November 30th, 2019 at 12:45 AM ^
Better than the alternative of them losing, but Iowa pooping on them already might drop TT out of the top 25 entirely next week
November 30th, 2019 at 1:47 AM ^
Texas Tech might not be as good as their ranking suggests. Hopefully they improve as the season wears on.
November 30th, 2019 at 2:30 AM ^
It does seem that Texas Tech is not as good as many thought entering this week/season. That being said, that our 4th-best win in our first 7 games is a 10-point home victory over a 5-2 Creighton team that’s beaten Texas Tech still must exceed all but the wildest of expectations.
November 30th, 2019 at 3:32 AM ^
If we can beat #1 Louisville (who so far seems legit) on the road next week, this team's goal should be a national title
November 30th, 2019 at 6:11 AM ^
I think that's already the goal after the Bahamas.
And it should be...
The improvement of Brooks and DeJulius is awesome.
When Franz hits his stride, look out...
November 30th, 2019 at 6:17 AM ^
If we win, or if we lose a hard fought match at Louisville, we will already be considered among the top 5 national title contenders.
Much like in 2013, so far there is a dearth of dominant teams (IIRC the national narrative back then). There is opportunity for a well rounded, deep team laden with relative veterans to overachieve expectations.
November 30th, 2019 at 8:56 AM ^
Nimari Burnett...come flippin' on down!!!
November 30th, 2019 at 9:25 AM ^
He already signed. It's more like "Joshua Christopher come on down".
November 30th, 2019 at 8:07 AM ^
So is this the basketball version of 'it's not a big win unless Michigan loses'? LOL!! JH just can't win...
November 30th, 2019 at 12:45 AM ^
So much for Nimari wait and see approach
November 30th, 2019 at 8:11 AM ^
Had the same thought. Funny how much this style exactly emulates the style he wanted to play in. Curious whether or not the early success and the play by Michigan will do anything for them on the recruiting trail in short term
November 30th, 2019 at 9:03 AM ^
$o $trange that he wanted to play in a run n gun $y$tem with pro concept$ and that i$ exactly what Michigan i$ doing. Yet, he cho$e to play for a team de$igned to limit po$$e$ion$ with a defen$e first attitude. Again, $o $trange.
November 30th, 2019 at 12:47 AM ^
That win is looking really good.
Keep an eye on San Diego State. They destroyed Creighton and beat iowa by 10. They're 7-0 and are coached by Brian Dutcher--former Michigan assistant and the guy who brought Juwan Howard here in 1991--and have Jalen McDaniels on their team, Juwan's nephew.
Would be a very interesting storyline in March.
November 30th, 2019 at 1:30 AM ^
You are confusing Jalen McDaniels with Jaden McDaniels.
Jaden is Juwan’s nephew and plays for Washington.
Jalen used to play on SDSU was drafted this year.
November 30th, 2019 at 6:21 AM ^
Oh is this the guy that paid Juwan and the Fab Five to come to Michigan?
November 30th, 2019 at 6:33 AM ^
Begone, troll.
November 30th, 2019 at 8:17 AM ^
No it was the guy who paid Chase Young to go to OSU
November 30th, 2019 at 10:15 AM ^
Who was it that paid Chase Young? We never heard.
November 30th, 2019 at 4:09 AM ^
The Hiring of Juwan>>>> Firing the money cannon at Beard.
November 30th, 2019 at 7:43 AM ^
We played Creighton battered bruised and tired. That game really doesn’t hold much weight, if any at all. Good win, but they were depleted
November 30th, 2019 at 8:11 AM ^
So again, just like with Texas Tech losing, it's not a big game unless its a loss. Okay...
Four months from now, when the committee is seeding the brackets, nobody will care whether Creighton had some ouchies when they lost to Michigan.
November 30th, 2019 at 8:18 AM ^
This is the worst narrative in all of sports. Caveats like this don’t ever apply. Yes, something to be said about beating a team at full strength vs when they are injured or whatever, but this shouldn’t matter. The best teams in sports find a way; all teams succumb to injuries and adversity. The best teams in the country continue to come out on top due to depth and the ability to play within themselves and know their game plan and role. One thing that I’ve seen from Michigan is that they aren’t loaded with 5* studs who need to take the game over. They share the game and on any given night one or two of 5-7 guys is going to breakout. They are a complete team with some room for improvement. Sorry that Creighton was down a couple guys or whatever, but if they weren’t playing student managers and volunteers, then we played the Creighton team. Making excuses is wasteful
November 30th, 2019 at 9:29 AM ^
Michigan didn't have Franz Wagner against Creighton. Michigan wasn't at full strength either.
November 30th, 2019 at 9:33 AM ^
You should really go hang out over at the RCMB.
For example: Did you know that M only beat Gonzaga because they are dealing with injuries and were therefore extra tired from the late win In OT the night before? (They can’t be overrated - ala UNC- because Gonzaga beat MSU before the season even if only in a scrimmage where Izzo let them win as a learning experience, and to get the young guys playing time etc. etc. etc.)
PS - Were all the Creighton players back vs. TTU? Did this help get them to (the losers bracket) game versus Texas Tech?
November 30th, 2019 at 8:14 AM ^
In the end, Michigan will be playing against the elites when it matters most. Nobody can predict a Final Four appearance, because there are too many pitfalls in the way. But Elite 8? Yeah, I can say that. I believe, based on what I saw on a ballroom court, that Michigan will be in the E8 come March 2020.
That tourney win wasn't just a win. It was an emasculation of the entire bracket (reheated phrase from a previous thread, because I like it). It wasn't one run against UNC or Gonzaga that put it out of reach for them - it was an entire game of getting decimated at whatever they tried to do.
November 30th, 2019 at 8:54 AM ^
#15 Utah State goes down to the hometown Gaels.
November 30th, 2019 at 9:26 AM ^
this team should be top 5 on Monday and if they go into Louisville CC and beat the brothal boys they should be number one until they lose. and even then maybe until they lose 2.
I joked about Kenpom being dead in the victory thread, but obvsly Kenpom isn't accurate this early in the season. People slept on Brooks, but I thought his defense always was ++ and his shooting was OK. I wasn't sold on DDJ and Coach Howard is exceeding my relatively low expectations (relative to Beilein mostly) but they have impressed a ton. Only concerns are
- TOs (from X of all people),
- getting Johns to be more reliable in terms of understanding where and when to be on each end, and
- the turning of 20 pt leads into 8 pt leads midway thru the 2nd half. I know this is a good problem to have and good teams will not lay down when down 20 with 15 to play.
Nunez has to lose his minutes, especially as Wagner rounds into form - he and Johns are really the only guys struggling with any significance. Amazing that this team is so good with TOs being a pretty big problem and Wagner losing 5 weeks. People think the shooting can't sustain, and it can't sustain this level, but with the depth this team has with Wagner back they can play the hot hand more, limiting the eventual cool off but an individual guy.
Incredibly impressed - hell, I'm even inspired by - Coach Howard's Dad-vibes (TM) and genuine excitement for these guys and his ability to coach in game and develop a family atmosphere after coming in so late in May. He talks abut this team like I *feel* about my own son and daughter. If this guy doesn't recruit well, I'll have lost all faith in college basketball and humanity in general.