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Either you didn't get a

Either you didn't get a chance to watch any of those games or you just don't understand college basketball.  I know most of the people on this blog are football fans first, and it seems some people have had trouble recognizing that elite teams lose in basketball, particularly on the road.

All four losses came on the road.  I'll agree, the MSU game was embarrassing, but that was really our only bad game--it also game at the end of a brutal stretch and the team was clearly tired.  We had Wisconsin beat and lost because of a fluke shot, and the other two losses were on the road to two top tens teams in what were widely considered to be among the best, most competitive games in college basketball this year. 

Wisconsin won't be making the return trip to Ann Arbor, but of the other three losses, the team already beat OSU at home and MSU and IU are still to come.  Let's withhold judgment until those games--it's entirely possible that they win out in the regular season.

The team has had 4 days off before this game and has another week off after, so they should be able to get fresh for the home stretch

It actually really annoys me

It actually really annoys me as well--there are a lot of words/phrases that are frequently misused, but this one irks me because people use it in a manner completely opposite to its actual meaning

First, I'd say the Memphis

First, I'd say the Memphis win was absolutely because of our defense.  We held them .88 points per possession that game, it was just played at a much faster pace than most Big Ten games.

Also, 30% is a pretty low standard, I wouldn't consider that shooting "well" from 3.  Most people consider 33% to be average.  Even then, wins this year while shooting under 33% from 3 include Memphis, Wisconsin, MSU, and OSU (essentially our 4 biggest wins).

You mean like when we beat

You mean like when we beat Ohio on Saturday while shooting 23% from three?  It's a huge misconception that this team lives and dies by the three.  Yes, we shoot a lot of threes, but some of our biggest wins have been because of our defense, not our shooting.

I would be shocked to see

I would be shocked to see Burke leave early.  He's listed at 6'1" but looks closer to 5'11", he doesn't really have NBA size

Drives me a little crazy

Part of the interview drove me a little crazy when Curtis asked if it was hard to think pass first.  It's one of the biggest misconceptions about Denard.  Everyone (3rd parties) thinks of him as a scrambler, but very few of his runs were on pass plays--the vast majority came on designed QB runs or options.  He is a running quarterback, not a scrambler.

Also Club Water Polo

In addition to the Varsity team's success, the Women's Club Water Polo Team won the Big Ten Championship today (11-5 over Illinois).  The victory gives them a bid to the National Collegiate Club Championships where they will be the 2-seed (16-team tournament).

They were National Runners-Up last year and are currently 24-0, ranked #2 in the nation, winning by an average margin of 11-4.  Good luck to them at Nationals (in 3 weeks)

2004

I think you're thinking of 2004 (aka the Braylon Game)--that was the cold one at home with a 17 point 4th quarter deficit.

I thought this was strange too

I knew they did it two years ago, but a big reason for that was that their star Patty Mills had just been injured so they scheduled the extra game to try to show that they were still worthy without him.

The game this year seems like a no-win situation.  In my opinion, if they get kept out of the tournament, it will be their strength of schedule that does it (currently at 122).  That game will almost certainly make their SOS worse.

Bubble v. Bubble

I somewhat disagree with the "cheer for the weaker one" strategy for Bubble matchups.  I certainly understand the logic but part of me thinks if the stronger team wins, then that completely kills the weaker one's chances.

 

Let's say that the stronger bubble team in those matchups is above us in the pecking order.  We don't really need them to drop, we just need to handle our business.

 

On the other hand, the last thing we want is for a team who is currently below us to string a few good wins together and jump over us.

Pet Peeve

Normally I'm not one to correct word usage or grammar, but this is a big pet peeve of mine.  When using the phrase "let alone", the more impressive/less likely thing should follow the "let alone", not the other way around.  Your sentence should read, "Michigan hasn't won a Big Ten title, let alone been to a final four or won a national title."

I would be shocked if Burke

I would be shocked if Burke redshirted next year.  He finally gives us a second point guard on the roster.  He'll be used to give Darius some rest and keep Stu from having to play the point.  I'd say Brundidge is the more likely redshirt, although I doubt either will redshirt.

As has been pointed out many

As has been pointed out many times on UMHoops, Dumars is unlikely to be a major contributor at any point. 

 

I don't think there's ever been so much fan interest in a walk-on before.

Even after two poor shooting

Even after two poor shooting performances in a row, Douglass is still shooting 39% from 3 for the year.  I don't know many people who would consider that horrible.  Prior to those two games, he was up around 43% which is a great percentage from 3.

Actually, most media outlets

Actually, most media outlets are predicting that Northwestern will make the tournament.  Of course, that doesn't make it right, but it's not like it's an out-of-nowhere prediction.

I think you've confused

I think you've confused "tantamount" with "paramount"

Morris for 40 Minutes?

I know this was touched on above--that stu doesn't start because he needs to back up Morris--but is the writer of this article advocating that Morris play all 40 minutes at the point? 

I agree that, in an ideal world, stu would not have to play backup PG because, ya know, he's not a point guard.  That being said, the current roster make-up makes this our only option.

Small thing about Desmond Morgan

He attends West Ottawa High School, which is in Holland, MI, not Ottawa, MI.  There is no Ottawa, MI, rather "West Ottawa" is located in the western part of Ottawa County.  I went to West Ottawa so this is a pet peeve of mine after years of people thinking I was from Ottawa, MI or better yet, Canada.