Ohio State 76, Michigan 66
Yeah, OK, that's a problem. ESPN doesn't get it sometimes. pic.twitter.com/7U1En2iCjn
— Tony Paul (@TonyPaul1984) February 17, 2016
Michigan lost to Ohio State in basketball tonight. ESPN said so. It must be true.
ESPN, forgetting that cameras, unlike humans, are equipped with a zoom function, decided to show us the entire game from the floor. It's an understatement to say the experiment failed. I'm mostly incapable of telling you what went on. If you attended the game, feel free to help us out in the comments.
Did this shot go in? I HAVE NO IDEA pic.twitter.com/62uLqsW0Ui
— Sarah (@sarbucks) February 17, 2016
Ohio State was able to get inside on Michigan. That much I can tell you because the Buckeyes were obscured by other players, not the officials. The box score tells me they had 38 points in the paint. JaeSean Tate led the way with 13 points and made 6/8 two-pointers; center Trevor Thompson, not normally a major factor on offense, had 12 on 6/7 FGs.
Michigan had a difficult time doing the same. I know this because the Wolverines were obscured by the officials, not other players. Unless, of course, they were on the far side of the court, and then they were obscured by everyone. The box score tells me they were 5/24 on three-pointers. Zak Irvin, Duncan Robinson, and Derrick Walton were a combined 4/18 from beyond the arc. The only consistent performer on offense was Mark Donnal (17 points, 6/10 FG, 5/7 FT, 7 REB), who still relied on the rare successful foray to the hoop by a Wolverine to attain most of his points.
Moments like this really make my flatscreen HD TV worth it. https://t.co/345ip2TXTU
— Alejandro Zúñiga (@ByAZuniga) February 17, 2016
What not even ESPN's Worst Idea Since Jason Whitlock could obscure was how much better Ohio State's offense functioned than Michigan's, and also how poor the Wolverines performed on defense. When the Buckeyes weren't bulling their way into the paint, they were breaking open off curl-cuts for easy jumpers. Michigan never got in a rhythm, couldn't get all the way to the basket, and didn't find ways to get their shooters open.
Believe it or not, I just ran into one of ESPN camerawomen in the bathroom. She said that she can't pan without hitting anyone...
— Kelly Hall (@KellyHall20) February 17, 2016
Michigan missed their best chance to pull an upset and all but secure an NCAA Tournament bid. They'll get another shot on Sunday at Maryland. Even from butt-level, it's apparent the Wolverines will have to raise their level of play substantially this weekend.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:12 PM ^
Fuck everything.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:13 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 16th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^
Oh shit....does this mean we haveto get back on the "Fire Beilein" bandwagon again???
February 17th, 2016 at 7:25 AM ^
February 17th, 2016 at 9:05 AM ^
They removed Donnal's RS which using means a guy is going to transfer. If he isn't now because he is our best big and wants to be here, then his 4 years will be up when Teske and Davis come off a RS. Wilson shoots threes halfway decent and can end up playing the 4 if need be.
Also everyone complains that Beilein doesn't recruit bigs well. Now you are complaining that he is trying to stack his deck with them?
Also also, you forgot Mo Weezy.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:13 PM ^
February 16th, 2016 at 9:23 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 16th, 2016 at 9:30 PM ^
Shat.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:36 PM ^
good thing we were playing in the OSU toilet bowl then, eh?
February 16th, 2016 at 9:14 PM ^
February 16th, 2016 at 9:21 PM ^
Just throw a Grit in there and you hit Intangible Bingo.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:44 PM ^
Big Ten Championship with Zack Novak playing the 4 says hi. Beilein's done plenty with less.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:46 PM ^
February 17th, 2016 at 8:58 AM ^
Not sure that's the case. Sans LeVert/Albrecht, we're a bubble team at best.
Having said that, you can criticize the staff for not recruiting better.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:48 PM ^
February 16th, 2016 at 9:47 PM ^
Zack has more heart than this entire team combined.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:12 PM ^
Being able to put 5 future NBA players on the floor really helps too
McGary
GRIII
Stauskas
Hardaway Jr
Burke
with great effort players Levert, Spike, and Morgan off the bench.
February 16th, 2016 at 11:19 PM ^
He did sign all those players, right? That is part of being a college coach, correct?
February 16th, 2016 at 11:32 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
February 16th, 2016 at 11:34 PM ^
Yeah, how has his recruiting been since then?
February 17th, 2016 at 12:56 AM ^
he has nothing now and nothing next year. The BB program is on a downward path and its future looks worse.
The question is do we keep Beilein because of his limited past success? If so, we are accepting mediocrity because he is a good and decent man just like Brady Hoke.
February 17th, 2016 at 9:32 AM ^
I think we keep him one more year because of injuries to critical players this year and last year. Next year is when his seat will start really heating up if he can't get the team to produce. I have a lot of respect for Beilein so it pains me to say that.
February 17th, 2016 at 11:30 AM ^
Just wanted to revisit those names. Love them, but all stars they will never be. Trey's shot against Kansas, GR3's put in to save the Purdue game, Stauskis blowing kisses to MSU fans as he ran off the court & Mitch just being Mitch. All great memories, but they have all struggled badly since jumping to the NBA. Give Beilein some credit for getting the most out of each of them. He made those guys millionaires.
February 17th, 2016 at 6:34 PM ^
that's all I got.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:14 PM ^
At least I wasn't able to really see that loss. But this was one of the worst defensive efforts of the season, which is really saying something. They've been pretty bad at shooting for a while now and they seem to be hit or miss when it comes to actually playing with effort. Still think we have to win 2 more to feel comfortable on selection sunday.
February 17th, 2016 at 5:02 AM ^
February 17th, 2016 at 6:25 AM ^
I think this team is just mentally soft. They're incapable of going into a hostile road environment and pulling out a win. That's why any road game against a decent opponent (and that's being very generous to tOSU) has been a double digit loss. Now, whose fault that is I leave to you to decide. Me, I believe that a team takes on the identity of its coach. We all saw how different of a mentality the football team had with Harbaugh in charge compared to Hoke. In the past, we had guys who stepped their games up and led by example in hostile road environments i.e. Burke and Stauskas. This team doesn't have that, and the 2 guys capable of doing that are injured. But when this team doesn't have that leader, they turn to the coach for guidance. And Beilein has not been able to instill that toughness within this team to go into a big road game unfazed and ready to play.
February 17th, 2016 at 6:34 AM ^
February 17th, 2016 at 6:57 AM ^
I agree. If anybody can become that guy I think it's Irvin. He's the only guy who's shown up against the good teams relatively consistently. It's clear that Beilein's teams have a fairly low ceiling when they don't have that alpha dog, the guy like Burke or Stauskas who can take over a game and create the offense almost single handedly. Hell, even a guy like Novak would make a huge difference on this team. Oh well, it is what it is.
February 17th, 2016 at 9:04 AM ^
Every college team needs that guy with the edge to step up; one of my favorite parts of the sport is that the drive of an individual can shape a season. Thus, I think the problem is more about recruiting than scheme. Dakich et al. were pumping up Beilien at one point during the broadcast, and for the first time I felt that it was more out of pity than genuine admiration.
February 17th, 2016 at 9:09 AM ^
February 17th, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^
February 17th, 2016 at 3:59 PM ^
Right now, there is no one on the floor who refuses to let the team lose.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:14 PM ^
God, that sucked.
February 17th, 2016 at 4:47 AM ^
February 17th, 2016 at 8:12 AM ^
My buddy at work, big Buckeye fan, sent me a paragraph from Bucknuts yesterday morning that said this was going to happen. Apparently ESPN gave them a heads up in the morning. It basically said they were going to use this camera angle "most of the game" to let people at home feel like they are sitting courtside.
Wasn't a technical issue at all. Just a bad idea from the beginning.
February 17th, 2016 at 9:01 AM ^
If that was their plan, it was crazy. Viewers can forgive technical difficulties.
The crew stressed all night that this was a deliberate thing, so they assumed responsibility for the fiasco it was.
February 17th, 2016 at 9:06 AM ^
February 16th, 2016 at 9:16 PM ^
Let us count the ways
1. Caris doesn't play for whatever reason.
2. The camera angle (discussed ad nauseum, but annoying nonetheless)
3. At one point, Dakich and that chick walk out onto the court right before the end of a timeout to discuss Michigan's lingo, thus delaying the game. You could see how fast she had to hurry off.
4. Once again, we have a one-dimensional basketball team that can't do the one thing that they're supposed to be good at with consistency..
February 17th, 2016 at 8:55 AM ^
Don't forget the in-game interview, where the sideline reporter spoke to Turner and Sullinger - with the camera on them - while play was going on.
It felt like ESPN was trolling its audience.
February 17th, 2016 at 9:30 AM ^
"1. Caris doesn't play for whatever reason."
Because he's still injured, numbnuts. Did you miss the part where he didn't play the second half of the Purdue game and said he was sore from missing approximately 6 weeks?
February 17th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^
Beilein needs to stop jacking around and admit that Caris' career at UM is over. If he's that out of game shape, by the time he returns it would be the conference tournament. He'll have no flow with the rest of the team and will be no help. Just admit that the kid is done and move on.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:16 PM ^
February 16th, 2016 at 10:54 PM ^
Or at least, you know, make an attempt to.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:17 PM ^
February 16th, 2016 at 9:17 PM ^
February 16th, 2016 at 9:18 PM ^
ESPN should try this during March Madness.
Hope Michigan raises the level of play and gets a couple of wins. No way they are going to shoot that bad every game. I HOPE.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:08 PM ^
and let the fan at home experience his view.
February 16th, 2016 at 10:43 PM ^
they have been shooting very poorly. They shot 5-20 from 3-point range vs. Purdon't.
February 16th, 2016 at 9:19 PM ^
Lot of cold shooting again. It was a miracle Walton pulled us out against Purdue.
I counted 8 missed layups (that I could see) before I stopped counting. Can't anyone dunk?
Comments