Indiana, Michigan: Nation's two best teams - ESPN's O'Neil

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February 3rd, 2013 at 9:29 PM
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Cold War
Joined: 01/15/2012
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Indiana, Michigan: Nation's two best teams - ESPN's O'Neil

...In Indiana and Michigan, I have no such reservations. The two teams that played one another in Bloomington answered every question I had. It was a high-quality, high-intensity and wildly entertaining game (especially in a season in which getting CYO schools is the norm) -- so good that I’d gladly sign up for another serving, not just on March 10 in Ann Arbor, but on April 8 in Atlanta...

A lot went wrong for Michigan against Indiana. The Wolverines trailed big early. Their offense was never quite in sync. The crowd was insane.

And yet Michigan was in it until the bitter end. That’s not a good team. That’s a great team.

And it wasn’t the proven commodities of Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. that turned my head. It was Mitch McGary. The freshman went toe-to-toe with Zeller and while the more experienced Hoosier got the best of him, McGary still did plenty to show a huge upside...

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/74832/indiana-michigan-nations-two-best-teams

 

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February 3rd, 2013 at 9:50 PM | Go Blue (Score:0 Overrated)
February 3rd, 2013 at 9:57 PM | If Duke gets Ryan Kelly back (Score:3 Normal)
Gordon Berenson
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Joined: 04/13/2012
MGoPoints: 1554

I'd have to give them strong consideration for #1 but right now, yeah maybe Michigan and Indiana are the top 2

February 3rd, 2013 at 11:29 PM | Even with Kelly (Score:3 Normal)
Mr. Yost
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Joined: 07/25/2011
MGoPoints: 5528

...they're not better than Michigan or IU.

I've seen them live. WITH Kelly. They're very much like Kansas IMO. Not saying they're bad, I just don't think they're balanced like IU and Michigan.

“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”

February 3rd, 2013 at 10:11 PM | Our ability to stay in the (Score:3 Normal)
Slamdo
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Joined: 04/26/2011
MGoPoints: 37

Our ability to stay in the game in both our losses while in very hostile environments will help us in the post season. We still need to shake the monkey off our back and win one of these big key game matchups played under national media scrutiny, hopefully before March Madness.

February 3rd, 2013 at 10:18 PM | I don't buy us at #2 (Score:1 Normal)
Don
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Joined: 06/30/2008
MGoPoints: 19211

In our toughest two road games, we've simply played much too poorly for too long to open the game, and have ended up in pretty deep holes. It's great that we've clawed our way back both times, but our inexperience and youth is a problem, especially if it's combined with injuries to key people like Morgan.


February 3rd, 2013 at 11:56 PM | What #2 means (Score:5 Normal)
PurpleStuff
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Joined: 04/21/2009
MGoPoints: 10412

These rankings aren't about achievement in a vacuum.  They are relative.  Kansas just lost at home to Ok. State and lost to MSU on a neutral floor.  Florida lost @Arizona and @K-State (who we beat on a neutral floor).  Duke lost @NC State (who we beat) and got smoked @Miami.  Syracuse has 3 losses, the most recent @Pitt (who we beat).  Butler has lost to Xavier, Illinois (we spanked them too), La Salle, and St. Louis.  Oregon and OSU have 4 losses.

Two close road losses to elite teams makes for a better resume than anybody but IU (and I think you could make a case we're still #1 if home-court advantage is factored in properly).  Obviously this team isn't perfect and may not be #2 as soon as next week, but right now you can't put anyone but IU ahead of us on overall resume.

 

 

 

It is spelled HOKEAMANIA.  Our coach is an ass-kicking American citizen, not one of the Beatles, for Christ's sake!

February 4th, 2013 at 10:00 AM | Don't worry about Don. He's (Score:2 Normal)
OmarDontScare
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Joined: 08/13/2010
MGoPoints: 1489

Don't worry about Don. He's becoming a schtick in regards to this Bball team. It's just not in his DNA to be positive.

Did we think we'd go undefeated? Our two losses were in hostile environments against 2 Top Ten teams (OSU will be Top 10 in today's poll). The play of Nik and GR3 is cause for a little concern but we're not going to see an environment like Assembly Hall the rest of the year. IMO, we're the best team in the country on a neutral court.

I got the shotgun. You got the briefcase. It's all in the game though, right?

February 3rd, 2013 at 10:23 PM | Not yet. Need to beat Ohio on (Score:0 Trolling)
February 3rd, 2013 at 10:45 PM | Unimportant correction in the title: (Score:2)
jhender85
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Joined: 10/25/2008
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I wouldn't be surprised if Brennan and a lot of others feel the same way, but the article is in fact written by Dana O'Neil.

February 3rd, 2013 at 10:54 PM | Fixed, thanks. (Score:1)
Cold War
Joined: 01/15/2012
MGoPoints: 436

Fixed, thanks.

February 3rd, 2013 at 10:54 PM | Fixed, thanks. (Score:1)
Cold War
Joined: 01/15/2012
MGoPoints: 436

Fixed, thanks.

February 3rd, 2013 at 11:27 PM | I said this... (Score:2 Normal)
Mr. Yost
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I said this before the game, I said this during the game, and I will say it after the game. Michigan and Indiana are the best two teams in the country.

They're both A-level teams. I give Florida an A-, Kansas an A-/B+ and everyone else is no better than a B+.

I think these teams will play 4 times. I just hope the final time is in the National Championship and not the Final Four Semifinal.

“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”

February 4th, 2013 at 1:03 AM | There's a reason Florida's 7 (Score:1)
Yeoman
Joined: 06/08/2011
MGoPoints: 2247

There's a reason Florida's 7 points ahead of the field at Kenpom and 3 points at Massey. I know the SEC is mediocre at best, they're beating bubble teams, 8- and 10-seeds ..but ever since the K-State game they've absolutely crushed everyone they've played. They haven't had any grind-it-out-and-pull-away wins like we had at Illinois, every game is a slaughter from the opening tap. The games typically aren't as close as the final scores and the final scores haven't been pretty: by 18 over Wisconsin, by 31 over Missouri, 33 over Marquette (whose next biggest loss was by two).

It's a different kind of resume from the other top teams but it's just as impressive in its own way. It reminds me a little bit (the teams aren't similar, just the nature of the results) of Calipari's last Memphis team. I didn't take their resume seriously that year...sure, they hadn't even been challenged in two months but it was just crappy C-USA competition. I was wrong.

February 4th, 2013 at 8:47 AM | Just an FYI (Score:4 Normal)
EZMIKEP
Joined: 10/13/2008
MGoPoints: 908

As far as blowing people out, a stat that hasn't been talked about on here but I have been keeping track of - in every single game this year other than IU and OSU on the road Michigan has had a 14 or more point lead in the game at some point or another. Every single game.

Though some teams have pulled it closer towards some of the endings it still does not negate the fact that in every game but those 2 we have been blowing teams doors off.

Also take into account we had a chance after being down 21 at OSU to beat them when Trey went for the jugular with that 3 he took at the end that barely missed, and also tied up a game at IU in which IU did not miss a single shot for 7 tries to start the game. Many deep contested 3s. That will not be replicated.

And I think too many people dismiss Jordan Morgans absence.

And last but not least those losses were big time learning moments for a very young team. Nobody, and I mean nobody will wanna play Michigan in March.

February 4th, 2013 at 11:24 AM | Not really worried about the rankings... (Score:1)
Mr. Yost
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Look at the TEAMS not the number beside their names.

When you watch the actual basketball being played, you'll see who's good, who's great and who's elite.

Kentucky was AWESOME last year, the SEC was average at best. It didn't matter, an elite team is an elite team.

Right now there are no elite teams. However there are two great teams that show flashes of elite and that's Indiana and Michigan. Florida to a lesser extent.

What's going to help Michigan and IU is the B1G...

People underestimate how Big East play has helped Big East teams over the years. Same with the ACC. If you could make it out of those leagues in some years just healthy, you were going to be ready for March.

No conference in the country can say that like the B1G this year. I've watched a TON of basketball the past month or so. The Big East is NOTHING like it's been in the past - I mean it's actually pretty bad. Every team has glaring weaknesses.

The ACC is far from elite. Duke, Miami and NC State are by far the best teams...each of those teams would be 3rd or 4th best in the "glory years" of the ACC. Those old Maryland or FSU teams that would have a big upset vs. Duke or UNC would win the ACC this year.

The B1G is a bloodbath. No bias. Look out for a team like Minnesota to make the Sweet 16 or Elite 8 as a 6-seed or something close.

Michigan just needs to stay healthy and get better each day. They may drop another game or two. But come March this team has everything it needs.

Guys like GRIII and Stauskas needed that IU game more than anyone. Notice how much Burke grew from last year to this year.

“True loyalty is that quality of service that grows under adversity and expands in defeat. Any street urchin can shout applause in victory, but it takes character to stand fast in defeat. One is noise — the other, loyalty.”

February 4th, 2013 at 11:50 AM | A curious point related to that... (Score:1)
Yeoman
Joined: 06/08/2011
MGoPoints: 2247

I was looking at Massey last night and noticed something odd. Here are the top teams in strength of schedule, with their ranking in Massey Power in parentheses:

  1. Duke (4)
  2. Minnesota (11)
  3. Miami (12)
  4. Michigan (2)
  5. Louisville (6)
  6. Arizona (7)
  7. Marquette (21)
  8. USC (98)
  9. Wisconsin (20)
  10. Kansas (5)
  11. Florida (1)

Eight of the top 12 SOS are top 12 in Power. Play a top-ten schedule, become a top-ten team. (Yes, I know correlation is not causation.)

There are some plausible reasons for this I suppose; networks like to schedule high-caliber OOC matchups early to get some good games on TV, good teams get an SOS bump by playing deep in the winners bracket of their holiday and preseason tournaments. On the other hand the best teams in a conference play the weakest conference schedules because they don't play themselves.

There's always a trend in this direction but it isn't usually this stark.

February 4th, 2013 at 1:05 PM | Taking The Next Step.. (Score:0)
February 4th, 2013 at 1:22 PM | In that 1981 NCAA Championship Game... (Score:0)
February 4th, 2013 at 5:29 PM | Since Saturday night I (Score:1)
Soulfire21
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Joined: 03/18/2010
MGoPoints: 3135

Since Saturday night I sometimes find myself sort of sad, but then I remember a few things

  • We're 20-2.  Whoa.
  • We rely on significant contributions from three freshmen: McGary, Stauskas, and GRIII, and then Burke is only a sophomore

The kicker is our reliance on our freshmen.  We're THAT GOOD with 4 underclassmen asked to contribute huge amounts.  It's crazy to think what we could look like as they grow up.  That said, I'll sadly watch them depart to the NBA, but a guy can dream can't he?

Let's move forward and demolish Ohio State at home, then Wisconsin on the road.  If we make it through the next 3 games unscathed, we're in pretty position as the schedule lightens up significantly after that.

How I see our regular season end:

  • vs OSU - W
  • @ WISC - W (low confidence)
  • @ MSU - L (low confidence)
  • vs PSU - W
  • vs ILL - W
  • @ PSU - W
  • vs MSU - W
  • @ PUR - W
  • vs IND - W

So, we're talking a 28-3 (15-3) record.

And, to be honest, if we can beat Wisconsin and MSU on the road, there's no reason we can't win out to be 29-2 (16-2) at all.  Obviously best case, but I think forecasting one more loss is a decent expectation with the scheduling and the amount of home games coming our way after this week.

Let's talk about the other contenders:

Indiana: I don't see them dropping a game at Assembly Hall the rest of the season as Nebraska, Purdue, Iowa, and Ohio State are all paying a visit and IU should have no trouble dropping them.  Indiana's road schedule does crank up a bit, with pesky Illinois (who could potentially pull an upset), Ohio State, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Michigan for their road slate.  IU will likely garner a loss or two through that to finish around 28-3 (16-2) record or 27-4 (15-3).

 Michigan State: Michigan State has a home games against Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Northwestern of which they should lose 1 or 2.  MSU hits the road to take on Purdue, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Michigan, of which I see one loss for sure (@ Michigan) and potentially another loss at OSU.  They're looking like a 24-7 (13-5) club IMO

Ohio State: Ohio State takes the road against Michigan, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and Indiana.  I expect them to lose to Michigan and Indiana, and possibly Wisconsin.  Their home slate of Northwestern, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Illinois might net them one loss (probably against either Minnesota or Michigan State, but if either Northwestern or Illinois is on and Thomas is not, OSU could be in trouble).  I'll say they finish 22-8 (12-6)

HAIL.

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