Adjusting to the refs in BB
I was impressed by how physical Michigan was in the Minny game coming right out of the block. It seemed that we were slow to realize at Ohio that it was a"no blood, no foul " game. Having played refereed league basketball for over 30 years, I feel that it is one of those things you have to look for in the first few minutes on the floor. What are the refs going to call today? You can adjust to anything but total inconsistency but it is critcial to make an assessment early in the game and push the limits as they let you. What do those who coach or play the game or ref out there in Mgoblogland think?
January 18th, 2013 at 3:58 PM ^
But, I thought the team, especially McGary, needed to calm down a little once it was clear at the end of the game that a foul would be called on anyone going after a loose ball.
It's a lot easier said than done though. Telling Mitch McGary to slow down probably doesn't work so well.
January 18th, 2013 at 4:37 PM ^
I was actually really encouraged to see McGary get earlier minutes (I think it came after Morgan took a dribble and got blocked, instead of putting the ball up strong when under the hoop). McGary had a strong box out and ate up a rebound despite having a few Gophers on his back. The Minn crowd boo'ed (somehow thinking it's a foul on the rebounder when multiple player hang on his back) and McGary held it tough. We've missed that for years.
January 18th, 2013 at 4:33 PM ^
You can't play like that. You've gotta play the way you were coached and taught to play. As soon as he doesn't go for that ball, that's when they decide to stop calling fouls, you know? That wasn't a foul anyway, so by telling him not to go after that, you're making him gunshy for all the wrong reasons.
January 18th, 2013 at 3:59 PM ^
However, I would think that most, if not all, D1 schools have scouting reports on the officials.
They should have a pretty good idea how the game will be called before they even tip off.
January 18th, 2013 at 4:03 PM ^
The scouting report for B1G officials always contains the caveat that the home team will get all of the close calls, and some not-so-close calls as well.
Looking forward to being back at Crisler.
January 18th, 2013 at 4:04 PM ^
McGary was a half step late on a couple loose balls. That's going to happen to him and he makes enough good things happen out there when he goes after loose balls that you can live with that. I though the only dumb fouls were the two fouls that McGary and Stauskas commited on long jump shots: McGary when he took a bad angle to a 3 and Stauskas when he bit on a pump fake.
In the OSU game, I thought Michigan should have done more to take advantage of the fact that OSU was so handsy on defense. Either calling attention to it by knocking hands off with the off arm, exaggerating contact, or doing that move that Kobe and Durant use where they swing their arms through the hand check on the way up for a jumper, forcing the refs to call a foul.
January 18th, 2013 at 4:09 PM ^
New hoops strategy:
(1) Start McClimans, Bartelstein, Person, Akunne, and Vogrich.
(2) Hack away for 1 minute.
(3) Gauge how lenient the refs are calling the game.
(4) Insert starters and adjust accordingly.
(5) Profit?
p.s. No slam intended on the players listed in point #1. They do, however, seem to collectively be languishing on the bench right now.
January 18th, 2013 at 4:41 PM ^
& watch us get out to a 20 point lead! Really, though, I'd enjoy seeing that for say, the Penn St. game.
January 18th, 2013 at 4:27 PM ^
that Michigan is the team with the least amount of fouls per game in Division 1. That is quite impressive. I think with only like 4 minutes to go in the second half against OSU you guys had 3 fouls. Seems like there were a few homer calls by the refs that went OSU's way in the last 4 mins. Either way, really impressed by how good this UM basketball team is.
January 18th, 2013 at 6:34 PM ^
First, you can't let the referees dictate the way you play. Second, the refs in the Ohio game were inconsistent and terrible. That's not why Michigan lost the game, but there were some terrible calls/no calls that cost the Wolverines. More importantly in that game was the terrible execution on fast breaks and off turnovers in the second half.
Big ten officiating has been atroscious for awhile. Anytime you see a fat short guy trying to enforce rules in a game with the most physically gifted men, something is going to be less than ideal.
January 19th, 2013 at 9:40 AM ^
I kindly disagree. If the refs aren't calling anything on defense, you can afford to be a little more aggressive on defense. On the other hand, if they are calling ticky tack fouls, you'll have to keep that in the back of your mind.
January 18th, 2013 at 10:16 PM ^
I don't know how you can adjust to the public raping they were victim of. It took 12 minutes and 8 turnovers to get 1 foul. Albrecht drew 2 fouls on his first 2 possessions and the best point guard in the nation couldn't get 1 in a half.
January 18th, 2013 at 10:42 PM ^
You're absolutely right. It's all about feeling out the refs and how they are calling the game in the begining stages of the game. More often than not, the refs calls won't change throughout the game once the calls are established. I was surprised at the physical play of Michigan during the game. This team is fun to watch. Once they flip the switch, they can be up on any team by 20.
January 18th, 2013 at 11:00 PM ^
I can't start a new thread, but does anyone know where I can buy one of the shirts that he team warms up with. It's a black Adidas T shirt that says WE ON on the front.
January 18th, 2013 at 11:40 PM ^
I think they're a little different. But the M-Den has two styles of "WE ON" shirt.
January 19th, 2013 at 3:32 AM ^
college and pro basketball refereeing is an abomination. endless inconsistency on everything from touch fouls to charges, it's really pretty pathetic if you stop and focus on it. referees are less fair interpeters of the rules and more like story tellers out there. they'll call a straight up game for stretches, but inevitably, the favorable calls stat pouring in to help either (a) the home team, or (b) the team that's way behind to make the game a little more interesting.
the minnesota game was actually a rare exception to the norm, where the refs actually seemed to call a relatively fair game, even though, of course, minnesota went to the foul line far more often than michigan before the gopher intentional fouls started pouring in in the last 90 seconds.
the hilarity of bball refereeing is a necessary evil best adjusted to by simply expecting the ludicrous calls, and not making a big deal with they inevitably happen.