Holy Novak: What an Effort!

This was the most well-rounded game I've seen a long, long time. Shooting was on, rebounding was outstanding (especially on the offensive glass), defense was relentless, and the hustle was the best I've ever seen from this team. An absolute terrific game. This team can really do some damage this year in the B1G! GO BLUE!

Would it be safe to assume that Trey will be coming back next year? I'm not the biggest NCAA bball fan but I'm working on it.

<blockquote>Novak: This guy is beyond description, I know I wouldn't want to play against his psychotic ass</blockquote>

Can't believe how fired up he gets.

I was really impressed with THJ's rebounding today. Even though he was misfiring a bit on offense, he kept at it on the boards and got a double double. It's nice to have Novak playing the 2 instead of the 4 and having THJ's newfound height, too. We might be a good rebounding team this year, which would be nice.

We're definitely gonna miss Novak next year. Too bad the science students haven't perfected cloning yet

Leadership! Michigan basketball (and football) haz it.

He's struggled with his shot this year, but I still think he's the best pure shooter on the team.  We've seen with THJ how quickly someone can get into a funk (and how quickly they can get out of it), and Vogrich is in a position where he's getting one or two shots a game and can't really shoot his way out of it.

At some point this year he's going to come off the bench and hit a quick 6+ points (like he did against Penn State) and that is going to be the difference in the ball game.

Novak. She knows exactly who he is and where he is at when the game is on. She even tells my parents that Zack has tiger blood lmao... FYI my folks are die hard Ohio fans being that my dad was born in the same town as Urban liar. So it's even sweeter when she ends the victors song with Bucks Suck!

Novak's the kind of guy that teams like Purdue always seemed to have - that scrappy guy with crazy energy who gave the whole arena a lift - and they always gave us fits.  I love to have one of our own.

I'm waiting for the MSU and OSU games before I start thinking B1G champs. But I am VERY optimistic for our Tourny hopes. better then last year so far and last years team was an incredible group

In terms of their departures next season.  We're adding a ridiculous class next year talent-wise, but i hope we dont' take a step back because of leadership void as we did in 09-10.  Hopefully vogrich and burke will step into that emotional leadership role.  Maybe morgan or hardaway as well. 

I enjoyed watching Burke's Dad play the cool card with the phone and texting, but his legs pumping 100 mph's in his seat belied his inner energy and enthusiasm

It was impressive.  For me it was the best game I have seen them play this year, and maybe last year, if only because they out-toughed and blew out a team that has been pushing them around for years.

This team is certainly not backing down from the lofty expectations, keep it up boys Go Blue!

Burke has exceeded every expectation I had for his freshman season.  This team is so much more dynamic with his ability to push the ball and slash to the basket.  Just wait, and every indication is that it will happen through the course of the season, he gets a fuller command of JB's offense. 

Here is a link to umhoops with Belien's post game comments. Belien said it might be best defensive effort since he's been here.http://www.umhoops.com/2012/01/08/notes-quotes-video-john-beilein-after-michigans-59-41-win-over-wisconsin/#more-23830

For those that are interested:

Novak and Douglass are Indiana kids ... it sounds corny but that's how Bball is played in the majority of IN; scrappy kids playing half court basketball that value every possession. Boxing out, diving for loose balls ... that's why IU, Purdue, & Butler are usually full of them.

Today's game was a good game for Tuley-Tillman to see.

Yeah, we completely won on effort. I was really down on Timmy after Indiana, because he let his shot struggles leach into his defense and all-around game. Today, he was max effort all over the floor.

Morgan, and Stu also stuck out as huge effort.

I'm still stunned at how effective a two-point scorer Novak has become.

I thought Hardaway played good at Indiana.  Burke struggled though.