U of M thread (in the Lions Forum) :)

[Masspartan]

Random thoughts:

You can say the refs didn't cost UM this game and technically that's correct. From an individual basis good teams overcome bad calls, but the refs completely took UM out of their game and feed right into Louisville's game. It changed the whole complexion of the game in the second half. The refs called the game to Louisville's sweet spot and Um's weakness. Hard to win a game like that.

It was a great run for UM. I never expected them to make it as far as they did. It's still an opportunity lost and next year they may lay an egg in the tourney. No one really knows.

I don't know about all that ... Michigan was taking advantage of the lack of whistles as well, especially McGary.

[DanO]

Are you kidding me....................McGary SUCKED in this game. How was he taking advantage? Please pull off the green goggles before you talk.

[SeattleLionsFan]

He kicked a ball directly back to the dude that threw it.

[chemiclord]

I don't know about all that ... Michigan was taking advantage of the lack of whistles as well, especially McGary.

Are you kidding me....................McGary SUCKED in this game. How was he taking advantage? Please pull off the green goggles before you talk.

I believe Mass is saying McGary was allowed a lot of contact as well (he should have had his fifth foul on more than one occasion). That said, it is ALSO true that the looser called game benefited Louisville and their play style.

[Masspartan]

Are you kidding me....................McGary SUCKED in this game. How was he taking advantage? Please pull off the green goggles before you talk.

who said he didn't suck? I said he was taking advantage of the refs allowing physical play by being physical. Capiche?


edit: didn't see Chemi explaining it away the way I intended.

[SeattleLionsFan]

And if Mike Tyson is allowed to punch me in the face repeatedly, and I punch him back a few times, I'd argue that I wasn't really the one taking advantage of the refs allowing face punching...

[Masspartan]

I assume that Mitch McGary is Mike Tyson in your analogy .... he was after as big and old as anybody on the floor ... no?

[SeattleLionsFan]

He's not a face puncher though, and Michigan as a whole is not a face puncher...

[CGVT]

That is Michigan's fault, though. If the refs are going to call the game way they do, it would make sense to play that way.

Louisville took advantage of it. Michigan did not.

Back in the 70s the Big Ten played physical ball (different than today's physical) and they got hurt when they got to the tourney and the game was called closer (yes there were exceptions, but overall)

Today, the Big Ten plays the same style of physical that they have always played, but it is not the clutching and grabbing type of physical.

It bit Michigan in the ass in the final game

[nhwbrooklyn]

Pitino's whole shtick is to have a deep rotation of fast relentless guards play tight on the ball defense for the full court while having a shot blocker back there to protect them if they get run by.

You can beat it with inside dominance. You can beat it by superior ball handling and shooting. You can beat it by very disciplined play with a smart game plan.

The other side of the problem for uofm was they were not very good at stopping penetration, not particularly good at protecting the rim with help defense, and not anything special at transition defense and that's the main things that Louisville does particularly well on offense. Their best scorer had a terrible game but the rest of the team mostly had their way with the defense of UofM.

[CGVT]

The early second foul on Burke was crucial. It changed M's defense to what you described

[Rocky Bleier]

The early second foul on Burke was crucial. It changed M's defense to what you described

Yes. The number of fouls tend to equal out most games. But all fouls are not equal.

[SeattleLionsFan]

FWIW, I think Brook is right. The grabby shitty crappy Louisville defense didn't cause Michigan to lose. Michigan scored more on Louisville than any team had all year (points per possession at least).

Michigans defense was awful. It looked completely utterly lost at times.

[Masspartan]

the better team won. Leave it at that.

Michigan made a very nice run though for a 5th place Big Ten team.

[Rocky Bleier]

A 5th place Big Ten team that was a one point loss away from a first-place tie. If Jordan Morgan's put-back before the buzzer goes in, Indiana and Michigan share the title.