MBB vs. Indiana Open Thread

Submitted by MGoShoe on

Go Blue, beat IU!

Storylines:

  • Michigan attempts to end its three game losing streak
  • Novak and Douglass return to their home state

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• Radio: Michigan Sports Marketing (IMG)
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• U-M Radio: Matt Shepard (p-by-p) & David Merritt (analyst)
• Television Broadcast: Big Ten Network | Eric Collins (p-by-p) & Quinn Buckner (analyst)


After beginning the season 9-2, Tom Crean’s Indiana squad has since hit a slide, dropping its last six contests. After two tough losses at the Las Vegas Classic to Northern Iowa (67-61) and Colorado (78-69), the Hoosiers have lost each of their fi rst four Big Ten contests to Penn State (69-60), Ohio State (85-67), Minnesota (67-63) and Northwestern (93-81). Indiana holds a 9-8 overall record (0-4 Big Ten).

Under John Beilein, the Wolverines are 2-2 against the Hoosiers, with the teams splitting their matchups last season. In 2009-10, Michigan fell at Assembly Hall in their Big Ten opener, 71-65 (Dec. 31), but came away victorious in Ann Arbor, 69-45 (Jan. 14). This season, the Hoosiers are led by sophomore Christian Watford, who leads Indiana with 16.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.


  • Michigan will play three of its next four games, and expanding further fi ve of its next seven, on the road, starting with a game at Indiana (Jan. 15). Michigan had played 10 of its last 11 games in Crisler Arena, going 7-3 at home in that stretch.
  • Three of Michigan's six losses this season have come against three of top-fi ve ranked programs in the nation. U-M lost by just three to No. 4 Syracuse (53-50), lost by seven in overtime to No. 3 Kansas (67-60) and by just four to No. 2 Ohio State (68-64).
  • In conference play, Michigan is shooting a league-best 89.2 percent (33-of-37) from the free throw line in Big Ten games and is 47-of-54 (87 percent) over the last five games.
  • Overall, Michigan is second in the Big Ten in free-throw percentage (73.1 percent) and has two players in the top-10 in the conference in free-throw percentage. Tim Hardaway Jr. is eighth in the conference (81.5 percent) while Darius Morris ranks 10th in the league (76.8 percent).
  • U-M coach John Beilein needs to coach 15 more games to reach 1,000 total contests in his 33-year career. At the current pace, the 1,000th game will be the Wolverines' opening game at the 2011 Big Ten Tournament.
  • With 131 three-point fi eld goals, Stu Douglass is eighth all-time at U-M. Douglass needs four to move into seventh (Glen Rice, 135).

Blazefire

January 15th, 2011 at 7:48 PM ^

Beat IU!

If they put up a big win here, then they should have some huge momentum moving on. If not, then thsoe three close losses to really good teams start to look like past years, wherein we played as well as any opponent... or as poorly.

Brewcityitalian

January 15th, 2011 at 8:15 PM ^

I wish Morgan could hit a shot when being guarded inside

 

if he could we would be a much better squad

MGolem

January 15th, 2011 at 8:17 PM ^

 just the right amount of accent. Also Indiana sucks and their jerseys look like a Middle School effort. It is 2011, try something different for god's sake.

Kal

January 15th, 2011 at 8:30 PM ^

I like that our team always adjusts strong in the second half, especially against tough competition, but it would be more encouraging if we just started a game strong for once too.

Flying Dutchman

January 15th, 2011 at 8:30 PM ^

With 8 min in the 1st, this is fucking ugly.   We have played so well against some top-flight teams, losing nailbiters, and here we are playing a shitty Indiana team and just stinking up the joint.

C'mon Blue, get it together.

BigBlue02

January 15th, 2011 at 8:35 PM ^

Just stop watching our basketball team. It is obvious you don't like anything about them. You said the exact same thing about our offense when we were taking Kansas into overtime. But I guess you are right....if it can only hang with the top teams in the nation, why would we think it could win the B10?

Maize and Blue…

January 16th, 2011 at 8:36 AM ^

and they are blowing us out.  We play decent at home, but this team will be lucky to win more than 6 games in the Big Ten.  Good thing Nebraska joins next year that should help.

How does JB get a vote of confidence from DB?  He has a ton of talent in his back yard that he doesn't/can't recruit (sans CB), he's terrible in conference, his team is young.  Damn that sounds familiar except for the having a ton of talent in your backyard part. Oh yeah, he is also  in his fourth year.