1st Basketball Open Thread
I early voted so I guess I'll open the thread.
Sparty getting whipped by Kansas 41-26 at 4:03.
November 6th, 2018 at 9:46 PM ^
November 6th, 2018 at 9:46 PM ^
November 6th, 2018 at 9:52 PM ^
November 6th, 2018 at 9:55 PM ^
November 6th, 2018 at 10:04 PM ^
Just ugly offense this half. This has been about as bad as feared. Trust in Beilein as always, this team will get better as the season progresses. Hopefully this is just worst case scenario on the first day but if this is anywhere close to the typical output there's a lot to work on here.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:05 PM ^
Besides the very poor shooting, it's great to see Livers and Poole, they seem like much more complete players this time around.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:08 PM ^
What's the Beilein-era record for blocks in a game?
November 6th, 2018 at 10:14 PM ^
Michigan is only credited with 5 blocks so far. It feels more like 15. :)
November 6th, 2018 at 10:14 PM ^
I'm still not sure I like how Beilein deploys Livers. Would like to see him more at QB.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:15 PM ^
The offense is showing potential in flashes. A few possesions in a row there was some great ball movement and perimeter shots went down and it feels like the offense of old. But then that's followed up with some bad misses.
Offense seems best early with Poole, Brooks and Livers out there. So basically gives us the hair lineup.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:07 PM ^
You misspelled drip lineup since they're all sporting the same cut.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:16 PM ^
Not every team will not know what an and-one is.
This team looks rusty. Good to shake it off against a clearly horrible team. UNC and Nova looked rusty as well, but I think Michigan has a real opportunity to get two marquee wins in the OOC slate
November 6th, 2018 at 10:17 PM ^
Yeah. My bad. I tuned in and understand the consternation. Matthews and Simpson are actually shooting worse than last year. FT’s. Man. Practice fixes. Practice.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:19 PM ^
Matthews. 0-5 FTs
November 6th, 2018 at 10:18 PM ^
Matthews has been pretty bad tonight.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:20 PM ^
This team will win ugly this year. At least for the first part of the year.
This is a different Beilein team. Our PG is not a shooter, and we don’t currently have that 4 or 5 who can stretch consistently.
But man, can we play some nasty D
November 6th, 2018 at 10:21 PM ^
Iggy gon be good though!
November 6th, 2018 at 10:21 PM ^
Brazdeikis just missed a dunk. This has been ugly. Maybe I just won't watch any more basketball games until football season is over.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:22 PM ^
November 6th, 2018 at 10:26 PM ^
To be fair, there were a couple in the first half that looked good but rimmed out, and Iggy made one that got wiped off by an X charge (which was a good call). But, yes, it’s been uninspiring shooting for sure.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:28 PM ^
November 6th, 2018 at 10:27 PM ^
Matthews is a mental thing. He’s gotta trust the coaching and mot rely so much on his athleticism. Needs to let the game come to him. Mental.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:28 PM ^
Never been an assistant. Drink!
November 6th, 2018 at 10:31 PM ^
Caselton is a skinny lad.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:34 PM ^
13-28
November 6th, 2018 at 10:37 PM ^
The freshmen look a lot like freshmen that's for sure. A very bland blowout, that will hopefully improve as the season picks up.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:37 PM ^
The freshmen are definitely freshmen.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:37 PM ^
Solid C performance tonight, Matthews was not good. And I don’t see him really improving. He is who is, God awful shooter, decent slasher to the basket and a good rebounder. I like Brooks a lot, gonna be a go to scorer this year at times. Z can’t shoot still, absolute great defender. Poole and Livers better be able to give us 25 combined most nights. Teske was okay, limited but he can average 10 and 7 a night that will be okay. Now Iggy, from the start I pumped the breaks on the hype for him. He doesn’t shoot the ball great and isn’t near as athletic as Stauskas. It’s early I know, but I think Michigan struggles this year. Norfolk st is BAD, and they played even with us for 25ish minutes.
November 6th, 2018 at 10:43 PM ^
The UM, MSU rankings seem about right currently
November 6th, 2018 at 10:44 PM ^
Love that post-game quote from Coach B about Jordan Poole: He has to "learn that the ball's not a grenade in his hands---its not going to explode if he doesn't do something with it.".
November 7th, 2018 at 12:30 AM ^
That was good, and said it with a straight face like he was serious.
He’s one of the best teachers in all of college athletics.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:03 PM ^
That was some ugly ass basketball.
I know we typically start slow but I can’t imagine we would have beat more than 2 or 3 BIG teams tonight.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:05 PM ^
Takeaways - Yes, it’s just game. Everything needs to be taken in context, but for most of us, this was our first time seeing this group.
postives:
Brooks seems improved and just more confident in his skills. He will be contributor this year. I wasn’t expecting much.
Livers & Teske - active and do what they do well. Teske is huge for this season.
Negatives:
Very disappointed in Matthews & Simpson. Especially Matthews. Just doesn’t look any more polished or improved on his shooting. They need him to step up.
Poole & Ignas were alright. Poole will be better on O. Ignas some good with some signs of being a freshman.
Overall, was hopeful some of the true freshman were more advanced & ready to play. I was very hopeful Matthews improved on O, after 1 game it clearly is a big fat NO. Team will survive on D. Good thing Coach B’s teams get better.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:40 PM ^
Dook looking like the Alabama of college hoops right now.... on a whole different level than UK.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:47 PM ^
Duke is the new UNLV. Good god, nobody is touching this team.
1 or 2 losses at a maximum for this squad. Would be hilarious if somehow Jay Wright took down this squad.
November 6th, 2018 at 11:59 PM ^
Yeah, yeah, early, 1st game, etc... but they look the part and they are playing the part.
They’re basically rolling Kentucky like a D-II school. Coach K had to slow them down.
Maybe they can be out-coached, or beat in a defensive slug fest...but they look damn good, already.
November 7th, 2018 at 12:15 AM ^
I watched a lot of the Ferris game where they scored like 150 points and won by 90. That was largely the opponent, but they just put up 120 on Kentucky and beat them by 40. They could have won by 60 or more if they wanted to.
This team is UNLV 2.0 and their new nickname will be the Runnin Blue Devils - I guarantee that nickname will be circulating after tonight. Just ironic that Duke became what they hated
November 7th, 2018 at 12:23 AM ^
It could of been a real blood bath. Good luck stopping that train, as long as they play with that effort (probably can play stronger D, if they want to — but it’s not like UK has no talent — but it did go street ball for a bit).
Zion Williamson = Larry Johnson, with handles?
November 6th, 2018 at 11:55 PM ^
Zion Williamson...mother of God, this man is a force to be reckoned with.
November 7th, 2018 at 8:59 AM ^
It looks like Duke and then everybody else. I know it's early. I love this Michigan team to win the big ten.