What's the best formula for beating Michigan?

Submitted by Bambi on

I only started this thread in a semi circle-jerking manner, but we just beat two good, talented teams that are completely different in play style.

OSU was a fast paced, 3 point shooting, out score you team. Louisville is a slower paced, smother you on defense, out rebound/big man you type team. We managed to beat both in 3 days, granted both in close games.

The rest of the way, what type of play stayle do you think Michigan would struggle with the most? One of the two we just played, something in the middle, or an entirely different type of team?

cletus318

March 19th, 2017 at 3:00 PM ^

The formula is what it's always been, take away threes and beat us up on the glass. This is exactly what Louisville did for much of the game. We were able to come back because we limited Louisville to only 2 offensive rebounds over the last 13 minutes or so.

UMinSF

March 19th, 2017 at 3:04 PM ^

Right now this is one dangerous team. Take away one weapon, and they'll find another.

One could say get them in foul trouble, but Wagner's really the only candidate for that - Michigan just doesn't commit many fouls, absent Minnesota game-level officiating.

EastCoast Esq.

March 19th, 2017 at 3:01 PM ^

Go inside over and over and over with a talented big man. Have people to kick out to for three when help comes. DJ and Wagner have been excellent down low, but they are still limited.

cletus318

March 19th, 2017 at 3:30 PM ^

Purdue has plodding bigs who we can take advantage of in pick and rolls and pops. We can force a team like that to downsize to have a shot of slowing our offense, taking away their advantage. A team with more athletic bigs can take some of that away, which is what Louisville did.

It really is about controlling the glass for us. Many of our losses came from getting annihilated on the glass. As we saw today, even a great defensive team is unlikely to match our offensive efficiency straight up. A team that can't make up some of that ground with rebounding doesn't have much of a change.

M-jed

March 19th, 2017 at 3:01 PM ^

If we're playing a regular D, we win with how in sync we are. Beilein has done a masterful job game planning for raining 3's or feeding the bigs. What a matchup nightmare when both Wagner and Wilson are in.

The Fan in Fargo

March 19th, 2017 at 3:15 PM ^

There isn't a team that can stop Wagner and Wilson when they are getting to the rim. Actually, they should've and could've had the ball way more. Considering that this is the toughest team defensively that they will face and they defended the toughest offensive opponent they will face, execution is all they need. All they need to do offensively is get those to the ball and open up the outside. 

Seth

March 19th, 2017 at 3:04 PM ^

Going by the first half...

Also it depends on what kind of team you have. Lville played it right: matchup man to man, play the arc hard, and make Moe beat your endless bigs inside while crashing the boards and hoping to put M's bigs on the bench.

rschreiber91

March 19th, 2017 at 3:07 PM ^

If Wagner and Wilson both get into foul trouble, that's a huge problem.  Can't do without Walton for long stretches either.  Otherwise, crash the boards and pray that we miss shots.

charblue.

March 19th, 2017 at 3:09 PM ^

in the Big Ten. But the team that would give them the most trouble is a team like them, which can score and play the way they do, shoot well and rebound offensively better while defending the perimeter.

UMinSF

March 19th, 2017 at 3:10 PM ^

Teams that can score with multiple players in multiple ways are hard to stop.

In football, lights-out D can slow down any offense, in basketball great scorers are gonna score.

Michigan has 6 guys who can light it up. That's really hard to stop.

Not only that, but we protect the ball well and can shoot FT's - critical in close games, as we've seen.

Finally, Coach B is a wonderful tournament coach. He wins the XO battle almost every time.

DrewForBlue

March 19th, 2017 at 4:24 PM ^

But he is a great coach. And I wouldn't say Coach B beat him soundly.  After seeing Louisville play, I'm pretty impressed they have the record they do. 

I said previously Michigan is the college version Golden State Warriors.  But that's not exactly right.  They are a damn chamelion of a team, one of the best UM has ever produced.  This coming from a guy who thought Coach B should be fired two months ago. 

Unless multiple things go wrong, you just cannot beat UM.  And that has played out the last 6-7 weeks