UM-MSU Snowflakes Thread

Submitted by kb on

It is probably not too early to start this up.  I love the team and the success they have had this year so far, but in order to go far in the tournament they've got to step it up.

The lack of physicality on this team is a noticeable issue - they have gotten eaten up inside by teams with a halfway decent big man.

Trey Burke is the only one who can create offense for others.  No other players can penetrate to the hole with regularity.  You slow Burke down and Michigan suffers. 

You're not going to get very far on jump shots alone.  Take it to the hole.

EDIT: The defense is average at best.  Get in front of someone and cut off drives to the hoop...PLEASE.

Enough said.

KBLOW

February 12th, 2013 at 11:06 PM ^

I don't watch much NBA, but after these last few games against high level competition how in the world in Burke considered such a high draft pick?  His D is average, his outside shot is iffy and agianst tall, quick defenders he gets shut down.  

 

 

funkywolve

February 12th, 2013 at 11:12 PM ^

How far UM goes in the tourney will probably depend on who they end up playing.  A physical team will give them problems.  A team that can defend on the perimeter will give them problems.  After watching these last 4 games, it seems if you can keep Burke from penetrating, you're going to cause the UM offense fits.  Wisky usually trailed Burke on the pick and roll but their big men was set up so Burke couldn't knife to the bucket.

 

BeileinBuddy

February 12th, 2013 at 11:08 PM ^

For some reason I have very little emotion towards this loss. Maybe because M got taken out so early in the game. I was much more irate about @OSU and @Wisc, but this. Jaded, man. Jaded.

funkywolve

February 12th, 2013 at 11:08 PM ^

I realize defense is an issue but do they not have any set plays on offense to try and get somone a good open look?  It seems the offense is either 3 man weave on the perimeter or pick and roll on the perimeter. 

kjaskolski

February 12th, 2013 at 11:08 PM ^

State, from Izzo on down, WANTED this much much more than Michigan did.  He outcoached Beilein from start to finish.  Period.  Don't get me wrong, i really like what Beilein is doing and has done already this year, but tonight, it was ugly, and it starts with the HC.

As for the team, anybody not named Burke got dominated, and he only marginally played better than Appling.  Hardaway was a total no show, including ZERO defense to go with his awful 1-11 shooting tonight.  GRIII has bottomed out, let's hope he gets his mojo back and gets back on track.  The Big guys got thoroughly dominated, really hope Morgan gets healthy and playing again, they miss his interior presence, and he is the only nasty player on the team.  McGary played like a freshman tonight.

All told, gotta take a step back, that was the most difficult 4 game stretch any team will have, and if Brust does not heave his miracle shot, Michigan would be in excellent shape.

Got some easier games upcoming (2 against Penn St plus a home game with the now resurgent Illini) before the State game again.  Hope they get some wins, get their confidence back, and try to return the favor in two and a half weeks. 

Again, this is why the Wisconsin loss hurts so much, now Mich has to win out and hope to get some help with MSU and IU each losing one more game.

MGoCombs

February 12th, 2013 at 11:10 PM ^

Ummmm... Welp? Is that a thought?



For real though, it's one game. We take them and Indiana at home and we still have a shot at the Big Ten. Long shot? Sure, but you know what? This is the first time in a long time I can say that we still have a great shot in the tournament.

Hardaway Cash

February 12th, 2013 at 11:15 PM ^

We just went through the toughest 4 game stretch in all of college basketball. We come out 2-2 if Wisky doesn't make an absolute prayer. We played Indiana very tough on the road. Every team has one terrible loss, this was ours. We are still a great team with a decent chance to make a Final Four run. Just calm down people!

los barcos

February 12th, 2013 at 11:22 PM ^

Look at our last three games versus states:

Msu
1/31 Illinois
2-06 Minnesota
2-09 at Purdue

Michigan
2-02 at Indiana
2-05 osu
2-09 at wisc

Ten days, three ranked opponents, two on the road. State: Zero ranked opponents, two games at home over the same time.

Tough, ugly loss for sure but we are definitely closer to the team that played well against Indiana and osu versus the team that got crushed tonight.

We're not the #1 team but were no slouch either...

Rabbit21

February 13th, 2013 at 12:27 AM ^

Unfortunately in all of those games the same things showed up as weaknesses.  

Other teams wanted it more than us and played much harder

Got dominated on the boards

No offense from Stauskas or GRII

No offensive creativity

No ability to impose our will on the other team or get defensive stops when it matters

Overall, right now something looks off with the team and I don't know how or if they can fix it in time for the tourney.  I'm getting flachbacks to Burke trying to play one on five at the end of last year and that's not a place I like being in very much.

Soulfire21

February 12th, 2013 at 11:19 PM ^

Duke has responded well against squishy competition after their rout at Miami, there's no reason we can't do the same.

Our team looked like a team that asks significant contributions from 3 freshman, or 60% of the players on the floor, lest we forget Burke is only in his sophomore year as well.  The youth argument is probably an old, tired argument, and it won't make you feel better, but it's true and worth acknowledging.

Qmatic

February 12th, 2013 at 11:18 PM ^

Our lack of offensive sets is getting ridiculous. It's apparent when Spike is running the point, we can't do anything! Go back two years, we had a far-less talented team, but we were able to run sets and get good looks. We just can't do that against good defenses this year.

gwkrlghl

February 12th, 2013 at 11:18 PM ^

but based on comments above, it seems like the same thing may have happened here that happened in other loses. We can thunderstruck and no one knows how to respond, Trey Burke plays some hero ball, the other team gets jacked up and there's no Novak to have an Aneurysm of Leadership

graybeaver

February 12th, 2013 at 11:21 PM ^

Is Glenn Robinson jr still a lottery pick? If so then Garry Harris should be the #1 pick. Also, this team doesn't have the depth to win a national title. I'll be happy with a sweet 16 appearance. They need a couple more good recruiting classes before they can be final four caliber team.

Dutch Ferbert

February 12th, 2013 at 11:22 PM ^

that I don't live in Michigan anymore is when we lose to Sparty. I work with a few buckeyes, but they only care about football and only talk trash about ohio beating Michigan.

Still want to move back though.

Galapula

February 13th, 2013 at 5:53 AM ^

I just deny even liking college football (3 times before the cock crows) when there are people like that around me. No sense in talking to them about anything really. Especially something I care so much about.

lbpeley

February 12th, 2013 at 11:23 PM ^

I know next to nothing about basketball. That said I really thought JB would get into GRIII's shit and he'd come out waxing fools. I assumed he's one of the most athletic and talented dudes on the floor no matter the opponent. Guess I was wrong. He dribbles twice and picks it up hoping to dump it off.
Fuck, I'm drunk. Just need to snowflake shit I guess. We aren't what we thought we were. And by we I mean UM, then when it makes sense I mean we as in us fans.
Again, fuck.

meechiganroses

February 12th, 2013 at 11:24 PM ^

Michigan football and basketball teams are a combined 26-51 against Ohio and MSU since 2000.  Thats a .337 % winning percentage.  I couldnt' be more disgusted/upset.  I feel like I root for an average sports team.

lbpeley

February 12th, 2013 at 11:30 PM ^

In the second half thread that even though osu and msu are our two biggest rivals UM always seems to come out flat against them lately. UM always talks about those two games being the biggest ever and then in fball and bball we come out and shit the fucking bed. I think that comment wins every thread from here on out.
UM talks the talk, osu and msu walk the walk.

BlueinGR

February 13th, 2013 at 1:21 AM ^

Based on what?  I'm not trying to be overly snarky (or even remotely so), but how old are you?  TV money did not suddenly arive on the scene in 2000, and ESPN has been around for DECADES.  March Madness has been an advertizing/TV contract bonanza for years and years, to say nothing of the massive amounts of money exchanged in office pools, bracket challenges, etc.  Simply because some under the age of 25 might not remember Michigan pre-2000 (and I think many would) doesn't have anything to do with whether that time period (and arguably decades before that) was part of "modern college sports."  I don't think you'll find too many people argue that the Fab Five were not a part of "modern college sports" and that was twenty years ago.  While the stats from 2000 to the present say what they say, and I'm not knocking you for pointing them out (I agree they are fairly depressing) I think you could tell a completely different story simply looking at a different starting point.  In the end, Michigan is still Michigan.  Despite tonight's disappointment, I don't think you can honestly deny that both football and basketball are trending in the right direction.

Soulfire21

February 12th, 2013 at 11:25 PM ^

Well, we were clearly outplayed.

What stands out to me is that the team didn't come together -- the big road game script started out the same, fall behind by double digits.  This time there was no rally.  There was no hussle.   Plenty of mindless errors and mistakes atypical of even this young Michigan team (turnovers stuck out).

To me, it seems they gave up.  I don't know what the chemistry of the team is, but I can see that it's clearly not at a Zach Novak/Stu Douglass level.  It's just a group of talented guys playing basketball, but there's been no cohesion through this stretch.

We're overrated.  Our nonconference schedule was soft, and while a 21-4 record is nothing to scoff at, we've lost every big game, and the only big game we won was against Ohio State, a game most wrote off as a surefire Michigan double-digit type win, but the result was  an OT 2 point decision.