NCAA Basketball will be a blessing in disguise

Submitted by GoBluePhil on November 25th, 2020 at 3:28 PM

With the football season turning into a disaster the upcoming NCAA Basketball season will be a blessing.  Even though we can’t attend games, the fact that we can listen on radio, live stream, watch on several cable channels and have games on local channels is great.  Today at noon I live-streamed the Michigan Women’s game vs. CMU, then watch a bit of OSU in ESPN, turned to the Big Ten Network for some of the Illinois game and will be watching Michigan Men play at 4:00pm on ESPN2.  There will be plenty of games all over the networks at so many different times it will feel like tournament time without the great matchups.  

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MRunner73

November 25th, 2020 at 3:49 PM ^

With much smaller rosters compared to football and a fair number of students not on campus, it will be easier for teams to be in a bubble. The cancellation rates of scheduled games will be lower but not eliminated.

Joined: 11/11/2018

MGoPoints: 16912

blue in dc

November 25th, 2020 at 5:34 PM ^

While rosters are smaller and at least through the first part of January will help, basketball has its own set of challenges.

First, there is significantly more travel.   For instance, there are 8 teams, spending three days in South Dakota, a State that is seeing more than twice the US average of new cases each day.  
 

Second, our hospital system is closing in on having 50% more hospitalizations than our other two peaks (59,712 on July 23 and 59,924 on April 15).   Yesterday we were at 88,080 and increasing fast (the number increased by more than 2000 hospitalizations each of the last two days).  On October 24, when Michigan started its football season, we were at 41,989 and when the first games kicked off back on September 3, we were at 34,650

Joined: 01/22/2011

MGoPoints: 20401

WorldwideTJRob

November 25th, 2020 at 3:51 PM ^

My biggest question is what will teams like Villanova, St. John’s and Seton Hall do? They all usually play in NBA arenas to accommodate the amount of fans they have for their home games. Do they now just play at their on campus arenas, since no one will be at the games? Or do they still have the games in the bigger arena for better TV angles?

Joined: 07/05/2010

MGoPoints: 31149

Oldadguy

November 25th, 2020 at 5:08 PM ^

Indoor game. Close contact. 22 games already canceled or postponed. 40 teams have paused activities. 12 man rosters. Winter sport. Yeah it’ll be a shit show if it isn’t actually shutdown 

Joined: 05/14/2015

MGoPoints: 5168

LabattsBleu

November 25th, 2020 at 6:25 PM ^

Honestly, BBall has been a blessing since Beilein's first year (8th season had its frustrations mind you)...

Pretty confident that Juwan is going to build on Beilein's foundation and bring a title to AA at some point!

Joined: 10/06/2012

MGoPoints: 16413

DK81

November 25th, 2020 at 6:26 PM ^

Most people on the board (and in the Michigan fanbase) are miserable and insufferable. You are just looking for any opportunity to take a shot at the football program.

They have clearly figured something out with McNamara with two very winnable games up next. I will be supporting the team. This is very different than the end of the Hoke and Rich Rod era. Harbaugh has a much better track record of success (including at Michigan) and will get Michigan back on track. They lost alot to the NFL / Covid  and injuries and had no spring.

 

Even if you disagree, we don’t need a dumbass swipe at the football program everytime the basketball team plays. 

Joined: 02/11/2012

MGoPoints: 598