Post game thoughts IU

Those two Zeller dunks off of missed Oladipo layups struck me a place where Morgan probably would have made a smarter play. I think overall though, the dropoff from Morgan to Horford was very small.

Saying that Zeller got those put back dunks b/c of McGary is completely incorrect.  The guards were getting beat off the dribble, and McGary was doing the correct thing by sliding over and providing help defense.  By doing this, of course, he leaves Zeller free.  Someone else is supposed to rotate down to pick up Zeller, but a lot of these were bang-bang plays and there was no time for anyone to rotate down and put a body on Zeller.

So you are left with a bit of a catch-22.  The Indiana player has a step on his defender, and if Belein tells McGary not to help, he will be able to take a high percentage lay-up/close shot.  On the other hand, if McGary goes over and helps, he makes the shot much tougher by contesting it, but he leaves Zeller alone for a potential rebound.

I don't know of many coaches who would tell their big men NOT to help on a guard who has penetrated.  You'd rather make them take a tough shot (which McGary did successfully multiple times) and risk the offensive rebound than allow them to take the easier layup when they have a step on their defender.

So I wouldn't blame McGary for that at all, and I think Morgan would have been doing the same things were he in the game.  And if you look at it, at least a couple of those O-Rebs went RIGHT to Zeller, they couldn't have been more perfect if they were passed to him intentionally.  It happens like that sometimes when you allow penetration....tough to blame the big guy for something he doesn't have control over.

See my above, probably too long post.  McGary was bruising with Zeller all night!  Knocked him down several times, was generally pretty physical.  What do you want him to do, let Oladipo get a lay-up or dunk?!? McGary has to leave his man to help, it is not his fault that he has to do that. 

Next time a big guy gets a put-back dunk in any game you are watching, before just automatically saying "Wow Big Guy X didn't box his guy out," rewind the DVR and watch why his man left him.  Sure, it could be due to a mistake, but most of the time it will be because he had to help on penetrating ball handlers, as McGary did multiple times tonight.

four buckets that were not O-Reb dunks. MM was fronting Zeller and/or trying to steal the ball when IU lobbed it into the post. This worked to prevent IU from having much in the way of post entry pass-initiated offense. Zeller only had one make that came as a result of a traditional post move (that pretty little fall-away shot) and he had no assists where the ball goes in and he kicks it out to an open man after the D collapses. Zeller's taller and has a great post game so using MM's quickness to try to deny him the ball seems like a reasonable course of action. Unfortunately, that strategy drew MM out of position for defensive rebounding and help defense several times. Pick your poison against a team as good as IU - Michigan just didn't knock down enough shots to keep up, unfortunately.

I don't think anyone is piling on Mitch. Just saying that Morgan seems a bit better in those situations. No fault in how Mitch played for pkaying in an insane environment against a fantastic team. Especially since he had to be extra careful not to foul since Morgan was out. If Morgan could go, I think Mitch would have been a bit more agressive and not so tempered. Not that he wasn't pushing Cody around some.

What happened? Did you shrink?

for being in Bloomington the refs had as good a game as possible (only exception is the ridiculous Oladipo continuation 3 point play - which if it was a continuation meant he took 4 steps to the basket !!!).  

Bottom line - Staukus is a FRESHMAN.  The 2 biggest games of the year he's so geeked that he is lost out there.  He had 3 wide open looks from distance in the first 7 minutes that he NEEDS to hit at least 2.   The perimeter was available, but IU didn't need to be concened since we were 2 for 11.  Hitting those shots may have opened up the inside for GR3  -  who could also be described as a freshman in this game.  If GR3 is outmatched by Wadford - then he's not ready for the NBA ... so at least he'll be back.  On the other hand Trey can start in the NBA right now ... 90% chance he's gone after this year.

DAMN IT  -  we need to win one of these BIG GAMES !!!!!

Go Blue!