Mr. Yost

January 9th, 2014 at 11:08 PM ^

I said when we lost tough games to ISU, Charlotte and Arizona that those would help us moving forward. This team had to learn how to close, if not, it would've killed them late in the year.

They had to feel heartbreak and realize that you have to take it to a level you never thought you had when the game is on the line.

They also had to define roles at the end of the game.

They've done all of these things.

I miss McGary like heck, but this is a sneaky dangerous team.

Mr. Yost

January 10th, 2014 at 1:02 AM ^

Than making FTs and losing?

They ARE playing better. Watch the fricking game and you'll see that.

It's about stops and key buckets.

If you miss a FT, then you likely have to get a stop. Who gives a shit if you miss, but get a stop and win?

If you miss a FT and they score, then the team didn't finish. You can blame the FT shooter and the defense.

FT shooting can absolutely come back to bite you in the butt...and you need to make shots, but more importantly, you need to win.

I don't care if we don't hit one shot down the stretch, if we're up 1...they better not score. If you do that, obviously you win.

DEFENSE is the most important part of the game down the stretch, even more so than free throws.

I know Uncle Drew and Bill Russell say the game is "always about getting buckets." And that's true, but in crunch time, you have to put the clamps on...otherwise it doesn't matter how many FTs you make.

taistreetsmyhero

January 10th, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^

is that the mere result of winning one close game vs. losing a different close game--when the two games are played against two different opponents--is not evidence that you played better in the winning game than the losing game.

if you play terribly against a bad team, you can still win. if you play terribly against a good team, you will lose.

you can't use the result of us winning against minny and nebraska to compare the execution down the stretch in the isu game and arizona game to the execution down the against minny and nebraska and say that it improved. the reality is that the execution was equally terrible. the difference is that we were playing worse teams, and we had luck on our side in the win.

so ultimately why am i saying this? because i don't think that you should use the fact that we won a close game against minny or nebraska as evidence that we could out-execute a good team like wisconsin, msu, or osu down in crunch-time. the evidence is that we are bad down the stretch, and will likely fail against a good team.

ClearEyesFullHart

January 10th, 2014 at 5:10 AM ^

But watching the game, it felt like Michigan was actually giving a lot of effort on defense, while Nebraska was just hitting a lot of tough shots. I understand the "Big deal it was just Nebraska" crowd, but at the same time watching the game you had a feel for how badly Nebraska wanted this game, and it felt like on this night a Herculean effort was needed to come home with a win. It could have easily gone the other way.

Victor Valiant

January 10th, 2014 at 5:49 AM ^

I think a lot of people around here and elsewhere underestimate the teams Michigan is playing. Their first loss was 77-7 to the still undefeated and currently ninth ranked Iowa Cyclones. Second loss was to a currently 10-4 Charlotte team. Third loss was to number #10 Duke. The last loss was to #1 Arizona. When you factor in that every team wants to knock off Michigan like they are Omar from The Wire because they went to the NC last year, along with the extreme youth and unfortunate injuries on the team, 11-4 starts to look pretty damn impressive.

gotohail

January 9th, 2014 at 11:09 PM ^

Who would have thought 2014 would be so good to UofM and it's alums/fans? Hopefully this trend carries through the remaining season and continues with the other teams ! :)

PizzaHaus

January 9th, 2014 at 11:10 PM ^

GR3 deserves apologies from most Michigan fans lately. 

Thankfully that's balanced out by most Michigan fans deserving apologies (and xanax) for having to watch this man-to-man defense. 

PizzaHaus

January 9th, 2014 at 11:15 PM ^

"He's awful, doesn't have any skills, great athlete/rec league basketball player, derppppppppppppppppppp"

It got pretty stupid earlier this year. Way further than "geez guys, he's not playing up to expectations!"

Consult pretty much any basketball thread on this site in the first month of the year.

FGB

January 9th, 2014 at 11:25 PM ^

"he's awful" would have to be a troll, and I'd be shocked if more than one or two people ever said that here.  It's certainly not "most Michigan fans" who owe him an apology. 

You're overstating the nature of the criticisms.  He wasn't playing like a star earlier in the season and that was the nature of the bulk of the commentary, which was factually accurate.

Haywood Jablomy

January 10th, 2014 at 8:46 AM ^

Perhaps you should let it drop, if "tempted" but not worth your time? I believe that there were some or even many posters calling out GRIII due to the, I think, unreal expectations placed upon him based on lastl year. It is the use of the word, "most" that I feel inaccurate. Prove it or drop it, 

 

 

umumum

January 9th, 2014 at 11:47 PM ^

there was a consistent group suggesting he had no heart and no ball skills--and that the idea he would be a 1st round draft pick crazy.  I suspect those were many of the same people who said similar things about Timmy.

Prince Lover

January 10th, 2014 at 1:04 AM ^

I am one of those who need to apologize. I did post I thought it was odd he was being told he was a first round pick. I don't think he's the second coming or anything but he is playing like he deserves the accolades that were heaped upon him.
And I really thought to myself while listening to the game, I should bring this up here. But I was beaten to the punch.

MH20

January 10th, 2014 at 10:22 AM ^

People were saying some pretty questionable things about Glenn back in late November/early December.  The game and snowflake threads were full of vitrol toward him in games that Michigan lost and/or in which he didn't play well.

To be fair none were on the order of some of the criticisms leveled against Devin but they were still pretty bad in their own right.

SF Wolverine

January 9th, 2014 at 11:10 PM ^

coming up on the right side of close games is the hallmark of a winner.  Kids are getting better, fast.  And, tons of stuff to work on to improve.  Got to do better guarding guys out at the perimeter.  Hope that this is fixable with focus, and not just the fact that we have bad footspeed.

maizenblue92

January 9th, 2014 at 11:11 PM ^

The title says snowflakes, but the feel of the thread is much more that of a posbang thread. So, WOOO! 2014! Glenn Robinson really showed a lot in this game! Wooo! So did Stauskas in almost a closer role like Trey Burke! Woo! Winning!

MGoRob

January 9th, 2014 at 11:11 PM ^

Did I miss something?  Isn't Nebraska supposed to the worst basketball school in the Big Ten?  I had to work all night so I didn't get to see it... are they actually good, or are we struggling?

Paps

January 9th, 2014 at 11:13 PM ^

Is by far the worst team. The 9-11 spots are some combination of Penn State Nebraska and Purdue, depending on who you ask. This was a good win, as Nebraska is tough to beat on their home court, sell out crowd, etc. Their coach is really building a solid program in Lincoln.

Mattinboots

January 9th, 2014 at 11:23 PM ^

Agree Nebraska is in the 9-11 range, but they're probably going to land in the 9 spot. Petteway is good. We could get a bye to the big ten tourney, but my guess is we finish in the 5th spot again with MSU, OSU, Wisconsin, Iowa in front of us. Only other team that I think has a real shot of finishing in the top 5 is Illinois. Finishing 6th in the big Ten should guarantee a spot in the tourney. So our goal should be that or higher.

MGoCarolinaBlue

January 9th, 2014 at 11:11 PM ^

who would have thought michigan could win a basketball game that came down to a defensive possession!!



gotta say, GRIII was a complete player tonight.  his defense is always spectacular but he scored in just about every way tonight including hitting shots all over the floor, a thunderous alley oop, and a dunk on the break off his own steal which covered for a stauskas turnover at the clock was getting low.  stauskas looked great shooting and especially passing, jordan morgan was brilliant, lavert had a few signature circus layups, and walton showed some flashes.  the crucial turnover when it was tied near the end was awful but he made up for it (sort of) by driving into contact and willing his way to a tough basket and a shot at the line, which of course he missed.  given his phenomenal half court halftime buzzer beater, i can forgive the missed free throw.



i liked also that beilein was far less conservative than usual with his timeouts, calling several to prevent the game from getting out of hand, and always showing good adjustments on the return to play.