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…

MH20

February 21st, 2012 at 8:58 PM ^

Look, I'm sure Blake McLimans plays great in practice and is a great kid, but he is not a viable option on the court for more than two or three minutes at a time.  He makes you play 4-on-5 on the offensive end and barely registers a blip on the defensive end.

Not having Horford really hurts when the refs decide to make a concerted effort to call a slanted game and put our bigs on the bench.

True Blue Grit

February 21st, 2012 at 8:56 PM ^

Sitting Smotrycz and Morgan for most of the 2nd half was a very bad idea.  McLimans stunk out the place - he couldn't rebound, couldn't score, and couldn't play D.   You can't play a 5 guard offense and expect to win in the Big Ten.  I say you pull out the stop from the get-go in the 2nd half.  This game is too important.

StateStreet

February 21st, 2012 at 8:57 PM ^

I really hate complaining about refs in sports, but this is just insane. NW has been in the bonus for 9 minutes! That's a load of crap.

I wish I could say that NW is playing well enough to beat us or that we're just beating ourselves. But the refs are beating us, pure and simple. We better step it up and figure out how to get into the paint and play defense without fouling in the second half.

goblue85

February 21st, 2012 at 8:58 PM ^

ballgame forget the big ten title not going to happen.   just win couple down the stretch and ill be happy.

MGoBeer

February 21st, 2012 at 9:04 PM ^

If he played an entire game against Shurna playing center he would easily get 10 boards. That's five boards in a half which means the rebounds would be even right now. That's a conservative estimate of his impact considering he played thirty seconds and had an offensive board and immediately put it in.

MGoBeer

February 21st, 2012 at 8:59 PM ^

Blake Mclimans brings zero to the table. Why don't we invert the offense and post Hardaway when he's in? He's easily a better rebounder than Mclimans and at least Mclimans can occasionaly hit an open three so hopefully it pulls Shurna away from the basket.

mGrowOld

February 21st, 2012 at 8:59 PM ^

Look quit complaining about the refs.  If they didnt make an effort to balance things out then teams with less talent would always lose and that just isn't fair.  I'm so glad that everybody gets a chance to win a game in the B1G, just like my 7 year old's t-ball team, instead of that awful competitive nonsense you see in some leagues.

jonvalk

February 21st, 2012 at 9:03 PM ^

The only thing that bothers me about the refs is how much contact they're allowing NU to have on our guards while coming up the court.  To be fair, though, the other team is most DEFINITELY playing with more urgency.  We look like a team that just beat Ohio and is just happy with that.  Screw that, guys, we need a CHAMPIONSHIP!  Get your big boy pants on and TAKE THEM OUT.

 

EDIT: Perhaps a better word than "happy" is "content."  The guys look "content" that they beat Ohio and are fine losing a few down the stretch because they're a tourney lock again.

mGrowOld

February 21st, 2012 at 9:07 PM ^

I coached a boys travelling bball game once with homer refs like these.  We lost by one and at the end of the game i was playing 2 on 5 as they had fouled out 10 of my players and they 2 on the floor had 4 each.  And they called a T on one of my players dads for complaining....

Kinda like this one.

rob6reid

February 21st, 2012 at 9:02 PM ^

I Gues we can throw all releveant stats out the window. NW is last in the B1g in rebounding and FT % yet they are out rebounding us 20-9 and outshooting us at the line in attempts and %. Morgan better watch out when he goes to the score table to check in, or the refs might call him for another foul.

Roy G. Biv

February 21st, 2012 at 9:06 PM ^

What a disappointment it would be to throw away the OSU game by losing this one if M's collective head isn't extracted from its collective arse in the 2nd half.  Not gonna blame the zebras--when NW kicks your ass on the boards, a 7-point defecit is well earned.

ckersh74

February 21st, 2012 at 9:12 PM ^

THJ has forgotten how to shoot. Lay-ups, 3 pointers, FTs, anything.

He's cursed. Get him to kiss a frog. Sacrifice a live chicken in the locker room. Do something. Anything.