Predictions for UM basketball

Submitted by ChesterBlue on

The Hoops team has played well during the pre Big Ten schedule.  Granted the preseason expectations were very low and the team has easily exceeded those expectations.

Can they maintain this level of play in the Big Ten? 

I'm going to be an optimist and say:

Morris will be able to see over the smaller PG in the BTen and drive and dish and ave.14p/6a/3r game in BT

Smotrcyz and Hardaway will be up and down and have nearly identical stats...each averaging  8/2/2

Outside shooting will be improved over last year....shoot  34% from 3pt  & 45% from 2pt

Defense will continue play as a unit and be effective most of the time...hold opp to 41% fg%
 
Win turnover battle, lose rebounding battle

8 wins -10 losses IN THE BIG TEN regular season

1 win in BT tourney

Make the NCAA

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goblueknight

December 28th, 2010 at 1:03 PM ^

I agree with this prediction about breaking the streak vs MSU. In fact, despite Breslin being a tough place to play, I could see UM possibly taking both against sparty. 

Gotta take the Big Ten schedule one game at a time.  If Morris can continue averaging 15 points and 7 assists, along with 3 or 4 boards a game I also see an NCAA tourney appearance, or at least a high seed in NIT!

Joined: 12/02/2010

MGoPoints: -14

moredamnsound

December 28th, 2010 at 1:37 AM ^

We barely make the tourney (don't go very far, that's next year), 9 or 10 wins in conference play getting beat by OSU (not happy about it though) but beating sParty to end that curse that they're so into nowadays. Lose to Kansas.

Two wins in the Big Ten tournament. 

I agree that Hardaway Jr. and Smotrycz will be up and down, but both contribute. Darrius keeps it going throughout the year, dude is sick. If the three ball is dropping, we'll be alright.

Joined: 08/05/2010

MGoPoints: 2466

moredamnsound

December 28th, 2010 at 1:43 AM ^

We successfully go back in time and beat Syracuse and UTEP and use our time traveling ability to win the rest of our games... genius! Now all we have to do is figure out this whole time traveling thing. I'm looking at you, engineers. My LS&Play buddies and I will sit this one out.

Joined: 08/05/2010

MGoPoints: 2466

Tater

December 28th, 2010 at 7:17 AM ^

I like the OP's prediction, but I agree that it does put them at least a win short of the NCAA, and they make the NIT.  Before the regular season started, I think most fans would have thought a NIT prediction would have been too optimistic.  I had them pegged for 12-14 wins with an outside chance of making the NIT. 

After seeing how they have played as a team and how some of younger players are stepping up, I would upgrade to NIT with an outside chance of the NCAA.

Joined: 08/13/2008

MGoPoints: 30584

Michigan Arrogance

December 28th, 2010 at 7:21 AM ^

10 wins in the B10?

#1, not gonna happen. we'll be 7-11 at best, probably 6-12

#2, 10 wins would be a lock to get into the tourney, given a win or 2 in the B10 tourney.

hell, 8 wins gets us in for sure, IME.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 35484

cypress

December 28th, 2010 at 7:42 AM ^

I'm excited about our future, but everyone expecting 10 or more wins is probably going to be disappointed, and then we'll have to hear morons get pissed that we "arent living up to expectations" and they will question Beilein. We will probably win 6 or 7 Big 10 games and make the NIT. 8-10 in the Big ten wont get us in the NCAA tourney anyway. Next year we should make it..and then hopefully stay in for years to come.

Joined: 11/05/2009

MGoPoints: 176

PhillipFulmersPants

December 28th, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^

in B10 seems about right to me. I like this team, but the level of opponent -- size, strength, experience, difficulty of some of the road venues -- I just don't see this team winning more  than that. It will be interesting to see if they can keep up their defense, because at least that will keep them in games. 

They should be competitive on most nights, but I suspect they'll be some games where the youth will be very apparent.  I hope I'm wrong, though.

Joined: 01/06/2009

MGoPoints: 4222

Desmonlon Edwoodson

December 28th, 2010 at 8:06 AM ^

If Michigan wins 6 more games I will be happy.  If they win less I will be disappointed for them, but not disappointed in them.  If you read the Bartlestein blog, and watch how this team hustles on the floor, it is impossible not to pull for these guys.  It would take some Rocky vs Apollo/Lang/Drago triumphs to get the nine or ten wins it would take to put Michigan on the bubble.  But I wouldn't put it past these guys.  You look at Darius and Zack...They just might have a little eye of the tiger on their ipods... 

Joined: 12/02/2010

MGoPoints: 1382

Tim

December 28th, 2010 at 9:00 AM ^

 

8 wins -10 losses IN THE BIG TEN regular season

1 win in BT tourney

Make the NCAA

19-14 will not get us into the tourney, unless you're also predicting a win over Kansas. 20-13 may just do it, but... pipe dream.

Joined: 07/08/2008

MGoPoints: 13040

JT4145

December 28th, 2010 at 9:08 AM ^

which makes today's game huge.  I think the real key to the season will be how this young team comes back from a brutal one week stretch (At Wis-KU-OSU) with games at IU and NW. 

GO BLUE!!

Joined: 03/13/2010

MGoPoints: 38

Braylon 5 Hour…

December 28th, 2010 at 9:39 AM ^

.500 in Big 10 conference (not that I am predicting that) would give us a decent chance of getting in, I think...also really depends on who the wins come against, we've got a lot of opportunities for quality wins in the Big 10, starting today!

Also, I know TH Jr. has been up and down but overall he's been much better than Smotrycz hasn't he? 

Joined: 03/18/2009

MGoPoints: 684

Soulfire21

December 28th, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^

.. doesn't get us near the NCAA.

We were 9-9 in '08 when we made the tourny, but our nonconference schedule also had wins over #4 UCLA and #4 Duke.

Soo... Yeah.  If we beat Kansas, then maybe we get considered at 9-9, but I think we're going to have to at least make it to 10-8 to even be on the bubble.

Maybe this isn't our year, but with the way this team has looked so far, I definitely am excited about where the program is going.

Loving the aggressive man to man defense.

Joined: 03/18/2010

MGoPoints: 22716

Michigan Arrogance

December 28th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^

isn't the B10 stornger this year than it was in 08? 8-9 wins in ocng means wins over MSU, OSU, PU, Wisc, some on the road. that's a pretty good league record.

also, wouldn't it mean about a 6th place finish? with 1-2 more wins in the tourney? I think 8 wins leads to a solid NCAA resume, assuming a win or 2 in the conf tournament

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 35484

Soulfire21

December 28th, 2010 at 11:57 AM ^

The B10 is supposed to be stronger this year, but then again, we don't really know yet.  Michigan State started at No. 2 and is down to No. 20, Purdue started at No. 8 and is now No. 13, Illinois started at No. 16 and is down to No. 25, and Wisconsin started No. 24, bowed out for a couple weeks, and is now back at No. 24.

Ohio State is the only Big Ten school to be at a higher ranking now than they were in the pre-season, so one could say that, up to this point, the Big Ten has disappointed a bit.

8-9 wins could get us in, I do agree, but it can't be against just IU, Iowa, PSU etc.  To get in to the tourny at 8-10, we'd need wins against MSU, OSU, Illinois, Wisconsin, Purdue, etc.

So, we could in theory get into the tournament ... but then again, assuming a loss to #3 Kansas, we'd finish the season at 18-13.  Not exactly a great record, and no marquee non conference victories.

Possible, not probable.

Joined: 03/18/2010

MGoPoints: 22716