MICHIGAN'S MEN'S BASKETBALL: 2015-2016

[BlueBlazer05]

Downfall started when UM failed to get that rebound up 23-21 and UW ended up with a 3-point play. Let's see how they respond in the 2nd half.

[whodean]

Hell of a game here


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[BlueBlazer05]

It looked like Michigan was going to fall a little short, but a couple missed Wisconsin free throws and a Walton 3 has this game going into overtime.

[hack]

You'd hope it's our turn for a friendly whistle here in OT...

[hack]

Rakhman's got a future. His skills really stand out in relief to the rest of the team.

[BlueBlazer05]

Nope. Wisconsin got a quick 3-point play and 3-pointer to start OT, and that was too much to overcome. I'm happy they showed some fight, but it also makes me mad that they couldn't play that way against easier, non-conference opponents.

[hack]

Great to see them act like it means something. I wish it were there all season.

[*JD*]

Rakhman's got a future. His skills really stand out in relief to the rest of the team.

Yeah. He's surprised me greatly the last 3 games.

[The Oracle]

Yeah this season could really pay off down the line. MAAR and Dawkins both, along with doyle can really be something.

[whodean]

MICHIGAN'S MEN'S BASKETBALL: 2014-2015

This was the most promising game of the season. The young fellas all showed something, and Irvin even looked assertive while Walton put it into IT.


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[The Oracle]

Irvin still failed when mattered most. Wide open 3 to cut it to 2 in ot. Hopefully this is just his floor in his ascension to an alpha guy, but I don't see it now.

[hack]

He's just not an alpha guy. He's an elite shooter, and all that's missing for him to fit into the 3&D role in the NBA is the D. And thus far in the Beilein era, guys might or might not be good defenders in the NBA but you're not gonna know from their time at Michigan. I think the NBA will look at his size, shooting and athletic ability and assume that if he's not a man when he's done here, the NBA will turn him into one.

Overall, I'm glad they showed some fight. The single best thing IMO was the three-possession stretch during that second-half run in which Doyle came down with three consecutive defensive rebounds in a crowd. And, Walton looks to be recovering.

The ``Beilein's a genius'' stuff is pissing me off though. He's a great coach; I'm not looking for change. He kind of is a genius, and might be the best offense-first/no defense-toughness coach I've ever seen. But he ignores some time-honored wisdom about basketball in a few categories and the results are sometimes great and sometimes not. He's in large part culpable for why Michigan is in this predicament. He should have been more proactive from the start coaxing better defensive performance out of them using zones and whatnot. As far as I'm concerned Beilein's coaching is much improved from the start of the year.

[*JD*]

Just as MAAR has started climbing, Spike has started sinking.
I know he was sick and if he's got something similar to what I've got I get how debilitating it can be. That said, I'm sure Michigan's medical staff is better than the resources I have.

I would think he'd be rounding back into shape but he hasn't made a 3 since the Purdue game on January 3rd and has had 9 turnovers over the last 5 games he's played in. He'd only had 13 for the season before this stretch.

[hack]

The complete disappearance of his 3 shot, yeah. Supposedly whatever groin/pelvic something he's got is going to be there until the offseason when he has surgery. Which is odd b/c it was disclosed in mid-December. Coulda taken care of it in this offseason. Unless maybe something happened later to exacerbate it.

[*JD*]

I hadn't heard about that.