiating was a fucking disgrace, it was largely the difference in the game IMO. Morgan having to go to bench with two of those fouls being bullshit, was enough to make a difference in this tight of a game. The officials, in general, throughout the tournament have been a disgrace.

Princetonwolverine

March 30th, 2014 at 7:34 PM ^

So you have missed football in all that time?  In basketball, our loss to Ohio (not THE Ohio) several years ago was MILES worse.

jdon

March 30th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^

I agree.  the lose to Ohio sucked, but we lost that game ant it came to be the begining of a resolve that only ended in a championship game.

 

Today sucks because we could have just as easily won one of the best games in hoops in a while.  Today stands side by side with yesterday's Zona=Wiscy game as the two best games I watched this year.

 

pdxwolve

March 31st, 2014 at 4:33 AM ^

but I don't rank that Ohio game with this one, considering the magnitude. Even last year's finals loss was OK with me, because I just looked at our potential opponents and thought it would just be great to get to the Elite Eight. 

I just really liked this team, and I was bummed thinking that four of these guys (JMo) might be gone next year. 

And, if they won, I would have won my bracket tourney and $1,000. So that sucked too.

LordGrantham

March 30th, 2014 at 7:31 PM ^

Tough loss to swallow, but hell of a season.  It really is extremely difficult to make the Final Four even if you're a great team.  The one thing that's hard for me to get over is how far we could have gone with McGary.  

saveferris

March 30th, 2014 at 8:10 PM ^

I find myself thinking about that myself and yet to this team's credit, they never used that as a crutch unlike some other teams we know.  Tantalizingly close to getting to the Final Four and another weekend of fun, but next season there will be another banner hanging in Crisler, and that's something nobody can take away from these guys.

Great season men.  You did Michigan proud!

Mr. Yost

March 30th, 2014 at 7:51 PM ^

 

 

  1. Great season, I thought Elite 8 was about this teams limit at the beginning of the year and that's how far we got.
  2. Hate that we lost to a lower seed.
  3. J-Mo became a GREAT player this year - wish he had 2 more games.
  4. GR3's improvement throughout the season was astonishing...still hope he comes back for one more.
  5. With McGary we beat UK - hope he comes back for one more.
  6. Stauskas has done everything he needs to do...not going to improve that much more to make it worth it from a potential standpoint...however, I hope, like those 00s UF and UNC teams he comes back to try and win a national championship.
  7. Hated that this team struggled so much on defense, but they were a thrill to watch offensively.
  8. Outright B1G Champs by 3 games is one HELL of an accomplishment
  9. I said with 3 minutes left that the refs had swung the game 5 points in UK's favor. IMO, that was the difference. 1-2 points either way is typical, 3-4 points either way is okay, 5+ is almost impossible to overcome in a game like this. Which to me, was the same as the National Championship game. Even if you give them just 2 points instead of 5...we win. Against UL we probably go to OT - which is what should've happened.
  10. Thank you for another GREAT year of Michigan Basketball. These have been two AWESOME years to be a fan of Michigan - wouldn't want to root for any other team in the country. Love Coach B, Love this team, Love Michigan.

GO BLUE.

Mr. Yost

March 30th, 2014 at 8:04 PM ^

But I couldn't care less about Michigan fucking State right now.

The whole "who you lost to" rationale is bullshit anyway. They beat a #1 and we didn't, doesn't make them any better. Losing to UConn in the Garden isn't anything to be ashamed of anyway...especially when we lost to a lower seed, no matter how good they really are.

In the end, fuck MSU. If they were upset in the first round by NW Nobody State I'd laugh and make fun, but they were in the same round we were. At this point, who cares about them...that 3 is going to be played from now until forever. Shit, if you're going to lose, I'd take their loss...no one will remember that shit next year. People will forever remember that Harrison fuck just like we will forever remember "The Shot." We'll have to relive that shit every March and their forgetful loss in the same round will be a Spartan trivia question in 5 years.

RickH

March 30th, 2014 at 7:29 PM ^

I don't know how we played so well this season with so little experience and post play but we had a great fucking year.  I felt nervous the whole Kentucky game and even moreso on that last possession by them but that's the way it goes.  Unfortunately, good seasons usually end in heartbreak but that's the price we pay for seasons like this.

Rochester Blue

March 30th, 2014 at 7:29 PM ^

What a physical game. I figured if we could pull that one out, we'd not be stopped. But a GREAT year for these guys! Very well done! Championship Game and Elite 8 in the 2 years, and other than Nik and Jordan leaving, all things are headed in the right direction for this program! FUN TEAM TO WATCH and ROOT FOR!!!

Spunky

March 30th, 2014 at 7:30 PM ^

They exceeded expectations, especially with the loss of McGary in addition to Trey and THJ. I only hope Beilein can improve the defense, which would probably happen if there were more upperclassmen on the roster, but I understand these kids have NBA dreams. Great game. I ain't even mad.

c1s2m0466

March 30th, 2014 at 7:31 PM ^

Of the team and Coach Belein. They played tough throughout the year and they made it much farther than I ever thought they would.

On another note, it is getting kind of old watching scumbag teams and coaches get over time and time again. Oh well, hopefully the good guys will get over on them soon.

Hlprn302

March 30th, 2014 at 7:31 PM ^

And Morgan and Stauskas and GRIII, all of whom I doubt we ever see in the maize and blue again (morgan obviously). This team showed immense heart, and I'm so proud of the way Levert fought back in the second half to play awesome defense and contribute offensively. They just played the most talented team in the country, and it's not even close. So proud of these guys. Nothing to hang your head about. 

samdrussBLUE

March 30th, 2014 at 7:34 PM ^

C'mon man. These kids are players. Get them a couple of open looks, confidence up, some chemistry, etc they will make shots. They beat us on the outside and the inside, and we still had a hell of a chance. That's a testament to us. Kentucky has players and to go in thinking they can't shoot, isn't wise

7words

March 30th, 2014 at 7:55 PM ^

For as much as this site throws up articles based on statistical analysis, i'm surprised you would say that it isn't wise to think they can't shoot that well.  A full season of stats says they can't shoot the 3 that well.   Like in the 34% range.   Today they shot 64%.  And not many were wide open.  I don't think its crazy to say that they shot out of there asses today.