MICHIGAN'S MEN'S BASKETBALL: 2015-2016

[hack]

To that end...

#1, they need to make shots. Irvin airballed a wide open corner 3. That's his sweet spot. WTF. They're obviously in a tailspin now. Plenty of time to turn it around, but they are still out of sorts with their roles. Their scoring droughts they are going through this year remind me of the the 07-08 and 08-09 teams...that's not good.

They've got plenty of time to turn the ship, and the schedule is there to do it. I won't panic until they're under .500 half way through the B1G season. As evidenced by the last couple of weeks, a lot of other conference teams have their own issues.

You mentioned a week ago the confidence issue, and that's gotta be a huge part of it at this point. They are rattled. They had a week of practice before this game, and still. IMO it's always easier to grind your way out of a funk than to shoot your way out, and that's IMO one of the weak spots in Beilein's approach. I hate that as a team they don't hustle for loose balls until they know they're cold from 3. But this is who they are, and it's worked really well in the past three years. For this year specifically IMO it's Walton that's gotta step up. More penetration and more pick and roll. Until it works.

[Hannibal]

Once again, your memory is faulty. I wasn't really down on last year's team until it was announced that McGary wasn't coming back. And the lowest I ever got with them was to say that they were a bubble team. And it's not like I was an outlier.

And I don't know how you are pulling from your memory that I got down on the 2013 team when they dropped to 20-2. I never said that they would miss the tourney. That's absurd.

Again -- plenty of room for a reasonable critique of Beilein. That'd be a much better discussion to have.

A reasonable critique begins with:

1. Losing to your rivals 60% of the time with an average margin of double digits in the losses.
2. Never winning a conference tournament and making the finals only once.
3. Having two decent post season runs in seven seasons (going on eight).
4. Missing the post season entirely two times (there's a good chance it's going to be three) when your rivals' coaches haven't missed the post season once in 33 seasons between them. Although there is still a possibility of making the NIT, so there's that.
5. Trying to reconcile points 1-4 with the notion that Beilein is an "elite" coach.

[hack]

My memory isn't faulty. Yes it was indeed absurd when you suggested after the Indiana loss that they would miss the tournament, but in this thread you've got the market cornered on absurdity. The fact that you actually repeated these four points is complete looney tunes.

[Hannibal]

Uh, you do realize those are facts, right? (with the exception of a couple of forward looking/speculative comments).

My memory isn't faulty. Yes it was indeed absurd when you suggested after the Indiana loss that they would miss the tournament, but in this thread you've got the market cornered on absurdity.

You're imagining things. Seriously. There was absolutely not one time during the 2013 season when I said that they wouldn't make the tournament. I will confess that I was very much down on the team after the MSU and PSU losses, and I speculated that they would get knocked out in the second round, but I never said that they wouldn't make it. Not once.

[hack]

Your ``facts'' are a notably selective reading of reality. And they explain why you are always wrong with the speculation. I dunno who you think you're fooling with that stuff. But that's the bottom line and the end of my involvement with this -- you're on the verge of 0-4. You're batting .000 with an outside shot at .250. At some point maybe you've got to take a look at your thought process here.

Either I'm imagining it or you are. I'm fine with leaving it at that. I feel pretty sane and grounded in reality here in comparison, plus I know what I read.

[Hannibal]

Your ``facts'' are a notably selective reading of reality.

How is looking at a complete track record "selective reading"? Did Beilein have a post season run at Michigan that I overlooked? Did Tom Izzo or Thad Matta have a huge down year or two that I forgot about? Is Beilein's record against those two guys not 12-18? Is post season + record against rivals not a good starting point for evauating the coach? Is evaluating the coach's overall record not a good starting point for evaluating his "Defense and rebounding are for the birds" strategy?

Contrary to your statement, I am apparently the only one paying attention to the basketball program who doesn't have a selective memory. Beilein has been our coach for seven years, not two.

Either I'm imagining it or you are.

You are. Seriously. If you want to give me shit about thinking that last year's team was a bubble team or that the 2013 team would lose in the 2nd round of the NCAA tourney, then have at it. Beyond that, your'e making stuff up.

[Mike]

So am I to understand that basketball season has, in fact, begun?

[hack]

Ask Hannibal. I am not to be trusted.

[lineygoblue]

So am I to understand that basketball season has, in fact, begun?

The season has indeed begun, and the Wolverines are in good hands.

[WM Wolverine]

With all the early entries, this roster isn't very talented and very inexperienced... The backcourt of Walton/Spike, LeVert, Irvin is the teams strength and imo all three of those guys were getting overrated coming into the season...

Irvin is a terrific shooter but he's no Stauskus as far as creating his own shot, creating for others or putting the ball on the floor to get to the basket/free throw line. I like what he does well, but he's got areas of his game that needs a lot of work... LeVert is a nice 2nd, 3rd scoring option but looks lost when forced to have the ball in his hands too much and create for others... These guys looked better last season when asked to do less, this season they are expected to carry the offense and imo aren't that talented/skilled enough to do so.

[The Oracle]

Michigan has at least one monster scoring drought that reminiscent of the Amaker years per game.

[Kstat]

Chatman reminds me so much of Josh smith. Finds new and fun ways to embarrass himself every game.

[Kstat]

Walton is a joke too. Hands of stone and he's a freaking point guard.

[hack]

Just able to tune in. No idea what's going on but just saw a pretty embarrassing putback. This team seems to lack the resilience of the previous three. Certainly a degree of talent too, but this team is quite a bit less than the sum of its parts. Not supposed to be that way under Beilein.

[lineygoblue]

They can't shoot either