Illinois handled tsio quite easily. Who do you feel is the biggest challenge Michigan will face in the BIG this season? Most seem to think IU, but IMHO, the Illini or Minnesota may be the biggest roadblock.
Mod edit: Changed the title to make the contents more clear (the game thread is below). Also a friendly reminder that anything involving Big Ten teams or future opponents is not off topic. JGB.
Minnesota
OSU
Biggest issue for them is they have played 3 good teams and have 3 losses.
still a path
Michigan could lose all three games @Minny, @Illinois, and @Indiana and be favored to win the rest of their games and win the conference title IMO.
@Ohio and @MSU look like our toughest "must win" road games.
Still
Still Indiana. Illinois beat Ohio State handily, yes, but their offense wasn't that impressive and they rely too much on the three. They have a bad loss to Purdue already as well. I think we can handle them.
Minnesota scares me and is a good team, but we only play them once and it's early enough in the season we can work around a loss.
Practice makes perfect. Unless you're the Buckeyes. Then you have to cheat.
Did you watch the game? OSU
Did you watch the game? OSU got man-handled inside and if it weren't for garbage minutes, Deshaun Thomas would have made no presence at all. Illinois even out-rebounded the Buckeyes today.
Before this game, I would have agreed with you, but if Illinois can play that way inside, they are going to be VERY tough to beat, even if they are having an off shooting day (which they certainly didn't have today).
Yeah
Yeah I did. The game win was obviously a good win for Illinois, but at the same time that game said more to me about OSU than Illinois.
Illinois's offense wasn't overly impressive. They missed a decent amount of open shots, and made a ton of late clock 3 point or long 2 chuck ups that you can't expect them to make on a consistent basis.
They did dominate inside, but that probably says more about OSU than Illinois once again. All OSU has inside are Ravenel and Williams, 2 meh players. In their previous 3 games, which included a game against Auburn, Illinois was out rebounded by 41. We are one of the best rebounding teams in the country, against us I would be surprised if they dominated inside.
And I think you're overdoing how much they shut down Thomas. He didn't have his greatest game, yes, but he still had 24 points, and 20 with over 8 left in the second, so it was not all garbage time.
I think Illinois is good, but this game just showed me more how thin OSU is and their lack of O outside Thomas. Illinois is good, but I think us and Indiana are significantly more talented, and we should beat them.
Practice makes perfect. Unless you're the Buckeyes. Then you have to cheat.
Rely too much on the three?
Rely too much on the three? Sounds like another team I know.
Maybe Last Year
This year Michigan has attempted 297 3's out of 818 total shots, or 36% of the shots. That's higher than the average team, but not by much, and down significantly down from the 44% from last year.
Illinois on the other hand, has 384 attempted 3's out of 899 shots, or a 43% clip. Significantly higher than our clip this year, basically our team from last year. Illinois also shoots 37% from three compared to our 42%, so we're more efficient than them this year, and our team last year.
So not really. Try again later.
Practice makes perfect. Unless you're the Buckeyes. Then you have to cheat.
I have no idea who is going
I have no idea who is going to give M the toughest test but I am excited to see how Michigan handles the BIG season. I hope we beat up on MSU twice this year
3-3-5 til the day I die y'all
LOL they ran them off the
LOL they ran them off the floor. That game is a little preview of what Michigan will do to them on 1/13.
When the ADept sells special jerseys and gear, you'll see my picture next to the targeted customer crowd. A sheep.....but a Blue one.....
I think it's still IU and
I think it's still IU and it's not all that close. Michigan and IU are two of the most talented and balanced teams in the country and it will be a battle.
Illinois looked really good today.
I think they shot around 64% rom the floor and ran the court really well. Minnie scars me if Mbackwe stays healthy and out of trouble.
EDIT: scares not scars; at least not yet. Although I do have emotional scars from the 20 pt. beating they gave us at home in '88. The Final Four payback was worth it though.
L.S.A. '88
You know Bacari will remind
You know Bacari will remind this team who the Illini coach coached last year. The biggest challenge is IU. Winning at Assembly Hall is tough, and would be a huge win. They don't defend as well as we do so we definitely have a shot.
IU is absolutely a better
IU is absolutely a better defensive team than us, and will also have the best on ball defender on the floor in Victor Oladipo
Yes, but we will
Yes, but we will have the best ball handler on the court in Burke. Strength against strength, but I think Burke will still get it done.
I do not mean to pry, but you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand?
Didn't illinois just lose to
Didn't illinois just lose to Purdue like 3 days ago? Is there where we start talking about HOW DEEP BIG TEN BASKETBALL IS like others talk about HOW DEEP THE SEC IS
oh it's deep!!!
Just not Purdue winning deep...
Indiana, definitely. Maybe
Indiana, definitely. Maybe Minny (although their halfcourt offense needs some work). Ohio has been good the last few years, but they're not quite there this season.
I fear most of the "@" games
Tough conference to win away from home
After 1
Game all of a sudden Illinois is the team? It's tough to win on the road, that's the lesson I took from today.
Denard Robinson......They're not going to catch him!
Exactly
It's one game. Some teams have bad games, other teams have really good games. Illinois lost on the road at Purdue. OSU's played Kansas and Duke tough. IMO, both are good teams. If UM shows up with their C game and Illinois/OSU show up with their A game, UM will probably lose.
Indiana's defense sucks.
Indiana's defense sucks.
903 wins most in college football
You must have this year
You must have this year confused with last year.
Indiana's defense is much better than last year, and better than ours, unfortunately. I still like us on a neutral court, but we're not getting any calls (ever) in Bloomington, so they'll be able to mug us at will, while we'll spend the game in foul trouble with their guys shooting 1 and 1s early in both halves.
/script of every game in Bloomington ever.
A road win over anyone other
A road win over anyone other than Penn State, Nebraska or NW will be an accomplishment this year.
Answer: all of the teams left
Answer: all of the teams left on the schedule.
"We've beaten Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?"
- Mark Dantonio
Blogging the Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com/<
^^^ this.
^^^ this.
"Anyone who isn't confused, really doesn't understand the situation." - Edward R. Murrow
Illinois, TSIO, Minnesota
Illinois, TSIO, Minnesota
Really, we have to perform on the road. Other than PSU, Nebraska, an Northeestern it's very easy to lose on the road
HAIL.
We're the best team in the B1G
no team can match the amount of shooters we have on the floor at any given time.
Who do you focus on stopping? We have so many guys that can dribble well and create and shoot.
I like our chances a lot!
Nobody. We're going to roll
Nobody. We're going to roll the B1G.
Real question is who stands between M and NCAA Title? Louisville, Duke..
-----------------
Screw Lance.
Indiana is really the only
Indiana is really the only team that will surely give us fits, especially at Assembly Hall. Duke is looking good, with freshman Rasheed Sulaimon. I could see us battling it out with them come March!
"Those Who Stay Will Be Champions"
-Bo Schembechler
"History is written by the Victors"
-Winston Churchill
IU obviously because they're
IU obviously because they're the one team in the conference that can really match our offense output (and one of the best offenses in the nation for that matter). Second I would put OSU and MSU. Yes, there are better teams in the B1G right now, but I don't think that any other team will play us with as much intensity as those two. And both of those teams still have enough talent and/or coaching to beat us.
two things
a healthy burke; and a healthy zoeller.
Fuzzy?
Fuzzy?
Honestly, the conference is
Honestly, the conference is so deep right now that no matter how good you are a loss against teams not named N'western, Penn State or Nebraska isn't even really that much of an upset. I think we're one of the top 2 teams but there isn't *that* much drop-off after us and IU and we are gonna have to fight tooth and nail against every game against the top 7 teams in the conference.
Former Buckeye Antonio Pittman on being a poster child for compliance: "This osu tattoo stuff is silly. Cats been getting hookups on tatts since back in '01."
I think it's IU or
I think it's IU or Minny...
I'm starting to worry a bit that we haven't really been tested yet. So, it might be a little more open than it currently appears. I mean, not to be too negative - but who have we really beaten? NC State? Kstate? those are prolly the best wins on our record. Pitt is looking more and more like a middle of the rd team at best. None of the above are really marquee matchups to my mind.
Don't get me wrong, I love the way we're playing and Trey is on another planet. But ultimately I don't think we'll have a really good idea where we stand relative to the rest of the conf for at least another 2-3 weeks. Just so many good teams this year.
NC State
NC State is losing right now to Boston College, and Pitt lost again today. If NC State doesn't pull it out, two of our big wins aren't looking so special anymore.
My point exactly... As good
My point exactly... As good as we've looked, I just can't help but feel it's been against subpar competition. I hope to be proven wrong in the next few weeks. But until that happens, I'm thinking we're probably overrated.
This conference is
This conference is ridiculously deep. I think against any school that isn't Penn State, Northwestern or Nebraska we're going to have to grind out each win. Indiana is especially going to be very tough in the road.
I'd say that right now the top challengers are Indiana, Minny and Illinois. I'm surprised the last two have looked as good as they have. I think Michigan has a great chance to win a consecutive conference title, but my worry is that the team really hasn't been tested yet. Maybe the toughest team we've played thus far is NC State. We're not going to know if we truly deserve a #2 ranking for another few weeks.
It's been a lot. Its been a roller coaster that for some reason seemed like it would never get good. But you know what? We kept fighting. It's like that old saying goes, "Those Who Stay Will Be Champions." -David Molk
That's probably
fair. Although being one of only three undefeated teams even given preconference schedules means something, the teams we have beaten haven't shown themselves to be top of the heap, so I think the jury is still out if we're great or just really good, which I guess isn't a terrible problem to have.
So it goes.
The Predictor Ratings...
For purposes of this discussion...
Using the Sagarin Predictor numbers to project the next 12 games, which should undoubtedly be the toughest stretch, would actually bear out the estimates of those who believe that Indiana and Minnesota would be the biggest obstacles. Of these twelve games, based on the ratings published just yesterday, we would be underdogs at Minnesota and at Indiana, as well as at Ohio State. By contrast, we are predicted to be 11 point favorites tomorrow and 22 point favorites against Nebraska.
There's no game here that we're out of statistically (we're just that good, in my opinion), and it seems to me that the Big Ten is deep enough that almost anyone could give anyone else fits at least for a while in any game. The road games will certainly not be easy in this stretch.
"Funny isn't it, how naughty dentists always make that one fatal mistake."
Follow the random tweets of a Michigan alum - http://twitter.com/#!/LorneEC3
we will know a lot more after
we will know a lot more after next weekend. if we can go on the road and beat Minny and Ohio I think we win the Big Ten.
Vice.com
Yeah and I'd say
even splitting those games gives UM a good shot. It's going to be a biatch to win on the road this year. Any wins you can get on the road against Minny, OSU, MSU, Illinois and Indiana is going to be huge.
I have drunk the koolaid
I have drunk the koolaid, and truly believe that Michigan is a significant cut above everyone else in the Big 10 this year.
The question shouldn't be "who," but "what stands in the way of Michigan and a Big 10 Championship?" The only answer is injury or some similar tragedy. I will bet money: if Michigan stays healthy, (including the return of Horford,) they will win the Big 10 as stand alone champions.
This has been discussed elsewhere, but I would credit this to:
Until I see otherwise, I think this team could beat the Fab 5. I don't believe they have the same talent level, but I believe they play better as a team, get less flustered, are more disciplined, and have a better attitude. Teams with more NBA talent (Kentucky?) are not going to beat Michigan this year.
"It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up." Vince Lombardi
The only thing I disagree
The only thing I disagree with is labeling McGary as a scoring threat. Horford & Bielfeldt are better on offense than Mitch. He's basically only a threat on dunks & layups. He doesn't have a low post game or a jump shot yet. I see him as being a defensive player, energy guy, big body, and a guy with 5 good fouls to deal out.
I love MM but
5 good fouls? he gets 2 fouls a game trying to jump out to interfere with guards going over picks at the 3 line
5 good fouls because he's
5 good fouls because he's 6'10" 250. Better than McClimans coming in like last year. We need a big body out there with 5 fouls to give.
Don't worry
"I have drunk the koolaid,"
No offense taken
wait till we lose a game...
I'm afraid of what its gonna look like around here should we lose a game or two...
that said, Minnesota is the truth.
We are the dead.
Only Michigan can stop
Only Michigan can stop Michigan.
Each game will be a challenge
Conference champ will lose at least 4 games.
I have a bad feeling about them. Hopefully we can score a lot early and run away from them, b/c I don't like our chances against them in a grinder.
"A flute with no holes is not a flute. A donut with no hole is a danish"