Predictions for Mich/Minn bball

That was a tough lesson to learn on the road last Sunday and I will bet Minny gets Michigan's best game. They must hit the boards to beat them.

I think a midseason loss can be a good thing, as long as the team uses it as a learning experience. I expect Michigan to come out firing at The Barn and come away with the win. 82-68 good guys win.

These threads always make me think the game is the same night. Sad.

I predict we don't get down by 20 points early and forget how to dribble and play basketabll...

I also predict Stauskas will score...

I know... brave picks....

71-68 close all the way- we win!  I think the OSU game will have us very prepared- if you take out the first ten minutes we played a legit team away very very well for 30 minutes- think we can definitely win this one.  No need to panic with a loss though unless we get outclassed the whole way- Minnesota is a very talented team.

My head says 75 - 69 Minnesota. Williams arena, athletes, a 6th year man child, and Tubby (how many great coaches are in the big10?) are too much for any visiting big 10 team.

I hope Beilein had them working like dogs on efficiency and shot selection all week. That seemed to be what plagued the team early and late in their loss. They didn't look like the team that picks you apart with their discipline and precision as much as their raw talent. I think they tried to rely too heavily on the latter against OSU.

If they get back to playing efficient basketball, I say they win by 6-7 points in a game that isn't ever that close.

I had us beating Ohio and losing @ Minnesota.

In order to keep my end of the year predictions alive, I'll give us a win here. 71-65 Michigan.

is going to be a very tough game for Michigan to win.  Consider:

1.  Minnesota is hyper athletic and can give Michigan a lot of trouble on the glass.  They also have quick physical guards that I think can get penetration into our interior.

2.  Minnesota is coming off a loss at Indiana and is eager to get back to the cozy confines of the Barn.

3.  Michigan had what I like to refer to as a "double loss" on Saturday.  They lost the initial game in the first half, and they lost the second game within the game when falling short after coming back.  A team that is blown out wants to get back to the floor to show the blowout was not legit.  A team that is blown out and then comes back to only lose has proven that the blowout was not legit but gets the bitter aftertaste of still losing.  Believe it or not, I think motivation could be a problem on Thursday.

4.  Michigan has snuck out of Minnesota with oh-no-you-didn't wins the last two years and I think Minnesota has had this game circled since the beginning of the year.

In spite of all of this, if Michigan comes out of there with a win it is probably time to start checking on air fare to Atlanta.

We will see better play out of Trey this game compared to last because this is just another game to him and he won't take this one so personal. His play can make all the difference in our composure as a whole. I think that's what will get us the W.

I think this is UM's most important game of the season since we don't get Minnesota at home. This is our only chance to hang an L on them.

This is a must win. That is all.

Michigan 80 - MN 77. Tough game. Will we be able to shoot from the outside? Will Burke play within himself? Knowing that the refs will call the game favorably to MN, will we be able to ?overcome that? Will all the freshmen really be prepared to play? These kinds of things will dictate the final outcome.

We've had their number up there.  Minn is not a great defensive team, despite its size.  They are vulnerable on the perimeter.  I think Burke and Stauskas come back with a vengeance and we gut out a toughie. 

Prediction:

 76 for the team with the Block M and 71 for the team with the weird trapezoidal M.

Courtesy of TeamRankings, and to guide people in their predictions potentially:

This will be a close-fought game, but we have done well in the recent past up there and I think we have the edge on defensive play where it will count the most, given these numbers. It would not be an easy win, but I could see a 71-67-ish game going to the good guys if we can they can do what they've done so well this season and play 40 minutes of poised, disciplined, ruthlessly efficient basketball. We are still #1 in Division I for offensive efficiency, and we are comparable with Minnesota in defensive efficiency, so if we live up to these ratings, we can grind out a win.

I still think we win.

Michigan

67-63 for THE U OF M  (Maize and Blue)!

Michigan

Michigan 71...tubby 64