IT'S ON!!!......For the Championship

[wlvrnstlr4life]

Michigan and Michigan State on Saturday 8pm Est. 6pm Mtn. 5pm Pst

A Big Thank You to Minnesota!!!

 

[wlvrnstlr4life]

Im giving State the advantage, here. Obviously they are at home, but it seems they are a more desperate team playing a team like Michigan because of their 2 big losses of Langford and Ward. McQuaid killed us along with Goins. The whole team seems more focused minus the Indiana game. UM better come to play with the A game. If we go 5 to 7 min stretches without scoring any FGs, we're toast.

Go Blue!!!!!

 

[gobluebigjon]

Go Blue!

 

[biggunsbob]

Don't settle for bad jumpers. Run the offense and drive to the rim . Let the jumpers come as we are running the offense. Should be a great ball game. Hopefully we show up and play a great game !!

 

[rumseyhouse77]

The door is open for this team to win the season championship. Winning it over Sparty would make it even sweeter. GO BLUE get it done!

 

[UMRules06]

Im giving State the advantage, here. Obviously they are at home, but it seems they are a more desperate team playing a team like Michigan because of their 2 big losses of Langford and Ward. McQuaid killed us along with Goins. The whole team seems more focused minus the Indiana game. UM better come to play with the A game. If we go 5 to 7 min stretches without scoring any FGs, we're toast.

Go Blue!!!!!

Those guys killed us because they had open looks due to the play of Winston (especially first 10 minutes). He was the main reason they won the first game. Defensive gameplan needs to adjust.

 

[dubbsco]

Those guys killed us because they had open looks due to the play of Winston (especially first 10 minutes). He was the main reason they won the first game. Defensive gameplan needs to adjust.

Other than Winston, they don't have ball handlers. When Michigan started pressing at the end of the game last time, they panicked. At the very least, Simpson needs to pick up Winston full court and get him worn out. When other teams have done that, it has resulted in success. Throw in the occasional full-court trap.

 

[Michchamp]

Those guys killed us because they had open looks due to the play of Winston (especially first 10 minutes). He was the main reason they won the first game. Defensive gameplan needs to adjust.

agree; we weren't ready for whatever it was they were doing differently.

couldn't build a lead early, because they kept draining those wide open threes.

and then later when their shooting cooled off, IIRC they were finding guys wide open in the paint for easy layups.

I think we have as good of a chance to win there as we did at home. Not saying we're going to win or lose, but I would be surprised if they handled us easily.

 

[MSUMatt28]

Other than Winston, they don't have ball handlers. When Michigan started pressing at the end of the game last time, they panicked. At the very least, Simpson needs to pick up Winston full court and get him worn out. When other teams have done that, it has resulted in success. Throw in the occasional full-court trap.

There was only one turnover during that time that I can recall. Mostly it was Poole hitting a couple of prayers, but Winston then icing it at the line.

Should be a good game. MSU will have the crowd and the prime-time environment and Senior Day. UM seems to have righted itself since the last game. One X-factor would be if Ward plays for MSU. He is reportedly making good progress, and the temptation is there, but I'd guess they still keep him out until the BTT.

Another good thing about last night's results is I think it locks in Purdue as the #2 in the BTT if they beat Northwestern. Winner of this game take the 1 seed (not sure the actual tie-break between MSU and Purdue since they split, but I'd think most measures like overall record, strength of Big Ten schedule and total points in the 2 meetings would favor MSU). Then loser would like fall to the 3. So they wouldn't play again unless it's in the Big Ten Final as opposed to the semi's.

 

[dubbsco]

There was only one turnover during that time that I can recall. Mostly it was Poole hitting a couple of prayers, but Winston then icing it at the line.

Should be a good game. MSU will have the crowd and the prime-time environment and Senior Day. UM seems to have righted itself since the last game. One X-factor would be if Ward plays for MSU. He is reportedly making good progress, and the temptation is there, but I'd guess they still keep him out until the BTT.

Another good thing about last night's results is I think it locks in Purdue as the #2 in the BTT if they beat Northwestern. Winner of this game take the 1 seed (not sure the actual tie-break between MSU and Purdue since they split, but I'd think most measures like overall record, strength of Big Ten schedule and total points in the 2 meetings would favor MSU). Then loser would like fall to the 3. So they wouldn't play again unless it's in the Big Ten Final as opposed to the semi's.

There was only one turnover yes, but I could tell that the press was very frustrating for MSU to handle. I'm not saying to bull rush, Shaka Smart-style the whole time, but if Michigan did put pressure on Cassius and make him work harder to get up the court each and every time down, that could change the game. But, to play devil's advocate to my own theory, Beilein's one serious issue (with me at least), is the auto-bench after 1 foul. I am of the camp that you play until you are done or need to sit. You NEVER know how many minutes a player can go without fouling. And I'll take Xavier playing a little lighter vs any of Michigan's backup guards right now.

 

[MSUMatt28]

There was only one turnover yes, but I could tell that the press was very frustrating for MSU to handle. I'm not saying to bull rush, Shaka Smart-style the whole time, but if Michigan did put pressure on Cassius and make him work harder to get up the court each and every time down, that could change the game. But, to play devil's advocate to my own theory, Beilein's one serious issue (with me at least), is the auto-bench after 1 foul. I am of the camp that you play until you are done or need to sit. You NEVER know how many minutes a player can go without fouling. And I'll take Xavier playing a little lighter vs any of Michigan's backup guards right now.

That's been teams' strategy pretty much the whole Big Ten season, partially to wear Cassius down and probably also to keep MSU from running after made baskets. I think Eastern at Purdue because of his length has given him the most trouble in that regard.

The thing I don't like about our offense right now is Cassius can't get open looks from 3 because there is nobody to throw the ball into in the post, and then back out for 3 (so as a result everything begins and ends with Cassius right now). Though McQuaid and Goins have been hitting, but Cassius is a better shooter than either.

 

[thewolverines24]

JB with a lot of time to prepare gives me a good feeling.

 

[dubbsco]

JB with a lot of time to prepare gives me a good feeling.

Yeah for sure.

Not to make excuses ahead of time, but regular season and tournament crowns are nice, but really not super important compared to other sports. March Madness is where the bread is buttered. I think M has the stuff to make a deep run, but they need to hit some darn shots along the way. The first week against Montana and Houston was painful. They survived simply because they were just better than those teams. I don't think they can get away with that again.

 

[thewolverines24]

Yeah for sure.

Not to make excuses ahead of time, but regular season and tournament crowns are nice, but really not super important compared to other sports. March Madness is where the bread is buttered. I think M has the stuff to make a deep run, but they need to hit some darn shots along the way. The first week against Montana and Houston was painful. They survived simply because they were just better than those teams. I don't think they can get away with that again.

Depending on who we play, we probably can get away with it because of our defense.

 

[dubbsco]

Depending on who we play, we probably can get away with it because of our defense.

Michigan matches up well with anyone, but a team like Maryland is perfect. They continued to dump it into Fernando over, and over again, and he could not take on Teske. And they did not have the shooters for him to kick it out and make us pay. I'm more fearful of teams that shoot great and rarely need to get into the post.

 

[Michchamp]

Is Charles Mathews going to play Saturday?

Would help a lot if his midrange game was there.

 

[thewolverines24]

Michigan matches up well with anyone, but a team like Maryland is perfect. They continued to dump it into Fernando over, and over again, and he could not take on Teske. And they did not have the shooters for him to kick it out and make us pay. I'm more fearful of teams that shoot great and rarely need to get into the post.

Why? Our wing defenders are great.

 

[thewolverines24]

Is Charles Mathews going to play Saturday?

Would help a lot if his midrange game was there.

I've been monitoring UMHoops for any news, but nothing out there yet.

 

[TheVictors]

I said before we played in Crisler that I thought we'd drop that game but win at Breslin. And now that would mean winning the BigTen title ...extra sweet.

 

[dubbsco]

Why? Our wing defenders are great.

Personally, and I am backing this up with absolutely no data, I think our best defenders are at the top and in the post. Outside of Matthews, are Poole/Iggy/Livers great? I think Livers is pretty good, but I'm really not sure the other two are, at least they are rarely talked about for their defense.

When I watch Poole, he gets out of position a ton and leaves his feet WAY too much.

I have never thought about Iggy as an elite defender, he seems alright. I actually think Teske moves his feet much better in post defense, Iggy gets lost on occasion.