Michigan vs. Northwestern Basketball Open Thread

Submitted by M-Wolverine on

What a difference a game makes. What would have seemed like a ho-hum Tuesday game is now a crucial game in the Big Ten title race after beating Ohio. As always, Go Blue!

Edit: For your entertainment, while we're waiting, for the students on the Blog, don't leave you evening companion to do the "walk of shame"...call her a shuttle-

 

http://www.annarbor.com/news/u-m-students-walk-of-shame-shuttle-service…

jmblue

February 21st, 2012 at 10:34 PM ^

We win yet another close game.  Could our success in tight games be related to Beilein's policy of sitting players with two personals in the first half?  Fans hate it, but it's been very successful at helping our players avoid fouling out.  It's easier to win close games when you have your best players on the floor at the end of the game.

jmblue

February 21st, 2012 at 10:37 PM ^

We win yet another close game.  Could our success in tight games be related to Beilein's policy of sitting players with two personals in the first half?  Fans hate it, but it's been very successful at helping our players avoid fouling out.  It's easier to win close games when you have your best players on the floor at the end of the game.

WMUgoblue

February 21st, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^

I don't mind sitting Smot, and Morgan with 2 fouls, but my god McLimans was not giving a damn thing offensively and he was being victimized on defense, Colton should have entered the game earlier than he did. He can at least hold his own on the glass and in the paint. McLimans was a giant black hole on both ends of the court tonight.

Mr. Yost

February 21st, 2012 at 10:56 PM ^

Talk about the 3's, talk about the fact that it's Northwestern. That was a hostile environment against a team that was fighting for its NCAA Tourney life. That was Michigan in past years.

The resolve and composure shown late was BEYOND impressive.

We're peaking at the right time. Michigan is going to be a PROBLEM, we just have to maintain and even raise this effort, composure, and level of play. Now that Hardaway, Vogrich and Smotz seem to be coming around...and Coach B has finally seen the light that we NEED Jordan Morgan ON the floor (and if Smotz needs to play, then we need to take out someone else other than Burke to get him in)...I truly like our chances.

Mr. Yost

February 21st, 2012 at 10:59 PM ^

Ohio looked good today, I think losing to us the way they did is what THEY needed. I've spoken to a lot of people and everyone seems to be handing MSU the 'w' on the last game of the year. I think Ohio is the better team personally. Just hit a slump and seemed disinterested a little. I think that game in Ann Arbor was their wake up call and I truly could see them running the table until they (hopefully) play us again in the B1G Tournament. I don't think they lose again in the regular season.

At this point, I'm hoping State trips up before they play Ohio as unlikely as that seems.

jmblue

February 21st, 2012 at 11:01 PM ^

We win yet another close game.  Could our success in tight games be related to Beilein's policy of sitting players with two personals in the first half?  Fans hate it, but it's been very successful at helping our players avoid fouling out.  It's easier to win close games when you have your best players on the floor at the end of the game.

jmblue

February 21st, 2012 at 11:20 PM ^

They can't be on the floor if they foul out.  That's the thing.  In all of our close wins, Morgan's been available at the end of the game.   Imagine having to play McLimans at the end of the second half instead of the first.

B-Nut-GoBlue

February 21st, 2012 at 11:40 PM ^

I'm not sure saying  "they would most certainly be in the game at the end" is fact.  Coaches have been doing this a long time, for a reason.  If the refs have it out (I'm not saying this in the literal sense they have it out for players) for Morgan or Smotz in the beginning why wouldn't they through the middle and end of the game?  So benching them for periods of the game to ENSURE they're in the game at the end is playing the odds and not taking the CHANCE they're not.

I do agree with the premise, for fans, that it is annoying.  There are times I disagree about taking a player out for "foul" security, but at the end of the day coaches are making these calls to give the best chance for them to play when needed.  It's also not a guarantee a team runs away from the other team if they were to have been in during those stretches of the game they were on the bench; it may seem like it could be but it also is not a fact that they would. 

In the end, agree to disagree!

umchicago

February 22nd, 2012 at 3:30 AM ^

 i have no problem sitting a guy for a great spell in the first half when he commits 2 fouls; ie. smot and morgan tonite.  however, when you sit there and let mclimans get abused on both ends of the court for 10 minutes, then put christian in for a couple minutes to end the half, that is just plain dumb.

we basically had a 19-13 lead when morgan and smot committed their 2nd fouls and sat for the half.  in comes mclimans.  it then was 27-23, iirc, when beilein finally got mclimans the hell outta there for christian - not much of an upgrade.  then 31-24 at half.

then, low and behold, morgan and smot do not come into any kind of foul trouble in the 2H.  this policy of sitting guys with 2 fouls for the entire first half could easily cost us a tourny game.  if i ever see mclimans in for 10 min in one half again, may god have mercy on my soul.

i honestly don't understand the deal with mclimans.  he actually had some good spurts earlier in the year.  now he can't grab a rebound to save his life.  tonite, he literally let a nw guy behind him grab a rebound of his head.  he also let a free throw miss hit the ground in front of him and proceded to watch a nw guy grab it.  unbelievable.  GRAB THE DAMN BALL!!!

DeadMan

February 21st, 2012 at 11:17 PM ^

Bad stats of the night: Burke 4-12 from 3; Hardaway 2-9. They should not be taking that many 3s. I don't remember Burke slashing more than once, and that's with Northwestern not having a huge inside presence. Hardaway did a better job slashing in the first half but he needs to get to the basket more. He can finish there.

DeadMan

February 21st, 2012 at 11:34 PM ^

That is true, but Burke wasn't even trying to attack the 1-3-1. We were too content to take 3s, and we also took a ton of 3s that were 2+ feet behind the arc. I had too many NOOOOOOOOOOKAY YES moments tonight.

 

I would also prefer other players than Burke and Hardaway taking that amount of 3s. 4-12 and 2-9 speaks for itself. I would rather Novak and Vogrich have that many attempts right now. Burke is only an okay 3 point shooter, and Hardaway is a bad 3 point shooter right now.

Needs

February 21st, 2012 at 11:45 PM ^

It's really hard for your point to attack the 1-3-1, because it sets up a natural trap point on either side of the key. If the point tries to penetrate, he runs himself right into a trap, and even if he splits the trap, the guy at the center of the 3 man line is there to pick him up. The classic way to beat it is to send a guy to the high post who can then turn and attack the central spine, with one players cutting in from the weak side wing and another spotting up in the corner. The other way is what you saw today, swinging the ball side to side, forcing the guy at the bottom of the zone to cover lots of ground, and eventually opening up the corner 3s, 

I though the only really bad 3s we took tonight were some of Douglas's long-range bombs from the wing. They were open, but they were very deep and that shot is available any time against that D.

M-Wolverine

February 21st, 2012 at 11:33 PM ^

That the site can't handle a basketball game vs. NORTHWESTERN without 503ing. But it's really a credit to our basketball team.

B-Nut-GoBlue

February 21st, 2012 at 11:44 PM ^

What would the "offshores" have made the lines at that Michigan would have been out-rebounded by Northwestern.  They even had 2 more Off. rebounds that Michigans 9.  Not what I expected.  Some of this due to Morgan's benching but I still say that shouldn't have happened.  (Hern with 11 boards)

M-Dog

February 22nd, 2012 at 12:08 AM ^

Good tough win.  I loved the effort.  

I expected a ltiile post-Ohio State win letdown from Michigan, but I never saw it.  There was no evidence they were coming off of such a big win.  They fought every minute, especially on D.  

AVPBCI

February 22nd, 2012 at 2:32 AM ^

I was at the game tonight

 

1. Burke is the real deal

2. Hardaway jr needs to get his confidence back in regards to jumpers and the free throw line.

3. Morgan and Smots pick up early fouls, were in trouble.

4. if Novak is guarding in the low block, its trouble.

5. Have to prepare for teams to trap us more as NW did tonight.

6. Matt Vogrich deserves more time

7. 1st 10 minutes of tonights game , i saw some horrible refereeing.

8. Welsh-Ryan Arena is basically a big high school gym !

9.. Dixie Kitchen in Evanston has daaaaaaaam good food

`10. the win was nice, an early b day gift

umchicago

February 22nd, 2012 at 3:40 AM ^

kudos to those two.  they did an absolute awesome job at passing the ball at the top of NW's 1-3-1 zone.  i don't think they had  one bad pass or turnover up top.  douglass had one overthrowing morgan in the post, but that was about it.  a thing of beauty for basketball purists.

ClearEyesFullHart

February 22nd, 2012 at 7:58 AM ^

     They had to stay the course.  Both of Morgan's first half fouls were manufactured by officiating (the camera angle obscured view of the first foul, but Morgan's chest absolutely brutalized the forearm that was pushing off of him (away from the ball) on the second one).  Then Smotrycz picked up his second.    In the absence of Horford, Michigan is absolutely toast when Morgan and Smotz are on the bench.  I almost wish they'd converted Hardaway to a post player in the offseason.  His body type isn't that different from Deshawn Sims.  But as it is, Michigan just had to get through the first half within striking range.

     When the second half started, you could tell from the whistle they were not going to lose this game.  From Burke to Morgan to Hardaway, you could see that look of quiet determination.  I dont see this team losing in the regular season.  We just need MSU to slip up once, and I think we're going to hang a banner in Crisler Arena.

 

MH20

February 22nd, 2012 at 10:19 AM ^

NW needs to find a better camera well placement for their televised games.  That giant support beam that cuts through the top portion of the screen and often obscures the ball for a brief second on topside wing and corner threes is really annoying.  Maybe I'm nitpicking but I think that is a hit to the overall presentation of a broadcast when the basketball disappears during a shot and the viewer has to pick it up again before it reaches the rim.