Mr. Yost

April 4th, 2017 at 1:00 AM ^

Every year someone says this and we're a middle of the pack type team. What makes you think it's too low. Where's the huge difference from this current team to next year's team that makes it a Top 15 type team?

McGary, GRIII, Stauskas, Spike, and LeVert aren't walking through those doors. 

We were a borderline top 25 team this year WHEN our PG was playing out of his mind and elevated ourselves to the bottom of the top 25.

What makes you think we should be higher? We lost that PG and Irvin, we add Matthews into the rotation. That's really about it. 

I don't think anyone is in a position to say we should be higher unless Mo Bamba signs.

This seems just right until we figure out what kind of a team we have. This team could be very "meh" or it could be a serious Sweet 16 contender again. But it's not like football last year where we went into the year thinking "this team should be top 5."

BroadneckBlue21

April 4th, 2017 at 6:48 AM ^

We didn't play like a Top 15 team at end of year? I coulda sworn we were showing frontcourt promise like we never have with both DJ and Moe. I coulda sworn UM was playing well enough they shoulda beat a Final Four team in Oregon. If Matthews can live up to potential, Simpson makes sophomore B-leap, and any of the redahirts and true freshman live up to hype quickly, team will be top 15. DJ and Moe just have to work on consistency, which can easily happen with work ethic as new leaders of team.

Matte Kudasai

April 4th, 2017 at 8:55 AM ^

We played like a Top 10 team in the tournament and the more games I watched, we could have  won it all had we played our best.

We lost by a pt to a Final 4 team on a day where we didn't play well.

If we had a solid option at the 1, this team would be worthy of a top 10- 15 ranking.

X just didn't show me enough to think that spot is secure and not sure if Brooks will be ready.

We should probably be around 20ish.  Maybe slightly higher.

AA Forever

April 4th, 2017 at 6:51 AM ^

Not to mention whatever improvement we see in Wagner, Wilson, Davis and Teske, along with a freshman class that will almost certainly contribute more than this year's did.  Plus continuing improvement in team defense.  We have a lot more potential to be better next year than just the addition of Matthews.

jmblue

April 4th, 2017 at 10:53 AM ^

Irvin went through a very rough shooting slump in February, but overall he had probably his strongest overall season at Michigan.  He actually shot a career high from the floor this season (45.3%) and definitely played his best defense.

 

Gulogulo37

April 4th, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^

You make it sound like those are terrible assumptions. In general, players improve. Who has regressed under Beilein? All I can think of is Doyle, but he had sleep apnea. A few players have stayed about the same, but most have improved, sometimes dramatically. Did you not see Walton, Wagner, and Wilson play last year?

Also, it seems like things clicked on defense besides just playing with more fire. I wonder if we could see even more improvement and earlier on next year with another year of Donlon.

AA Forever

April 4th, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^

Not all of the players I mentioned have to improve a lot for it to make us better. And we already saw our team defense getting better towards the end of the year. Last year's freshman class had very little impact, so this year's doesn't have to be all stars to make that aspect better, too.

SC Wolverine

April 4th, 2017 at 8:52 AM ^

Take this year's team and do the following: 1)  remove Walton / Irving; 2) bring back DJ and Wagner as more seasoned dominators; 3) add Charles Matthews from UK; and 4) Hand over the point to Simpson.  While the graduated seniors will be hugely missed, that does not look like a worse team than the one that made the end-of-season run.  Before the Sweet Sixteen, we were re-seeded at #5.  All that does not add up to #22 to me.  But that's good -- let it give the guys a chip on their shoulder.

4yearsofhoke

April 4th, 2017 at 10:24 AM ^

The way I look at it:

1. Miami is ranked above UM and they look like garbage.

2. The lineups are a net positive over 2016.

2016

PG - Walt

SG - MAAR

SF - Irvin

PF - Wilson

C - Moe

 

PG - X (net minus)

SG - MAAR (positive)

SF - Mathews (steady)

PF - Wilson (positive)

C - Moe (positive)

bench: robinson (positive), teske (positive over Donnal). Freshman (net positive)

TrueBlue2003

April 4th, 2017 at 2:26 PM ^

IMO.  Teske being better than Donnal is a huge stretch given how far he has to go just to be serviceable (although between he and Davis, there's a chance one of them can be a backup big).  Robinson is who he is at this point so I'd go with a "steady" there rather than a positive.

And the negative of going from Walton to X could be large enough to cancel out all the incremental positives, although that's probably a worst-case scenario.

LS And Play

April 4th, 2017 at 12:15 AM ^

DJ Wilson a foregone conclusion to leave for the draft? I have not heard this anywhere, nor would it be a wise decision. He's not ready yet. Consistency is not there yet and he too often shies away from contact. I expect him to be an absolute beast next year in Ann Arbor, and he'll end up a 1st round pick rather than 2nd round (at best) this year. 

maizerayz

April 4th, 2017 at 12:49 AM ^

I think he's shown enough tools to be selected late in the first round. And you don't stay young forever, so understand if he leaves. He even said it was 50/50 a few weeks ago.

 

I guess the silver lining is that if he leaves this helps with Mo Bamba, however small our chances are.

JayMo4

April 4th, 2017 at 8:20 AM ^

Bamba isn't affected one way or another by Wilson staying or going. Not only has he said as much in interviews, but common sense if you've seen him play tells you that he's not going to be backing anyone up. They may play a lot at the same time, but Bamba isn't going to be playing 10mpg to spell DJ.

maizerayz

April 4th, 2017 at 1:55 PM ^

Why don't you actually read the latest Mo Bamba interviews? He clearly states he's a one and done and was asked point blank if who returns or not matters. The answer is a BIG YES.

 

It seems like to me who goes and stays factors into your deal…How much of a factor is that?

 Absolutely. It’s a pretty big factor.

 

http://www.scout.com/college/basketball/recruiting/story/1766253-what-s…

TrueBlue2003

April 4th, 2017 at 2:20 PM ^

If he wants to be one and done, he'd be crazy not to factor it in who else is playing his position.  I don't think that DJ as a 4 would factor in too much - at least, it shouldn't. Bamba is a five all the way, whether he thinks he's a stretch four or not.  

Wagner being around might factor into his decision and that would be understandable.  But Wagner can play the four two.  It'd actually be a better position for him.  So there's enough minutes to go around for all three.

I could see it being

5. Bamba 25 min / Wagner 15 min

4. DJ 25 min / Wagner 10 min / Robinson 5 min

3. Matthews 30 min / Robinson 5 min / DJ 5 min (for our beast mode jumbo lineups)

JayMo4

April 4th, 2017 at 7:05 PM ^

I didn't say who stays or goes in general (at UM, Kentucky, Duke, Texas) doesn't matter.  I said Wilson in particular staying or going doesn't matter to him.  Baumgardner just interviewed him a couple days ago and dude laughed when he even suggested it.

And again, he's going to start wherever he goes, whatever position that he (or Wilson) ends up playing.

maizerayz

April 4th, 2017 at 8:44 PM ^

He just said in multiple interviews that who goes and stays is very relevant in his decision making.

So Wilson, who plays Bambas position of choice, staying or leaving obviously IS very relevant.

And why don't you link Baumgardners interview?

And I highly doubt a high school kid would start in front of Wilson or Wagner no matter how good he is, and Bamba knows it. Thats why IMO he's delaying his decision until at least May, when he knows exactly whos leaving and staying.

freejs

April 4th, 2017 at 9:36 AM ^

His chances of getting into the first round this year are not good. 

His chances of getting into the first round next year are excellent. And plenty of teams draft seniors these days. 

People have a dated frame of reference on that count. That has changed in the last 3-5 years. 

 

Mr. Yost

April 4th, 2017 at 1:06 AM ^

I personally feel he and Wagner are still a year away.

They're kind of like these Carolina guys who are all fringe 1st round players and came back.

I think both can improve greatly with one more year...then leave. Even then though, neither is a lottery pick in my mind. But coming back for that final year (RS Senior for Wilson and true Senior for Wagner) doesn't do much if I'm them.

I think they take a big leap from this year to next year and can solidify themselves in the bottom of the 1st round in 2018. But I don't think either will ever be a lottery pick and coming back for their senior years (2 years) would just be for Michigan and a chance to win. I don't see much growth in that, in fact, they probably slide into round 2 for being a year older. But if they wanted to do it, hey, you only do this college basketball thing once. Live it up if you enjoy it.

Maizen

April 4th, 2017 at 12:20 AM ^

I don't get the point of these top 25's when the recruiting cycle is not over and NBA decisions by and large haven't been made yet.