Predictions for Mich/Arkansas bball

Submitted by goblue85 on

Tommorrow at noon CBS Michigan will look for revenge on Arkansas from last year at Crisler.  I expect sellout tommorrow and looking forward to matchup.  Michigan will continue being great at home and get the win.  I'm also going to be at the game tommorrow and can't wait to see new renovations.  I haven't been to basketball game since darius morris days lol. 

 

Michigan 84

Arkansas 66

 

ijohnb

December 7th, 2012 at 8:55 AM ^

of the Razorback's early season demise of have been greatly exaggerated.  They lost three in a row, but lost them to Syracuse, Wisky, and ASU.  OK, not Kansas, Kentucky and Duke, but not too damn bad either.  They have NC State-ish length and basically everybody that takes the floor for the Hogs is very athletic.  The key is that they will not make every shot they take in the first half this year like they did last year.  I am expecting a fun game with a few "Oooohhhhh, damn," type dunks from both teams, and a ten point(but actually more comfortable than that) Michigan win.

crjorgensen

December 7th, 2012 at 8:55 AM ^

For some reason this game scares me. Mike Anderson likes to do his 40 minutes of hell and I am just hoping our freshman can handle the defensive pressure that Arkansas brings. Also, BJ Young has the potential to always go off for 20-30 points. I believe this game will be close throughout, but Michigan pulls away in the end.

Michigan 80

Arkansas 70

MGoArkansas

December 7th, 2012 at 8:59 AM ^

I live in Arkansas and therefore have three separate bets for this game.  M BETTER win.  I am surpremely confident that they will.....I just really really really want to win these bets.  

On a related note, I need advice on what the terms of the third one should be.  For the first, the loser has to purchase the opposing team's hat, wear it, take a picture and have it as their facebook profile picture for a week.  The second, the loser has to take a "shame" picture holding a sign saying something of the winner's choosing and do the profile picture thing.

 

I need a third one...any ideas?

DCAlum

December 7th, 2012 at 10:54 AM ^

The loser has to dress fully in the opposing team's clothing during his or her family's holiday celebrations (so, Xmas day or the first night of Hanukkah or something). There must be picture documentation posted on facebook (to continue the theme). 

 

Alternately (since that does seem sort of mean), just has to wear one visible article of opposing clothing during the celebration.

mistersuits

December 7th, 2012 at 9:17 AM ^

As much as I want to believe that Michigan will go 29-2 in the regular season and only lose @Indiana and @OSU, that's just not how basketball seasons go. It's likely to be that Michigan loses one or two mindboggling frustrating games to teams the should handle. This game fits that bill.

Michigan has been receiving lavish praise in the media even though they've not shown the tenacity to close out teams hard:

  • 59-50 lead vs Pitt with 1:27 remaining got to a 2 point game
  • 73-58 lead vs NC State with under 6 became a one possession game if not for a gracious charge call in UM's favor
  • 70-54 at Bradley with 3:37 to go again becomes 5 point game where a charge is drawn

Arkansas plays at a significantly faster tempo than every other team Michigan has played so far so this game is likely to have more and bigger momentum swings, if Michigan falls asleep for too long they could wind up doing what they did last year @Arkansas and dig themselves a hole too deep to climb out of.

There's an advantage to playing at home but with Arkansas' last three games they won't be intimidated and are likely to be playing at a high level themselves after improving.

This game is a fantastic barometer for the team for December: a "great" team will win this game going away, a "good" team and get ready for a nail biter.

3rdGenerationBlue

December 7th, 2012 at 9:56 AM ^

You could see panic set in late in the Pitt game. Michigan's players started getting tight and less fluid in their play. Hoping that this is the game that shows they have learned from recent experiences. It would be great to see them break the press for some easy dunks.

MH20

December 7th, 2012 at 10:23 AM ^

Arkansas fed off their home crowd and made several ridiculous shots en route to hitting I think it was 10 of their first 11 attempts. At home, and having seen the Hogs' frenetic pressure last season, I don't see Michigan falling victim to the same issues they did in Fayetteville.

I'll eat nothing but ice cream for a week if they do. I'm lactose intolerant.

TheDirtyD

December 7th, 2012 at 9:52 AM ^

Trey Burke forces the piggys outta they're press defense after he has 5 easy ast to start the game. Michigan wins big as this time they are at home. 71-56. With 4 min to go michigan will be up by 25. THJ and GR3 have huge games. 

GOLBOGM

December 7th, 2012 at 10:09 AM ^

Burke is the key- if he handles the ball like he has of late with many assists and rarely a turnover the press will lose lots of its impact on the game.  Look to see if McGary struggles with the press- he has been turnover prone though- so he may lose some time.  Hopefully Hardaway and Stausksas handle the pressure ok so they can stay on the court- I hope the fast pace may leave Stausksas open more than a traditional defense so he may have a good opportunity to get a lot of 3s off.

Needs

December 7th, 2012 at 10:44 AM ^

I think THJ and Stauskas are actually the keys. Arkansas can force Burke to give up the ball with their hard doubles in the backcourt. The cost is setting up 4-3s. If the secondary ball handlers can handle the scramble pressure after Burke gives up the ball, we'll get tons of easy points and open 3s. If they turn it over, it will be trouble.

That said, I've been impressed with how THJ improved his handle over the off-season, though he looked shakier in the Bradley game, and Stauskas has seemed solid with the ball.  Arkansas also turns the ball over like crazy. I expect a pretty comfortable win, particularly with Burke and THJ already having experienced the Arkansas defense last year.

OmarDontScare

December 7th, 2012 at 1:47 PM ^

Yep. I think Nik's game matches up nicely against a team like Arkansas. He's really solid with the ball, tall enough to see over pressure and should get a lot of easy looks from 3. With the pace that this game should have he could easily go for 25-30

LSAClassOf2000

December 7th, 2012 at 11:07 AM ^

Even though Arkansas is one of the most productive teams by points, their game against Longwood skews those numbers. Remove it, and we score more on average, albeit not by more than a few points. Further, by the numbers, we're the more accurate shooting team, and the more aggressive rebounding team as well. The game is here, which helps some as always.

That being said, I have a feeling Arkansas may hang in there most of the game. We will definitely have to play well and sound for 40 minutes. I will go with Michigan in an 80-72 or so performance.

Doctor Lou

December 8th, 2012 at 1:37 AM ^

Backth at Arkanthath, we hath Eddie Thutton coathing our boyth on the harthwooth. They playthed harth every thingle game. And I tell youth whath, thethe Rathorbackth remind of ol' Eddie'th kidth