Michigan Sticks in Top 5 for AP Poll
December 9th, 2019 at 12:29 PM ^
Great match up on Saturday at noon. Go Blue.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
Wednesday at 9 does not look like a walk in the park, either.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:48 PM ^
I'm more worried about that game than Saturday's game.
Will be interesting to see how the new up tempo, free-wheeling Michigan does with Illinois' pressure and length. Could be 20+ TOs.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:49 PM ^
Wednesday's game will definitely be a tough one. Illinois was leading Maryland for most of their game and choked it away in the final seconds. Not sure who Maryland has played but Illinois are better than their record.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:01 PM ^
Illinois has beaten Nicholls St, Grand Canyon, Hawaii, the Citadel, Hampton, and Lindenwood (?).
Losses to Arizona, Miami (at home by 18), and Maryland.
Soooo...they probably aren't that good but the Assembly Halls are usually tough venues.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:06 PM ^
I guess Maryland sucks too then.
(Not being sarcastic, maybe they actually do, don't quite understand that ranking but whatever).
December 9th, 2019 at 2:23 PM ^
I watched the majority of that game. I definitely came away thinking that Maryland was severely overrated. Illinois only gives me pause because the game is in Champaign.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:12 PM ^
illinois did not lose to miami by 18. i watched that game. they were down by one with the final possession and had an offensive charge. they were down by 26 (i think) at one point. so it was a heckuva comeback.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:25 PM ^
You are correct, I looked at the score wrong obviously lol
December 9th, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
Another chance at a top ten opponent coming up.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:09 PM ^
And during Duck season. Going to be fun!
December 9th, 2019 at 12:34 PM ^
It's sorta crazy that the Big 10 has three teams in the top-10 and 1 of them isn't MSU.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^
love it - screw those bastards
December 9th, 2019 at 12:40 PM ^
"It's sorta crazy that the Big 10 has three teams in the top-10 and 1 of them isn't MSU."
It's sorta crazy that the Big 10 has three teams in the top-5 and 1 of them isn't MSU.
FIFY...
December 9th, 2019 at 12:55 PM ^
True.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:45 PM ^
It's certainly unusual, to say the least, but then I don't really mind.
December 9th, 2019 at 10:26 PM ^
Absolutely the most stacked conference division in college BB and it’s not even close.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:37 PM ^
I thought Duke might move ahead of M and wouldn't have begrudged voters if that was the case. Glad to see they didn't drop far after a totally understandable loss at the #1 team.
The ESPN guy Jeff Borzello had Gonzaga one spot ahead of M and it was like um, dude, do you realize Michigan destroyed Gonzaga by 18 on a neutral floor?
Shocked OSU isn't ahead of Kansas, but woo *waves tiny flag*
December 9th, 2019 at 12:37 PM ^
Fair, since we played the #1 team on the road. (Note that Louisville is now the clear-cut #1, as evidenced by its point total.)
Wow, #3, #4 and #5 are all Big Ten teams.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:38 PM ^
Awesome job by MBB.
Still hate seeing that shitty school down south above us.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
So is this the year of a B1G national champion in basketball?
December 9th, 2019 at 12:51 PM ^
Certainly set up for that to be a (relatively) high likelihood. The traditional powers are mostly down this year. Pretty wide open at the top and the B1G has four teams with a chance.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:01 PM ^
Has a coach ever been Ewing theory'd before???
December 9th, 2019 at 1:35 PM ^
I won't stand for ANY Beilein slander. Not sure how long you've followed Michigan hoops, but it can't have been more than a decade if you're willing to throw shade at John Beilein.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:46 PM ^
It's not slander or shade. It's just an acknowledgment that maybe the team is playing better, "inexplicably," without their star coach. What could explain the improvement? Some pretty good assistant coaches. More freedom in the offense letting players like Brooks not shrink under the pressure. Year-over-year improvement from Z, Teske, and Livers.
December 9th, 2019 at 2:58 PM ^
Players typically improve year over year. We saw incredible leaps regularly under Beilein. It's impossible to say at this point that Michigan's players have improved more than they would have under Beilein or any other regime.
I do think the staff is doing a great job, but these are really good players they're coaching and Beilein deserves a lot of credit for recruiting and developing them. If we're being rational we'd acknowledge that John Beilein has a lot to do with this team's success.
December 9th, 2019 at 7:13 PM ^
Easy turbo. Let’s maybe get through a whole season before we anoint Howard as some kind of basketball coaching savant who has just breezed in here and improved on what the best coach in school history has built.
December 11th, 2019 at 12:38 AM ^
holy crap, do people even read comments before they reply to them? how is this slander against Beilein???
December 9th, 2019 at 7:10 PM ^
Hate to tell you this dummy, but if it wasn’t for John Beilein, Michigan would still probably be fighting with Nebraska and Northwestern for B10 relevancy.
Or did you forget how far things had fallen during the Ellerbe/Amaker years?
December 9th, 2019 at 7:56 PM ^
I remember being excited that Beilein might get us to the tournament almost every year with some sweet 16s. That’s how low my excited ceiling was after ellerbe and amaker. Beilein exceeded those by a million miles and deserves a ton of credit for this team and the program. I like Howard just as much and am so glad to see him doing well
December 11th, 2019 at 12:36 AM ^
JFC, do you know what the Ewing theory is? It specifically acknowledges that the person who left is a great one, hence it's inexplicable that the team somehow performs better.
December 9th, 2019 at 4:46 PM ^
If there is a year for it, this is probably it, seeing as how your traditional powers like Duke, UNC, Kansas and Kentucky don't look like all-dominating worldbeaters (yet). Truly amazing that the conference has been unable to get over that hump in the last 20 years with how many great teams its produced. Its not like they've had any shortage of teams that have made the Final Four or even the title game.
By my count, the Big Ten has sent 13 teams to the Final Four in the last 20 years (14 if you include Maryland in 2002). Of those 13 teams, 7 of them went to the title game. None of them won. I know one game isn't connected to the other, but you'd think the conference would've accidentally won by now.
December 9th, 2019 at 6:39 PM ^
Two of those seven games were hopeless: OSU-Florida and (unfortunately) Mich-Villanova. In those years, the best team by far got to the final and nothing could be done about it.
IU-Maryland was also fairly futile. Indiana overachieved significantly to get there; then they ran into a 1 seed.
So that leaves 4 games in which the B1G wasn’t a significant underdog. MSU got blown away but the other three (Illinois, U-M and Wisconsin) were all right there. Wisconsin in particular had some real tough officiating luck early in the second half.
December 11th, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
2009 MSU vs UNC. No one was beating UNC.
2013 should have been the year The B10 got their most recent championship.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:43 PM ^
Where they still belong. Next 2 games against Illinois and Oregon are must wins if we want to stay among the top 5
December 9th, 2019 at 12:45 PM ^
Would think Kansas would be behind us based on resume. Worse loss (Duke compared to #1 Louisville) and not as many good wins.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:35 PM ^
They have a greater pedigree, unfortunately. We have to prove we belong every year, Kansas does not.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:46 PM ^
IF Michigan beats Oregon it would be their 3rd top 10 win and yet Ohio St is now the next best thing since sliced bread...just more PROOF that these rankings are meaningless ..we both Pummled NC.. weve already beaten Creighton, Iowa St, NC, Gonzaga and Iowa...Who else has OSU played? seriously .our only loss was on the road at #1....that would be 4 top 10 games in PRESEASON...is there a tougher noncon schedule than Ours? All Ive heaerd this week is how OSU is probably the best team in the country..BASED UPON WHAT?
December 9th, 2019 at 12:57 PM ^
Jeez, calm your tits dude, it’s college basketball and the rankings are utterly meaningless. They only exist to give idiots like Dick Vitale something to talk about and for fans to overreact to be screaming how can such and such a team be ranked ahead of us?!?!?!
Everyone is going to the big dance in March. We’ll get our chance to prove our superiority over OSU and everyone else then.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:59 PM ^
They beat UNC by 25 (!!!) at Chapel Hill. Michigan won by 9 on a neutral floor. Advantage OSU.
They are way ahead of M in the fancy stats because they've won 8 straight games by 19+, which included games against Villanova and PSU which are both ranked higher than all the teams Michigan has beaten except Gonzaga.
There are two teams that should unequivocally be ahead of Michigan (unfortunately): OSU and Louisville and it's not even that close, at least right now.
December 9th, 2019 at 2:39 PM ^
They beat UNC by 25 (!!!) at Chapel Hill. Michigan won by 9 on a neutral floor. Advantage OSU.
But it's not quite a fair comparison, because we played UNC when they were at full strength while Bacot was injured early on in their game against OSU.
December 9th, 2019 at 3:02 PM ^
This is a fair point. But the difference is still 16 points at a more difficult venue (so more like 19+ points). Bacot isn't good enough to make up that difference.
December 9th, 2019 at 6:58 PM ^
I don’t think we can know for sure. Losing one key guy can have a ripple effect.
Our game also wasn’t as close as the final indicated.
December 9th, 2019 at 7:06 PM ^
Maize4Life, OSU is shooting just shy of 52% from the 3 and they like to run. They have some very athletic wings with lenght, love defense and have a elite freshman PG, from Chicago. Prone to turnovers. Gotta take away their 3's and see what happens. A solid veteran team could beat them but they are a top 10 team min.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:46 PM ^
Is ohio state that good? Honest question.
Early season computer rankings are, of course, in serious misalignment with voters. They still love 6-3 msu, who sit 1 spot ahead of #17 UNC in the latest AP poll.
And wow - a FOURTH top ten non-conference opponent Saturday? Go Blue, beat the ducks!
Per Kenpom, that's the 22nd hardest NC schedule in the country, but 4th toughest against the high major / power 5 conferences behind msu, Kansas, and Oregon.
December 9th, 2019 at 12:57 PM ^
Ohio State has blown out two top 50 Kenpom teams (Villanova and UNC) by 25+ points. Also beat a good Cincinnati team. They are legit.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:02 PM ^
PSU is a top 25 kenpom team and they also beat them by 25+.
December 9th, 2019 at 5:19 PM ^
Yeah, PSU might be a team to watch this year. Not saying they'll challenge for the B1G title or anything, but they're going to be trouble for quite a few teams and could be in the NCAA tournament field when all is said and done
December 9th, 2019 at 5:54 PM ^
Yes, they're second tier B1G and could make the tournament. Relatively impressive blowouts of G-town and Syracuse away from home (not that those teams are that good but impressive for the MOV). Their strong finish to the season last year is carrying over.
December 9th, 2019 at 1:02 PM ^