MBB vs. Gophers Open Thread
February 26th, 2011 at 5:24 PM ^
Beilein Ball, baby!
Dude loves the three so much there's no way he's not going to milk the cow dry in a game where his team was actually hitting them.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:28 PM ^
Beilein loves the hollow out strategy, but with Minnesota's shot blockers and Morgan on the bench with 2 fouls we aren't gonna get many bunnies by the rim. Pair that with Minny giving us wide open looks from 3 and we should take them.
With Minny's bigs the alternative is shooting 15'-18' jumpers, which I doubt we'd hit at a higher rate.
Like it or not, taking open 3's will be our best chance to finish the game with a W.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:25 PM ^
if it's open (and not mcclimans). we don't have the guys to challenge them in the paint. maybe the occasional pick and roll for morgan, but even he got his dunk attempt blocked.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:23 PM ^
Classic example of "Live by, die by" with the jump shot. Fuck.
McLimans is really a stiff. That remains Beilein's biggest problem -- he doesn't think he needs bigs. You can see how lame we are when Morgan is not on the court and how vulnerable we are to him getting hurt/in foul trouble.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:28 PM ^
Where do you get the idea that Beilein doesn't think he needs bigs? In his time here he's recruited Cronin, Benzing, Morgan, McLimans, Smotrycz, Horford and Christian. The bigger issue is that we have only one who is actually good at the moment.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:45 PM ^
Horford and McLimans are not useable players at this stage. There is nothing, on offense or defense, that says "big" about Smotrycz's game. Cronin and Benzing aren't here and they were not adequately replaced in subsequent recruiting classes.
Look at our needs this year (size) and our recruiting class of 2011 (a point guard and undersized shooting guard). That is NOT good roster management.
February 26th, 2011 at 6:33 PM ^
I agree that Hortord and McLimans aren't useable players at this stage. But if Cronin and Benzing were here, they wouldn't need to play at all. Beilein brought in as many bigs as he could in 2009 and 2010 to round out the roster after those two were lost. Right now only Morgan is really serviceable.
Smotrycz is 6'9", so he's a post in size if not offensive game. He will probably be our 4 of the future, but again, he's just not physically ready.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:29 PM ^
of course he wants bigs. mcclimans was a late after-thought after we missed out on that german. and cronin was chronically injured in the class before.
then he recruited smotrycz and horford in this class and tried to get amir williams in the 2011 class.
i guarantee he gets a solid big in the next class.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:48 PM ^
Lot of excuses.
We are in Year 4 and have one useable big. That's on Beilein. Period.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:25 PM ^
allows us to use our weakness (height) as an advantage. I would like to see a few more shots inside the arc, also should be some backdoor cuts available with the good outside shooting.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:30 PM ^
fo sho. we'll push the ball even more next year with all the guard depth.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:28 PM ^
Why? Why? Oh why?
It seems like every time he enters the game, we lose a lead and let our opponent climb back in. Please coach, find him a seat at the end of the bench and let Colton Christian play the back-up big man minutes.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:29 PM ^
the guy over collins' left shoulder wearing ugz?
February 26th, 2011 at 5:34 PM ^
oh come on we need to score on those breaks
February 26th, 2011 at 5:34 PM ^
The Gophers size and power may be the difference in this game.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:36 PM ^
Horford shoulda done that
February 26th, 2011 at 5:36 PM ^
layups LAYUPS!!!
February 26th, 2011 at 5:36 PM ^
and time left please!
February 26th, 2011 at 5:37 PM ^
horford and mcclimans shooting threes. you idiots!
February 26th, 2011 at 5:38 PM ^
39-37 Minny. 15:59 left
February 26th, 2011 at 5:39 PM ^
no more JH or BM this game please
February 26th, 2011 at 5:40 PM ^
Hardaway 3's attempted: 0. Horford 3's attempted: 1. That's terrible.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:42 PM ^
I like how, armed with all that extra energy after drinking their product, the Five Hour Energy guy just sits down and reads a newspaper.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:48 PM ^
He has all that extra time from not making coffee.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:56 PM ^
And he sure looks energetic making use of it.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:42 PM ^
Just so we don't get it confused, when you see a big man throw a thunder dunk on Zack Novak's head, no one should be putting together a "this is how we came to do this" scenario of attrition like we did when we saw James Rogers and Courtney Avery as our starting cornerbacks.
Zack Novak guarding the 4 is a product of Beilein's system.
Zack Novak guarding the 4 is a product of Beilein's recruiting approach.
He actually PREFERS this style of play and these types of lineups on the floor. I know it's hard ot believe, but it's true.
February 26th, 2011 at 6:37 PM ^
If that's the case, why did Novak start at the 3 most of the season and Smotrycz at the 4? Beilein wants his 4 to have an outside shot, but that doesn't mean he wants him to be 6'4".
February 26th, 2011 at 5:46 PM ^
really?
February 26th, 2011 at 5:46 PM ^
48-48 11:25 left.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:46 PM ^
Even when he's not playing well, Novak is a leader.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:47 PM ^
Agreed. Novak is the heart and leader of the team.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:48 PM ^
it would just be nice if he could hit a damn shot tho
February 26th, 2011 at 5:46 PM ^
11 min
February 26th, 2011 at 5:46 PM ^
Can we please get Hardaway involved? I hate that this happens...he gets hot and then doesn't get the ball for long stretches of the game.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:48 PM ^
unless it's a layup, save your energy for defense and everyone else get your damn hands up on the perimeter... too many easy post entries
February 26th, 2011 at 6:29 PM ^
three ball to seize momentum... then go for it
February 26th, 2011 at 5:48 PM ^
Nothing comes easy, does it? This game is really physical, and you kind of wonder if UM has enough bodies to stay close.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:51 PM ^
and pack the paint please!
February 26th, 2011 at 5:52 PM ^
I think these are our first free throws
February 26th, 2011 at 5:52 PM ^
You can fuck me with a rake if that was a foul on DMo. Mbakwe gets pissed that he almost fell so he comes in and flails his arms around... FOUL FOUL FOUL
February 26th, 2011 at 5:55 PM ^
Well, that's one way to avoid a 3-point play, I guess.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:55 PM ^
a hard foul underneath instead of just a token reach leading to a 3 pt play.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:55 PM ^
starting to heat up the home cooking
February 26th, 2011 at 5:57 PM ^
I don't think Iowa is a statement win for Illinois at home
February 26th, 2011 at 5:57 PM ^
Someone needs to tell Valentine that the Four Tops are (mostly) dead, and he doesn't need to audition.
February 26th, 2011 at 5:58 PM ^
Do our opponents ever miss a free throw?
February 26th, 2011 at 5:59 PM ^
It's about time
February 26th, 2011 at 5:59 PM ^
with the tuff rebound