Game thread: Men’s hoops at Vandy, noon EDT on ESPN
Purdue’s loss to Fairleigh Dickinson has consumed a lot of the oxygen from the college hoops “room”.
Michigan returns to the floor in Nashville against the Commodores of Vanderbilt. It’s the second round of the NIT - win or go home / clean out your locker.
A victory today means the third round game will be at Crisler before the semifinals / finals in Vega$.
Go Blue!
March 18th, 2023 at 11:09 AM ^
Go Blue!
March 18th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
The game cannot start until we get our MGoBlog preview.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:14 AM ^
Win the NIT. I would rather win the NIT than be bounced in the first round of the tournament as a 1 seed.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:31 AM ^
Purdue had a humiliating loss, but they won two championships this year in the B1G. I would prefer either of those over an NIT championship, even with the humiliating loss.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:34 AM ^
If you told me Michigan could trade losing a big ten championship in football for not losing to App St. I would take it. People will forget about the championship, but like Michigan any time there is upset talk Purdue will have to relive that misery.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:39 AM ^
You are crazy. I would not trade either of the last two seasons to erase App state. That was nearly 15 years ago. It doesn't bother me any more.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
I did not say a season. But a loss to Purdue in the title game materially changes nothing they still make the playoff. The misery of the app state loss was greater than the joy of beating Purdue last year.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
Well, to lose the Championship means to have not had the seasons they’ve had these two years. Who gives AF about the Appy State now?
I completely forgot about UMBC’s upset of UVA because UVA also won a damn Tourney.
If you define any team’s history by one game, then why be a fan? You take the good and the bad, and you look forward to the next game. The beauty of sports is that there’s always a next game.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
You forgot it because they won a national championship not because they won an acc championship.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:09 PM ^
People that think this way shouldn’t compete in sports.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
Then I guess they should dissolve the NFL because they sit people during meaningless games. If sitting players against Purdue last year would have gave Michigan a better chance in the playoff I would be all for it. I think true elite competitors think a Kobe or Jordan, could care less about conference titles they care about winning national titles. I personally think it is a loser mindset to celebrate a conference title, it is national championship or bust. Ask winning programs like Bama if they are happy with conference titles.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:22 AM ^
Should be a really fun game! I'm hoping Nashville M fans show up, will be interesting to see how may show up for this game.
Go Blue!
March 18th, 2023 at 11:30 AM ^
Let's Go Blue
March 18th, 2023 at 11:30 AM ^
No game preview?
March 18th, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
Maybe if we make it to Vegas.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:38 AM ^
Jett and Kobe are out. This might be ugly.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:39 AM ^
Jett's out, I expected. But Kobe's out too?!
AND Go Blue!
March 18th, 2023 at 11:45 AM ^
In sweats during warm ups. Not looking good.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:06 PM ^
Getting ready for the draft. Bowl Game Flu.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:12 PM ^
This is ridiculous. If they are actually sitting out… two of the better players from a Big 10 team that can’t even make the real tournament sit out the meaningless tournament. In the NIL era where you can be paid to play hoops at an elite university. If this is how it is now, Michigan basketball is finished.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:38 AM ^
Go Blue!
Dunk the Commodores.
Or play their music as background to your symphony of dazzling hoop moves.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:38 AM ^
Lmao ok this isn't a coincidence that our 2 projected first round picks are both out with "ankle injuries"
March 18th, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
OMG. It will be hard to win without Kobe. That just drained my enthusiasm.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
Right lol I dont recall Kobe being hurt in the game on Tuesday. Maybe he got hurt in practice but come on. Also they put Barnes in the tweet so it wouldn't sound the "opting out" bells.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:46 AM ^
Also they put Barnes in the tweet so it wouldn't sound the "opting out" bells.
Or Barnes is sitting out because he's planning on entering the portal
After he just got granted a redshirt year mast year …
March 18th, 2023 at 11:59 AM ^
Barnes has been listed as out for weeks now, though. I sort of assumed they threw him in there since he's a potential guard option to take some Bufkin minutes but is still unavailable.
I wouldn't be shocked if Barnes left but his absence isn't new.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
Has Barnes been hurt for like 3 years now? His senior year of HS he was out with a knee injury.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
It's been a problem for him for a while it seems. Sucks because you can see the potential for him to be a solid P5 player when healthy.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:46 AM ^
Jett has been injured for some time and he looked limited at times when he came back; we can debate the severity of the injury to an extent but can we stop with the scare quotes around the "injury" part.
Kobe is new but I also doubt that Howard and co. are in the business of faking injuries for a guy who hasn't missed a game all year and just played in an NIT game. Do people honestly believe a guy would play in one NIT game and then realize "oh man, I'm playing in a shitty tournament but I'll play 35+ minutes against a MAC school but better protect my potential first-round status by skipping a road game against a good SEC team?"
March 18th, 2023 at 12:09 PM ^
Basketball isn’t really a sport you don’t play for fear of injury. Your going to have to practice and scrimmage to get better and keep up your skills.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
Last game was the first time Kobe started getting media talking about his NBA first round grade moving from next year to this year, though.
My first reaction is to be sad, but if that means we get to see other guys step up and get some valuable PT (Yussef, I’m looking at you) then that’s cool. Guys need to step up and gain confidence they can play. This gives them invaluable game experience.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:53 PM ^
He's been on various mock draft boards for weeks. This isn't new information about him.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:17 PM ^
lol Jett has had an ankle injury for a month, WTF are you talking about?
I just called off for the entire week. Told my boss I had two ankles.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:42 AM ^
No Kobe
March 18th, 2023 at 11:42 AM ^
Down Jett and Bufkin due to ankle injuries ain't great.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:43 AM ^
Kobe is virtually impossible to replace.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:57 AM ^
Next year says "Hi!"
March 18th, 2023 at 11:47 AM ^
GO DORES!!
March 18th, 2023 at 11:57 AM ^
Don't you have a country to invade?
March 18th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Don’t trolls get banned around here?
March 18th, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
This is gonna be a long thread and it's gonna get very ugly before nightfall. Michigan basketball is imploding.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
You should probably evacuate your bowels before that hot air does any more damage.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:50 AM ^
No problem, we just need Hunter to drop 50 and we should be fine 😑
March 18th, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
No Jett or Kobe means Dug only guard on roster,right? This could get ugly vs a quick,aggressive defense.
March 18th, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^
https://247sports.com/college/michigan/Article/Michigan-basketball-two-starters-OUT-against-Vanderbilt-Jett-Howard-Kobe-Bufkin-Isaiah-Barnes-206804911/
jett and kobe out, no Barnes either…..good times 😒
March 18th, 2023 at 12:01 PM ^
Maybe this will cause the rest of the team to play sharp and focused, and realize there is no margin of error for sloppy/careless plays.
March 18th, 2023 at 12:02 PM ^
On the plus side I guess we'll get to see a lot of Jace and Khayat