Michigan vs. Wisconsin B-Ball Snowflakes and Post Game Open Thread

Submitted by Mr. Yost on

Wisconsin I and Indiana II were disappointing ENDINGS. This was flat out a disappointing EFFORT.

(Slight Mod Edit - condensing snowflakes to one thread. This thread had more replies and discussion, but M-Wolverine won the "thread title" contest. LSA)

LSAClassOf2000

March 15th, 2013 at 5:34 PM ^

You may question the defense, you may question plays, but you may not come here and spew ad hominems and otherwise unfounded personal accusations at a player. 

The square of your point total deducted from the current total for two weeks...as a warning. 

joeismyname

March 15th, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^

I think Belien is a good coach, just not elite, or at least not B1G elite. His teams simply are not physical, and they rebound poorly. Even when we have 3 very servicable big men and other great athletes, we fail to simply box out for a rebound. I hope they can fix this (reasonbly) for the tournament, or we just hit a hot streak shooting. That seems to be what Belien lives and dies by, 3 point hot streaks.

That being said....I am still excited about the tourny, and anything could happen. This is still the most talented team we have had since the mid-90's, probably the fab 5. Hopefully some tourny magic comes their way.

 

GO BLUE!

Michaelmurphy

March 15th, 2013 at 5:02 PM ^

Frustrating is all I can say.....we had a chance to blow it open in the first half when Wisc was cold, but like usual, we didn't do it. I wish someone would go back and watch how many times we came down the floor in the first half and used less than 15 secs of the shot clock on forced, terrible outside shots. I would go out on a limb and say 7-9 times after a Wisc miss, we came down and launched a shot in under 15 secs. Instead of a 15-20 point lead at half we let them back within 3.
Even if we built the 15-20 halftime lead, doubt we would of held on to it. Yes, Wisc got hot and it seemed that everything they threw up went in, we continued to leave guy after guy open from 3 point range.

Terrible free throw shooting team......horrible rebounding team....mediocre defense....i guess we should be happy to be 26-7.....

robmorren2

March 15th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^

The loss to Wisconsin sucks, but I feel like a 3rd loss to IU would have been a crushing blow to the confidence of this team. I honestly would have rather lost to Wisc than IU. I have no problem being a rested 3 seed over a tired 2 seed. Especially taking into account Hardaway's ankle and whatever the hell is wrong with Jordan Morgan. The freshmen all looked fatigued today ... especially the shooting of Staukas & Robinson. I think 5 or 6 days of rest is more important than an appearance in the semifinal and/or final of the Big Ten Tournament.

jscbus

March 15th, 2013 at 5:08 PM ^

Here's a flake comin down; looks like it reads...oh, 23 of 57. Thats our FG%. 40%. Oh.

Wiscy's was even worse, at 38% (each team attempted 57 FG's), but they compensated with three's and free throws.

We were abysmal shooting today.

BILG

March 15th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^

There is no dominant team or even power teams this year like last year's Kentucky. Moreso than usual it's all about matchups and peaking at the right time. 

1) Unfortunately for us this team peaked early in the season and the Frosh and sophomores are running out of steam down the stretch.

2) Fortunately we probably won't have to see MSU, OSU, or Wisconsin until the elite eight.  Those are horrible matchups for Michigan.  Bruising, grinding, defensive teams...and athletic in the case of MSU and OSU.  We are not a chuck and rebound team which is a disadvantage in a bruising conference like the Big 10. 

The right draw in the tournament and this team can make a deep run.  The wrong draw and we are out in the round of 32.  Hopefully we get smaller, skilled, softer teams.

Indeed this team is probably too soft to win the championship, but a run to the FInal Four is not out of the question given the right draw.

 

snoopblue

March 15th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^

If we can get to the sweet 16, this team met expectations set BEFORE the season began. It's a young team, bottom line. Everyone needs an offseason in the weightroom. I really think Burke leaving will force other players to step up offensively.

M-Wolverine

March 15th, 2013 at 6:22 PM ^

Go back and look...people were saying (seriously) how they were better than the Fab Five, Nik was the best shooter to ever wear a Michigan uniform, and Beilein was the best coach in the country. And creating threads and arguing about it! I don't really think anyone thought we had the 5th best team in the conference. Which we are.

MidnightBlue

March 15th, 2013 at 5:11 PM ^

The recruit DOYLE cannot get here soon enough.... Im beyond sick watching how SOFT we are down low.... McGary is good but will need help...MSU sorry to say does it the right way with bigs

Jimmyisgod

March 15th, 2013 at 6:00 PM ^

Team's talent is a little overrated.  We played well and the media hype got us all excited thinking we had the 2012 Kentucky Wildcats roster full of talent, but the team isn't that talented.  More talented than what we've seen here in a while, but not elite. 

With a good draw, I still like our chances at a Final Four.

gsot21

March 15th, 2013 at 5:12 PM ^

If Timmy and GR3 come back, this team will be undoubtably better next year. Which is encouraging. Also I feel like that without trey Burke we will have more of a coherent offense next year.

718Wolverine

March 15th, 2013 at 5:14 PM ^

McGary needs to start! Hate watching the team come out so flat to start games only to pick it up when McGary checks in for Morgan...which nowadays happens in the first few minutes. Might as well start him. Speaking of Morgan...his game is totally useless at this point. He can't finish, hit free throws, and his rebound stats suck. How many times in a game does he grab a board only to lose it? Also, Horford needs more burn.

MGoDance

March 15th, 2013 at 5:14 PM ^

Why won't GR3 pull the trigger on jump shots anymore?  Seems like a total loss of confidence.  I think his subtraction from the offense is part of the downfall the past 45 days.

samdrussBLUE

March 15th, 2013 at 7:13 PM ^

I saw him pull the trigger multiple times today and saw him miss every attempt. He is being smart by not pulling the trigger. Now, if he would just get involved more frequently in the other areas of the game it really wouldn't be an issue

yoopergoblue

March 15th, 2013 at 5:16 PM ^

I'm starting to think Belein doesn't allow contact at all or very little during his practices.  We just aren't a tough team and let a totally unathletic Wisconsin team beat our asses up twice.

gsot21

March 15th, 2013 at 5:20 PM ^

It's almost almost 100% likely timmy and GR3 are coming back. Next years team could make this one look bad if the freshman improve. Looking at the tournament I will be happy with sweet sixteen

Slim_Hype

March 15th, 2013 at 5:34 PM ^

I had to calm myself down and really get my thoughts together to see if my feelings for this team is how I really felt after this game. I have to say that I am beginning to hate this team. I hate to say that it makes me feel dirty but man I'm sick of watching this soft, uninspired basketball. It disgusts me, maybe the expectations were to high. I'm still going to watch because of my loyalty and love for Michigan athletics but I don't think I'll be able to enjoy as much as I should or if at all. We need passion and so much more. I love coach B but I think his relaxed demeanor needs to change. He needs to lose his shit on this team, do something for fucks sake.

Yeoman

March 15th, 2013 at 5:36 PM ^

We just watched a John Beilein team--he of the countless variety of continuity offensive sets--go through forty minutes of basketball with only one player having an assist. (Burke had 7, the other ten players had zero.)

That would be odd for any team; for Beilein it's almost unthinkable. The whole point of his offenses is that all five players are handling the ball on the perimeter.

Well, that's ordinarily the point. This year's team has gotten away from that a bit.

Puget Sound Blue

March 15th, 2013 at 5:45 PM ^

...over the last few weeks (in the losses, at least). That's how having a player with Burke's gifts on a young team can be a double-edged sword- the rest of the team falls back into letting Burke take over. Sure, you want a guy like him handling the ball, but a team like U-M that hasn't yet developed a really strong inside presence depends that much more on moving the ball around.

Yeoman

March 15th, 2013 at 6:14 PM ^

Why do we want Burke handling the ball all the time? On the rare occasions we actually run a set through instead of breaking it off, he looks pretty good coming off an off-ball screen. And our other guys can play a little too, if they ever get the chance.

There has to be some middle ground here, some way to mix it up. Guys as talented as Stauskas and Hardaway and GR3 shouldn't spend half a season standing in the corner watching the other two guys on the floor run ball screens.

The ball screens are great in moderation, and Burke's great to have when it gets late in the shot clock, but there has to be more.

I'm sure Beilein didn't want things to end up here, but I'm not sure he knows the way home with the little time we have left. There's an Iowa game in the not-so-distant past that makes me think he understood the dangers, though.

Puget Sound Blue

March 15th, 2013 at 6:52 PM ^

Oh, I'm not saying you want Burke handling the ball all of the time. Just the opposite. You do need to spread it around - and that's precisely the rub. Burke is so good with the ball that sometimes the rest of the team falls into this pattern of leaving it him to take over games. You can only do that so much.

ontarioblue

March 15th, 2013 at 5:49 PM ^

However that was based on the early part of the season.  Down the stretch he has been an offensive liability.  At the start of each half today he received a good pass and dropped them both.  I just think at this point of the year, the other 2 are playing better than him right now.

SDCran

March 15th, 2013 at 5:49 PM ^

A quick look at the stats and they scream that UM was tired. Bad outside shooting across the board and 2 late runs by Wisconsin. We all know starter minutes are a concern.

Makes me a little nervous for next weekend's game. At least the other team will also be in a quick turnaround.