B1G Tournament Discussion
I did not notice a thread for this already. If there is one, please delete.
I think the tournmant is as wide-open as it has ever been. All of the top 4-5 teams have seemed very formidable for long stretches of the season, and any of them have a great shot at winning the whole thing.
I see a semifinal matchup of OSU vs Michigan and MSU vs Indiana, with OSU beating Indiana for the title and DaShaun Thomas winning the Tournament MVP.
It pains me to say that, but I feel like they are the most complete team at this point.
I'd like to see Michigan beat OSU, but I just don't see that happening on a neutral court. Everyone is well aware of our struggles away from Ann Arbor, and I think we play them tough, but I just see some sort of Evan Turner-ish shenanigans happening at the very end to steal a victory from us. Even so, i think we end up with a 3-seed in the Big Dance.
I think MSU plays well, but they miss Brandon Dawson too much against IU and eventually fall.
Thoughts?
EDIT: Changed the title so as to not confuse those that thought this was a gameday thread.
Its because your karma level is 0, until you post more or get more upvotes all of your posts will start at 0 as opposed to the 1 or 2 that older posters start at.
If Hardaway and Burke maintain their current levels of performance, we've got great chances.
Tough luck for State and Dawson, but I will shed them no tears. M could have used Horford all season to help with rebounding but he's been injured and we've been forced to go with lesser options in McLimans and Christian.
Speaking of Christian, it's taken nearly 2 full seasons but the kid is coming around, looks like he can be a contributor, and has seemingly passed McLimans on the depth chart. Way to stick with it Colton.
Completely agree on Christian. Another example of why writing players off early in their careers is so foolish. I think there's a very good chance those who have similarly written off Brundidge will look equally foolish.
I haven't seen anybody write off Brundidge, but don't doubt it.
I was encouraged by the Brundidge article a week or so ago. He seems confident about contributing next year. It had to be humbling to come into college highly rated and get schooled in practice everyday by a couple of unhearlded seniors, but it will make him a better player.
The step back jumper that Stu has used so effectively this year could serve Brundidge well, he has the strength, quickness and width to be very effective with that move.
I've seen a number of posters here question why Brundidge has played so little this year or say he was overrated coming out of high school or say he's going to transfer to a mid-major team. See this for one example I found through a quick search.
I just get really tired of people criticizing freshmen when it generally takes at least a year for players to master Beilein's "system" (Burke excepted, of course).
I am well aware of how fickle "fans" are on this site, I had to stop freguenting the Open Threads for Bball and football.
I have to admit the BIG tournament holds very little charm for me, and this year even less. Michigan is likely going to be a 3 or a 4 seed, no matter what transpires this weekend and I don't see a big difference between 3 & 4. Sharing the regular season title is a much bigger deal for me. Get out of this weekend healthy, relatively rested and with sound mind, body and soul and I will be happy.
I would like to see Beilien treat this sort of like bowl practice in football and get Brundidge, Vogrich, Christian and McLimans more PT than usual. I would be less likely to use the FF button on my DVR if this occurs.
There is a an important distinction between 3 and 4. For example - playing a 1 or a 2 in the Elite Eight...there is a big difference between playing a Kentucky and playing a Missouri.
I will happily lament this (oxymoron?), when we reach the Elite Eight.
But... I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight, tomorrow I might go as far as suicide, but I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight. ARS. Atlanta Rythym Section
Wisconsin and Michigan final. Am I talking about the 2012 football title game, no but those are my predictions for both games.
I've been telling my Spartan friends for a while; Michigan, Michigan State in the Final Four, but now that Dawson is hurt, I don't know if Sparty will be able to join us :(
Delete this when Ohio loses to Purdue. Ohio is severly overrated this year.
Does anyone think there's a chance for us to move up to a two-seed? If so, does it only happen if we win the whole thing?
As for my response to OP: I don't think MSU would lose to Indiana, even without Dawson. I also think Ohio is overrated and that people let KenPom numbers cloud their vision. Ohio is a deeply flawed team, perhaps more flawed than we are.