Burke: Michigan Lacked Heart
"We just have, I don't know, man," a despondent Burke said. "Learn from it, I guess.
"They just played with much more intensity, much more heart. They beat us. Simple as that."
"It came down to heart, really," Burke said. "It came down to toughness, and we didn't play with that the last four or five minutes.
"There were a couple times they got to the rim, we could have taken a charge, but we didn't. They got to the rim, they hit 3's and we didn't respond."
February 28th, 2013 at 10:43 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 8:11 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 8:41 AM ^
Don't come back.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:00 AM ^
The /s was implied.
-1 trolling
February 28th, 2013 at 8:17 AM ^
We shot 65% from two-point range, and between 2-pointers and free throws, UM scored 63 points.
PSU shot 45% from two-point range, and between 2-pointers and free throws, PSU scored 54 points.
The difference? Last night, we were 5-20 from the three, a sparkling 25%.
Meanwhile, Penn State shot 50% from three, hitting 10 of 20.
This team will be lucky to make the Sweet 16 if they continue to play like they have been over the last month.
February 28th, 2013 at 9:15 AM ^
Agree completely.
Ever since the Wisconsin debacle, this team isn't putting out what it'll take to make it passed the 2nd round.
My worst nightmare at this point is losing out, falling to a 4 seed, and getting put up against somebody like Bucknell.
February 28th, 2013 at 8:21 AM ^
THJ calling out the team clearly didn't do anything. How can no one step up when this team has so much potential. Guys like vogrich seem afraid to get in other guys' faces because he doesn't play, which I could understand but I can only imagine how good this team would be if we had Novak on this team.
February 28th, 2013 at 8:25 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 8:25 AM ^
Kiss the 1 seed goodbye, possibly even a 2. Unless they start winning Sunday, this is not gonna be a good finish.
I told people before the year. Michigan isn't ready yet to be national title contender. They have to get into reloading mode first. All great programs do it. It appears they're on that track with Derrick Walton coming next year.
It's baby steps. The B1G Championship was a huge leap. This season should've been focused on trying to repeat as B1G Champion and win the B1G Tournament, make it to the Sweet Sixteen at the minimum.
Rome wasn't built overnight.
February 28th, 2013 at 8:27 AM ^
who says they're not going to watch this team for the rest of the season and post-season. If we have a big win against Sparty or Indiana (I don't dare hope for both at this point), that'll get enough folks' attention. This is one of the best Michigan teams I have ever seen. They're probably not going to live up to expectations. But I want to see what Trey Burke will do in his last several games in a Wolverine uniform. And you know that you do, too.
February 28th, 2013 at 9:43 AM ^
(That and the display on this board last night has me sick to my stomach. I and probably many of you are glad that I don't work nights.)
February 28th, 2013 at 9:43 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 8:35 AM ^
M will be a 5 or 6 seed in the B1G tourney ... horrible spot. Will need to win 1 game before playing IU or MSU again. After last night I really doubt that we beat either MSU or IU at home to finish the season.
PSU winless in conference & Michigam #4 ranking. Perhaps the worst loss in the last 20 years !
Go Blue!
February 28th, 2013 at 8:37 AM ^
in the second half?
I dont remeber seeing him in the game after his steal and breakaway near the end of the first?
Cant fault his effort infirst half
February 28th, 2013 at 8:38 AM ^
"To win games at this level, you have to have an awful lot of courage down the stretch, we looked very tentative," Michigan coach John Beilein said. "We just did not play the level of defense we've played many times before, and that gets you." - from the article
The "tentative" aspect shows up in the numbers, I think. Including last night, in losses we average 4 more fouls, 4 more turnovers, five fiewer assists and 13 less points. Our block percentage in losses is a shade north of 1% as well. At least to me, in addition to what I can see, this displays that lack of intensity, but there is also an experience issue that will moderate as these players develop, I think.
February 28th, 2013 at 9:01 AM ^
As the B1G season has progressed, the team's flaws have been not only exposed, but targeted repeatedly and our team hasn't responded well or made necessary adjustments. A few things that come to mind:
1. Michigan's defensive philosophy is hurting them. Michigan, to a man, consistently gets beat off the dribble. Teams are able to drive the lane at will and kick to open shooters, or coast in for relatively uncontested shots. The defensive rotations are virtually non-existent, as shown by Coach B's Brian Kellyism on Stauskas last night (perpetual offender). With no true shot blocker in the lane, teams will continue to ram this down our throat...let's be honest, no one is scared of Jordan Morgan in the paint. Michigan has the length and athleticism to play more zone, whether it be 1-3-1 or a 2-3 matchup, and I think this can help alleviate some of the weak links in the defense, mainly Stauskas and GR3 (who is like Zack Novak, guarding players who are bigger than him).
2. Team psyche: This team really hasn't responded well to adversity. Since we've been number 1 at the end of January, we've lost 4 straight road games in the B1G, and really haven't been impressive in many of our wins. Youth is definitely an issue with this, but so is leadership. Someone hit it on the head last night that somehow Burke became the de facto leader simply because he's our best player. I don't think that's the case. I think the team has a leadership identity crisis, if you will, because no one has stepped to the forefront to get in another's face to step their game up. If anyone, Mitch McGary has the most enthusiasm towards playing intense, but ultimately Coach B. has to be the leader for this team, and I haven't seen that in the last month.
3. Stauskas: His defensive lapses are killing the team, which is exacerbated because his offensive production has slipped. I also think he doesn't respond well to criticism, as he's been accustomed to success in the past. He's a cocky player when he's on, but disappears when he struggles/the competition is raised. His twitter feed constantly thwarts M fans who doubt him. Finally, Coach B. has had talks with him about buying in defensively and what it takes to be an all-around player, but after last night's schadenfreude, I could see him further pulling a Houdini for the rest of the season. He's uber talented and I hope he buys into the system in place. But honestly, I could see him as a player who transfers out at some point, much like Evan Smotrycz, which I hope isn't the case.
4. Offensive flow: In crunch time, it seems our go-to play is let Burke dribble around while everyone stands around. Then we jack a fadeaway or a 3 pointer with 3 seconds left on the clock. I honestly feel this team does not execute set plays very well, and is strictly a motion offense. This will kill us in the tournament, especially when teams lock on to Burke and deny him the ball. It also doesn't help that no one else on offense has the ability to create a shot for themselves. If our post players could find any semblance of a low post move, it would take a ton of pressure off of our shooters. Our big men really only set screens and get rebounds/garbage. The misnomer of Cocah B's teams is that our centers all have the Kevin Pittsnoggle skill sets and can stretch the opposing defense. Sadly, our bigs can't make anything outside of 4 feet.
5. Coaching adjustments: Simply put, we haven't really made any when we are punched in the mouth or are gagging down the stretch. Last night Spike was in the game when we were down 2 with under 3 minutes to play. What happens? He jacks a terrible 3 from the corner. Beilein's substitution patterns are maddening at times, and the fact that we really don't execute plays to score easy baskets kills us when we need a run stopper.
Sorry if it's alot. Just my underlaying thoughts from the past several weeks. And after getting minimal sleep in seeing this epic choke and the Wings gag another one, I felt I needed some form of catharsis today.
February 28th, 2013 at 9:51 AM ^
How does "uber talented" apply to a player who has not shown any inclination or ability to play defense? How does "uber talented" apply to a player who has on a number of occasions completely disappeared offensively?
I think that he's going to have a nice UM career, and certainly he has plenty of opportunity to improve his all-around game, but how exactly has Nik Stauskas proven now that he's "uber talented?" Or does "uber talented" mean "capable of having a nice game offensively, but a complete liability on defense"?
I really do believe that Stauskas has had so much smoke blown up his butt about how great he is that it's been hampering his actual development as a player.
Aside from that, your analysis of the team's issues seems spot on.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:18 AM ^
*Chest Tap* My Bad. Uber was a poor choice of adjective. I think from a skill set standpoint he has plenty to offer...offensively. We obviously know of his shooting prowess, as evidenced by the first 20 or so games of the season. He's also shown flashes of being able to get to the basket and finish (see: Game Stauskas meme). I would like to see him be more like a JJ Redick and run off of screens. Too often he's a spot up shooter around the perimeter as both he and GR3 float to the corners and stand there...could be a combination of timidness and Burke dominating the ball. I think he has a decent basketball IQ in terms of vision...but the biggest knack is his passing as he leaves his feet too often - something easily corrected by coaching/experience.
I do agree with you that he really shows no interest in playing any sort of defense...which is a huge problem. For a kid who is 6'5ish he should be able to cause problems for smaller shooting guards. I feel that one, he may not have the footspeed to contend, and two, he really just doesn't buy into the defensive effort needed to succeed at that end of the floor. Defense is really about effort and positioning, so I think it's more likely the second issue. I wish his cocky attitude when he's hitting 3's would translate to defenive intensity.
I guess it comes down to this: Is he talented? Yes. Is he coachable? The verdict is still out. That's where the comparison to Evan Smotrycz came in.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:32 AM ^
I've been thinking about Smotrycz myself... at one point, he was getting quite a bit of hype around here as well. That being said, I do think Nik has shown much more than Evan ever did.
My problem with Stauskas isn't with him so much as the amount of hype he received this season, especially early on. When people are saying that he's as good of a shooter as Glen Rice, that's ridiculous enough, but when some other knuckleheads are saying that he's better than Rice—which some callers on the local radio did—that's a sign that the expectations for Nik got completely out of hand. That's not his fault. He is what he is: a player with definite offensive potential coupled glaring defensive weaknesses. Whether he improves or not is largely up to him.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:38 AM ^
He's a obviously a kid who's willing to work hard. Most American h.s. players don't really know how to play defense, and I have to believe that h.s. coaching in Canada is not as good as it is here. I don't think it should be surprising that Stauskas doesn't know what he's doing on D.
February 28th, 2013 at 9:06 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 9:09 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 9:06 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 9:06 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 9:55 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 9:35 AM ^
One man team.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:16 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 10:51 AM ^
of GRIII killed us on both ends of the court. i really don't understand why we don't have 2 bigs playing at least 10 min together. it would clog the paint on D and obviously improve the rebounding. JB really needs to figure out a high-low post combo that works on the offensive end.
Defense wins championships.
February 28th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 10:03 AM ^
I would expect this reaction from fans or Duke or Kansas, but what team has everyone here been watching for the past twenty years? Last night was really disappointing, as was the MSU game, but this team is still having a damn good year by recent Michigan standards, and they still have the chance to do a lot of very good things...Last night was bad. They're young and still learning to play college basketball. Maybe they'll learn quickly and improve. Maybe they won't. Let's wait and see - and cheer them on in the process.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:23 AM ^
The Problem is it's become apparent that Michigan really hasn't "learned quickly" from any of their losses. They played in a hostile environment in Columbus...which should have translated to success at Bloomington...which should have translated into success in East Lansing...but didn't. They really haven't responded well to adversity in the past month, at all.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:34 AM ^
You never know when the light bulb is going to go on, though. Teams have had worse runs than this and still had some very good moments later.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:39 AM ^
UConn entered the tournament with 9 losses and won the title. Stranger things have happened. I'll watch every Michigan game and continue to root for my team, as I've done the past several years.
The fan base has become very spoiled/entitled very quickly (< 1 year!!). Everyone should read the diary about being a Kansas fan. Every game on the schedule is a loss until it is won. A couple short years ago, we were that Penn State program -- under the radar unless we upset someone nationally.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:55 AM ^
they happen. bad shooting nights happen. but to see losses pile up due to lack of hustle or intensity is disappointing. those qualities should show up in every game, if the team has character.
February 28th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 10:23 AM ^
Everyone step down from the ledge, a dynasty is being built. It sucks, but the sun came up today.
I'm wondering if fatigue is an issue. We're relying on 60-80% contribution from all true freshman. First year in college and their season last year was not as grueling as the Big Ten nor as long. Think we're a bit tired? It's not an excuse, more of an observation.
February 28th, 2013 at 11:01 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
It sounds like JB got to him and reminded him about "the code" sometime between his "outing" of the refs and this statement.
February 28th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^
He's full of talk after the game, but where was this attitude and leadership during the game? Michigan is losing games because there is no oncourt leadership.
February 28th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^
I think people forget that the rotation contains 5 Frosh in the rotation of nine who play. The reality is unless those Freshmen are lotery picks like UK last year they are going to be imperfect players. We all agreed the expectations were all to high going into this season. We have also observed more seasoned teams also have strange losses on the road against inferior teams. I watched IU absolutely tank against Illinois the last 4 minutes of the game. It happens especially when a shooter is getting good looks and gets hot.
This team has been winning games by being very efficient and mistake free on offense. What we see with this team is what they are. I suppose something might be being held back for the tounament. But the reality is this team is a year away from being complete. Whether it is better with Burke's absense is another question.
February 28th, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^
When the going gets tough, everyone on the court just looks dumbfounded like they're not entirely sure what to do. There's no Stu or Novak or even a Merritt or CJ Lee. Burke isn't leading this team, neither is THJ, and none of the freshmen are either.
I think maybe Mitch will grow into that but everyone else quiets up when it gets bad. There are no Aneurysms of Leadership anymore and it's very apparent now how important that was over the last few season
February 28th, 2013 at 1:44 PM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 4:41 PM ^
The lack of heart broke my heart. That was a miserable loss.
February 28th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
comment to me today that Michigan is going to be angry and pissed off about the Penn State loss and will take it out on msu on Sunday. As much as I would love nothing better, I don't know if this team has that in them- yet.
This is a young team and young teams don't get angry so much as they get frustrated, and it shows in their play. Hopefully with Burke calling the team's heart lacking will spark something that can fuel this young team the rest of the season. Overall, it has been a great season- one I believe will last late into March. Let's keep the faith and GO BLUE!!!
February 28th, 2013 at 9:17 PM ^
February 28th, 2013 at 9:15 PM ^
This idea mentioned in a previous post about a systemic lack of "fight" as evidenced in both fball and bball seems to have some weight. If you think about all of our football match ups for the last 2 years, the only— ONLY-- "credible" team we beat handily, with force, was Nebraska in 2011 (and I sometimes hesitate to even think that was a credible team, but I'll give big blue the benefit of the doubt). That year we won in a miracle with ND and Virginia Tech, and barely beat OSU— the weakest team they've had, and probably will have, in decades. And then this recent year, we beat absolutely NOBODY handily--- heck, we BARELY beat MSU and NW for crying out loud. And so far in bball, our signature win to date was against OSU--- which we could only pull off in overtime, at home. And then let's not even TALK about how bad we are in both sports when we play away from A2.
What is going on here? It it coaching? Hoke and Beilein seem like nice, upstanding men, with "character" and "integrity", but when will we ever go into high stakes match ups and have confidence that we'll win--- and win with clarity. I know--- we're not "cheaters" like OSU, MSU, and others and just recruit thugs, but I'm failing these days to believe that's the only difference. We're missing something here---- is it talent management in NCAA sports?