B1G/NCAA basketball

[entropy]

.... So it's a modern sport.

[THE_WIZARD_]

shaddup

[Mike]

IU playing like champions today. Or what elite teams do when their competition opens the door for them. It's an absolute curb-stomping in C-bus. I don't think it's too much to ask that I'd like to see Michigan do that at least once a decade.

[iam416]

IU's best is the best in the conference and probably as good as anyone's in the country. They are humming offensively.

[hack]

IU playing like champions today. Or what elite teams do when their competition opens the door for them. It's an absolute curb-stomping in C-bus. I don't think it's too much to ask that I'd like to see Michigan do that at least once a decade.

I wouldn't call it a curb stomping but it was pretty close to what Michigan did to Minnesota in Minnesota, at a time when Minnesota was ranked #9.

But Indiana could be a cautionary tale for Michigan. Both are offense-first teams, but Indiana scores more inside and does a better job on D. Michigan is more consistent. We'll see how it goes...

[lineygoblue]

We needed OlieO to beat indy today

[hack]

No we didn't. Indiana has more tough road games to go than we do, including at our house. I bet that if Michigan wins out it also wins the title outright.

That said, I don't care. If this team needs the whole regular season to learn that the win usually goes to the team that hustles harder, then so be it. IMO the goal is the tourney, not the conference.

[Mike]

Indiana is ahead of us. We needed them to lose.

[hack]

By a game. And they visit us.

[Optimus Prime]

For what it is worth, I've watched two games under Beilein, both losses to OSU & Wisconsin. IMO, he is a shitty game manager. Maybe I'm a bit harsh but he is no "spring chicken", he's seen it all. Make matters worse, the insufferable, obnoxious dago Vitale got it right both times.

With 2.4 seconds left in Whisky, Michigan should NEVER have lost the game. Foul immediately, send Whisky to line shooting 1 & 1, Michigan WINS by 1, sounds like basketball 101 to me. Coming out flat in Columbus, down by 20+ at halftime, inexcusable.

Sorry but Beilien's best simply is not good enough, his experience and expertise should be sealing these games, that's clearly not the case. FWIW IMO. 60 years old, where is the value-added?

Maybe M should pickup Vitale, didn't he coach at U of D Mercy?

[hack]

His approach isn't my favorite but he's a good coach and unlike the Michelin Man running the football team's offense, he can adapt to the talent he's got. He came here a specialist in zones and a 1-3-1 offense and both are a rare sight now. It'll be interesting to see what happens next year. This is his first year with the bullseye on his back and with expectations.

[Optimus Prime]

Thanks Hack, as a casual observer IMO he's not getting it done, apparently with the most Talented team in CB and he has no time left as a few players will be heading to the NBA.

He'd better go deep in the NCAA Tourney or the season is a bust. After 20+ years in the wilderness, it's perfect celestial alignment, get it done.

[hack]

I think it's a good question as to whether he's a great enough coach to win a title. If he keeps recruiting at this level and does this another ten years, he'll get one whether its his coaching that gets there or not. So there's no reason to panic, because indeed he is recruiting really well and there will be incremental improvement. But, of course, he's in his 60s. He's not going to suddenly abandon his ways and become Thad Matta (hate to say it, but he might be the best coach in the league).

[SeattleLionsFan]

OP, does it matter to you that Beilein told the team to foul?

I know people are talking about the failure to foul with 2.4 seconds. Wasn't burke's (and-1) foul trying to take a charge just as bad? Shouldn't they have let them get two?

[hack]

What matters to me is that Beilein said LeVert wasn't used to being in that situtation. Well that's what practice is for. They can run this offense in their sleep by now. Maybe it's time for Beilein to stress defense, hustle, ball security and crunch-time plays.

Good point about that stupid and-1. That was motherfucking criminally stupid too. That's NO FOULS!!!! territory. You guard the 3 line, try to stop them scoring a 2, and then take over the ball up a point. They at that point have no choice but to foul you and hope you miss FTs.

So while yes that shot misses 99% of the time, the coach still could have prevented the loss.