Chi-Blue

February 2nd, 2013 at 11:53 PM ^

Yes he had some mistakes defensively tonight but but he is a guy that's only going to get better, and I think a lot better. He is consistent because his work ethic is consistent. At this stage of his career his game is very dependent on being an energy player and he does very well with that. I think as he gets into a college weight room and then continues to work on his game with some finesse he is going to be very very good.

bleedingblue11

February 2nd, 2013 at 11:54 PM ^

Overall I'm not too bummed this is not a bad lose! Living 40 miles from bloomington I'm gonna have to hear about how iu knocked off another no 1 team! If history repeats itself the last no 1 team they beat won the national title so I'm hoping!!! Slow start really hurt us and horrible shooting from behind the arc! I've watched iu play several games and outside of put back dunks and a couple of three foot shots Zeller is overrated. Think we beat ourselves tonight! Let them enjoy no1 for the week! On to the buckeyes lets bounce back home and stay in hunt for B1G championship we'll get iu at home and that will shut up the idiots here where I live!

Chi-Blue

February 2nd, 2013 at 11:56 PM ^

The more I watch this team the more it sticks out the Trey Burke will be gone at the end of the year. Other than that, everyone should come back because they are not ready.

M-Wolverine

February 2nd, 2013 at 11:57 PM ^

But if all these "learning experiences" don't become "lessons learned" soon, we're going to be looking up in the standings. But win 2 of the next 3 and we're still in the hunt. Show we've learned something and pull off all three and the rest of the conference can start worrying.

It's going to be sweet to stick it to Indiana at home the last game of the season to win the Big Ten title.

MichiganMan14

February 2nd, 2013 at 11:58 PM ^

We have to play a little nastier and with a little more attitude on the road. Overall I think the boys competed well. Michigan was always going to lose games in the B1G. Indiana travels to Ann Arbor in a month. We will see what happens then. Beat Ohio.

Wolverine Devotee

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:02 AM ^

Anyone freaking out on this is pretty ridiculous.

I rather NOT have #1. Huge target and provides extra motivation for the team you're playing against. Like Trey said, "They don't hang banners for being #1 in February". 

The only thing this effects is the B1G picture. Luckily, crean can't win on the road mixed with them playing at ohio, at state, at wisconsin and at Michigan which I all see as losses for them, takes them out of the title picture. Possibly. Unless there is a 4-way-tie-fushion-cuisine for the title.

Michigan just has to take care of business the rest of the way, ESPECIALLY AT HOME, and I think they will win this championship. Maybe outright. That's what I'm focused on. Anything after the B1G Championship is icing on the cake for me at least.

Yes I know basketball isn't just about winning the conference title but winning them is not easy. To me, winning a conference title ALMOST trumps that of a national title. You have to get hot at the right time and win 6 in a row for a national title. In a conference, you have to weather the storm over 18 games. Not something Michigan has done very often which is why I value it the way I do. Especially winning it in a conference like this. 

Oh, and also: BEAT OHIO

 

 

SeattleWolverine

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:13 AM ^

IU doesn't have to play @Wisconsin this year. Which is extraordinarily fortunate for them since Ryan has beaten Crean like 11 times in a row. 

They do still have to go to Minnesota though FWIW.

Sir Guy

February 3rd, 2013 at 4:15 PM ^

And really, all you have to do is be a top-four team to gain a one seed.  Not worried.  Our hardest four games are now behind us, and if we can win at home, we shouldn't have a hard time winning the B1G championship!

Trust the Process

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:03 AM ^

Sucks to lose, but the team played well after the initial surge.



Burke was really good as usual, would like more dribble penetration and dish from him.



Impressed with McGary, he is really turning it on.



Robinson showed tonight he isn't ready for the next level yet. Unable to create his own shot, but still shows a lot of athleticism.



Looking forward to Tuesday.

j-turn14

February 3rd, 2013 at 1:01 AM ^

It certainly wasn't the most efficient 25 points, but he did have more points than FGA which isn't inefficient either. And he had 8 assists. Trey wasn't the problem, our third and fourth leading scorers going 4/16 from the field for 12 points were.

Wolverine Devotee

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:04 AM ^

Also a little food for thought: the last #1 ranked team to lose at indiana was kentucky last year.

Didn't kentucky win something in April? 

burtcomma

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:05 AM ^

Let's see how the team grows and develops after this loss.  A very young team found its footings and bearings and came back and made it a pretty close game on the road against a top 3 team where no Michigan team has won since 1986.......Let's see how we do Tuesday night against OSU, and move on from there.....Saw 4 freshmen on the floor a few times, learning how to play on the road in the B1G......We missed Morgan a lot tonight, and he should be back for Tuesday.  Beat Ohio, and move on.

 

Generic MGoBlogger

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:24 AM ^

that were made as a team both in transition and in the half court showed greatness in the potential of this team, but we lost because most of the plays made down the stretch didn't attempt to unleash that potential.  As long as we develop and utilize all aspects of the team, we will be fine... but if we try crap like we did tonight, it may end up looking like the game against Ohio in the tournament last season. We have to stay focused.

Craze for Maize

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:32 AM ^

Im frustrated, but I wanted to chime in and say, this is such a great problem to have. 5 years ago, we went 10-22. I remember the year we finally got back to the dance and how excited I was. Now, we're EXPECTING a number ons seed. Amazing.

snoopblue

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:34 AM ^

Snowflakes? This game really didn't matter, I have to keep telling myself that. It's hard to fight the ESPN & BTN hype machines. It comes down to who in that top tier of teams is going to steal a win on the road or who will drop a game they shouldn't at home. With our team being so young, there's a lot to like. McGary was solid. Horford looked good. I think this Morgan injury could be a good thing (if it's really only minor) because Horford and McGary continue to get better. Robinson and Stauskas are too young to really judge, just had bad games.

My only concern is that we opened the game poorly in our two big road games thus far. This team needs to come out angry and borrow some swagger from the Fab 5. Here's to hoping we trash Ohio State on Tuesday and win by 50 at the Breslin Center when that game rolls around. Can't sleep on Wisconsin either, but I won't blame you if you did, so boring to watch.

Don

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:41 AM ^

In 57 minutes against OSU and IU, Stauskas is 3-13 overall from the field and 1-8 from the 3 for 10 points total. That doesn't help much on the road against good teams. When you combine that with Robinson's disappearance tonight and Morgan's near-absence, you've got a really steep hill to climb.

goblue1213

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:47 AM ^

Dude plays with heart and hustle. He busted it all over the court. Horford didn't impress me very much. There were a lot of times he seemed to want the ball out of his hands as soon as he got it. Also, love McGary looking for the outlet after most rebound. Beilien wants him off the bench for the energy he gives. In our 2 biggest road games to date, we have come out and been out-hustled and somewhat punched in the mouth the first few minutes. Let McGary start the game and provide that boost of energy from the get-go. In the end, Go Blue!! Still have a good opportunity to win regular season and tournament championships. Looking forward to March/April!!

Willy Wonka

February 3rd, 2013 at 8:13 AM ^

He had some nice rebounds and was a factor in the paint- both on offense and defense. He just needs more PT to gain some experience and composure. The only problem was the offense looked stagnant at times because they insisted on the high ball screen anywhere around the perimeter. It also doesn't help when Horford/McGary/Morgan play the role of Graham Brown and are the swingman at the top of the key. IU was able to pack the lane in those instances.

myblueheaven

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:53 AM ^

I don't understand why GR3 got 40 minutes in that game, he wasn't effective at all. They could have went with a lineup of Horford and McGary for rebounds and inside presence and Burke, Hardaway, and Stauskas on the perimeter. Try Levert more or something but don't keep him in the game when the stage was obviously to big for him today. Oh and Olidipo is a douche and Crean is very annoying even more so than Izzo!

Mlaw2010

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:53 AM ^

No shame in losing to a top 3 team on the road. Gotta bounce back quickly and get ready for Ohio. Michigan has two losses - both to top 15 teams on the road. No need to panic yet. Put these teams on a neutral court and Michigan may very well win it.

enlightenedbum

February 3rd, 2013 at 1:01 AM ^

Stauskas apparently has the flu, couldn't practice yesterday was lucky to go today, according to Beilein in the post game.

 

So yeah, one starter out, another not at full strength.  In Assembly.  We're fine.

BlueNote

February 3rd, 2013 at 1:17 AM ^

Stauskas and GRIII didn't play like their usual selves.  Had we gotten our usual production out of them, this wouldn't have been close.

But they are freshmen, playing on the road, in one of the toughest places to play.  It's completely understandable that they were off their game.

In March, this experience is going to be useful to both of them.  Sometimes you have to falter first in order to gain your footing.

AMazinBlue

February 3rd, 2013 at 1:22 AM ^

I thought the biggest problem besides the lack of interior defense, is that there is no inside-outside game.  There were very few open shots and if Burke wasn't shooting in the second half, it seemed like no one else would.  Robinson disappeared and Stauskas couldn't get a decent look all night.  It just seems like when a game is tight, there is very little offensive flow.  And every team seems to pressure our shooters all over the court now.

The team played hard and it's tough to win at Assembly Hall, but I think we definitely had a shot until the last two minutes.  Gotta win on Tuesday.  Go Blue!

Ball Hawk

February 3rd, 2013 at 1:30 AM ^

looked like the crowd was overwhelming for GRIII. On defense I saw him standing directly under the net when IU was passing the ball around the perimeter. We looked flat and Burke has to drive to the hoop more. The crowd definitely overwhelmed this team.

TheThief

February 3rd, 2013 at 2:01 AM ^

Against really good teams we have looked timid on the road. I think ultimately we will be helped by having to play a couple brutal road games come tournament time. I guess the one thing that becomes apparent on the road is the youth of this team, especially with Stauskas and GR III. I would love to see THJ, as the elder statesman among the starters, take more control during those times.

Far from me to second guess our Coach (he has proven himself to be pretty stinking good after all), but I wouldn't mind him running more offense through THJ early during road games, when the team seems to be a little nervous. THJ seems like he is fairly unflappable. Then again, maybe the idea is not to use him as a crutch and allow the team to progress so we aren't dependent on any one guy.

Trey Burke did great to keep us in it. You can tell that fire is there to win, even if he doesn't show it on his face. Can't wait to see him on Tuesday.  I expect him to be lethal.

This loss stings a little, but it is tempered by knowing that we now have a program that can compete with anybody and will for a long time.

kehnonymous

February 3rd, 2013 at 2:42 AM ^

One silver lining is that, coming off of this loss, the team will be really fired up at home vs. Ohio State.  I would NOT want to be the Buckeyes this Tuesday.

(As opposed to those every other days of my life that I don't want to be a Buckeye, obvs.)

BlueBadger

February 3rd, 2013 at 3:10 AM ^

And we win this one. We started off 1/10 from 3, a healthy amount of those open looks that just missed. This team played well enough to win but they just didn't have the cards. I'll take it.

FrankMurphy

February 3rd, 2013 at 3:46 AM ^

I'm not as annoyed about this loss as I was about the Ohio loss. Assembly Hall is one of the toughest places to play in college basketball, especially for a young team. What we are witnessing is Beilein pulling a rabbit out of a hat with a talented but inexperienced team that doesn't have a whole lot of depth. These are the types of games in which Beilein's magic reaches its limits.

Still very impressed with this team. They're playing way over their heads, and that's all due to Beilein.