MICHIGAN'S MEN'S BASKETBALL: 2015-2016

[The Oracle]

Love Dakich.

[hack]

Exactly what do you mean there? Much of the time he's a bumbling idiot. A very likeable bumbling idiot, and IMO he kinda just sucks at backing his wilder assertions. You'd think a lack of an ability to explain would be a drawback to getting on air, but overall it's pretty rare how the guy so regularly inspires some gentle mockery from his broadcast booth partner.

[*JD*]

Dakich grinds on me a bit but he likes so many players on Michigan, which tempers my annoyance.

[hack]

As buffoons go, he's a fairly likeable one and points out useful things often enough.

[Hannibal]

I like Dakich. Most of his comments are fairly insightful to me.

[The Oracle]

I'd rather listen to him than Dickie V or pretty much anyone else besides Bilas and Doris Burke. And even then, I'd pick Dakich because he's a "Michigan guy" for the most part in his calls.

[Hannibal]

Yeah we've got the Bob Griese "my son is playing for them" favoritism going and I'm quite fond of it.

[Hannibal]

Michigan up 53-20 at halftime.

[*JD*]

Nice win but I'm wondering how long Walton is going to be out. I hope it was just for today.

[Da Geezer]

What is appealing about Dakich is that his son is a walk-on who is clearly having great fun playing college basketball. I can't see even the most rabid fan of another team getting bothered by Dakich knowing the Michigan players. Greise had a tightrope to walk because his son was in the middle of the action. Dakich does what a color man should be doing.

I will also bet young Dakich will become a heck of a coach.

[*JD*]

Michigan won a thriller over Syracuse tonight, 68-65.

My observations (most are probably obvious ones):

Walton wasn't near 100% tonight. Fortunately, Spike had his best game since April, 2013. 11 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.

Both Doyle and Chatman are improving, Doyle moreso but Kam was one rebound shy of his first double-double. Pretty impressive against a much bigger team. Doyle had 12 & 6 plus a block and a sweet dunk on Christmas.

Surprisingly enough, Michigan had more offensive rebounds than Syracuse and only lost the total rebound margin by 5.

While Doyle and Chatman are coming along, Donnal seems to be regressing. He looked like a scared player out there at times and everything looks like it's moving just a little too fast for him right now.

Maximus is back to just being Max, which was expected. He got thrust into duty tonight mostly because Donnal and Doyle both got in foul trouble. He just doesn't have the height to match-up with most C's.
Having a healthy DJ Wilson will at least provide more of a safety net down the road. I'm not sure when he's due to return.

Michigan had a really great 2nd half but things turned around for Syracuse once Spike left the floor. They went from down 10 to down only 2 while he was out. Then, they almost gave the game away by missing back-to-back front-ends of a 1 and 1. Luckily, Syracuse kept turning the ball over and LaVert finally hit 2 to provide the 3 point margin that remained after a missed long-ball by Kaleb Joseph.

Michigan gets a breather this weekend with NJIT and then plays an improving EMU team early next week before heading out to Tucson. Hopefully, everyone will be healthy by then as that's a monster match-up.

[Mike]

Great win tonight! A fine day for the university as a whole.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Indeed. Things are looking up ...... now all we need is follow through by Hackett on his search and his process ..... the one that ends up bringing Jim Harbaugh back home where he belongs.

[Kstat]

We could have easily blown this one. Clutch FTs comtinue to be our bugaboo.

Still, UM basketball is just so damn comforting to watch. You don't ever worry about them being competitive. The program is in such great hands.

This team could use all the excuses brady hoke used for having a down year, but they stay strong.

[hack]

Just watched on delay. Syracuse is always tough, and an ugly game. Respect due. Points:

1. Spike -- if he's got any communication skills at all, keep him in the program. Allowed to go spend a few years in Europe tweeting at the local Kate Uptons over there, and then right back here as an assistant, please.

2. Irvin -- won't be surprised at all if he goes ahead of LeVert in the draft. The NBA is starving for players just like him. Looking super bouncy and athletic. His game is going to blossom this year. If he can handle the attention come conference play, like Stauskas did last year, he's NBA-bound if he wants to be. Looks great for us this year, though -- pick your poison trying to guard Michigan's perimeter players.

3. Chatman -- good to see him step up and play a role he needed to play. I thought he did very well in the middle. Not perfect, and not remarkably decisive like McGary was in the FF, but he generally made good decisions and made jumpers.

4. Doyle -- if he can blossom on the boards and D, that's the difference-maker that might key another long tourney run.

5. Agree with Dakich's early comment that Michigan's spacing was bad. Clustered at the top.