MICHIGAN'S MEN'S BASKETBALL: 2015-2016

[hack]

You hate me? I haven't endured enough abuse already?

[WM Wolverine]

Outrebounded by only 16.

[Hannibal]

Irvin had 11 boards and the rest of the team combined had 8.

That loss to NW really hurts. Knocked us out of the NIT probably. As a .500 B1G team we would be a lot more palatable.

[Mike]

Or the 5 OT losses by a combined 211 points.

[Cody_Russell]

Michigan will be great next year!

Just it's obviously a rebounding problem when you have 4 guards and an undersized PF on the floor at all times. Dammit McGary, why did you leave us! (Jk, obviously he made right choice)

[Mike]

McGary didn't HAVE a choice!

[BlueBlazer05]

Maybe I'm being unfair, but even with the injuries and youth I felt like this should've been a bubble team at worst. Right now they're a bubble team...for the NIT! I think Beilien has turned water into wine at times this season, but he also has to answer for EMU, NJIT, and the end of that Northwestern game.

[hack]

Absolutely. Not at all unfair.

[Cody_Russell]

Michigan was very competitive in the B10.
Just a lot of games didn't go their way at the end.

[hack]

It was a very up-and-down year. Beilein should have kept the training wheels on a lot longer than he did. The team lost its confidence and didn't play as hard as it could have at times. But certainly he kept working at it, and that'll pay off next year.

[hack]

A guy we didn't mention a few posts upthread when talking about next year is DJ Wilson. I'm hoping he gets pushed to the 5 spot. Unless Beilein decides to go big with him and Doyle starting that's his clearest path to playing time given the established rotation players on the wings, and he could very well thrive in that role if he can handle the physicality. He won't be able to handle a guy like Hammons, but just at first glance there won't be many truckload interior players in the conference next year. He could potentially be what I was hoping for from Donnall, which was the first threat from outside the paint from the 5 spot in the Beilein era. Or he could just end up being Donnall.

[Pasadena Blue]

Beilein is simply not as good as recruiter as he should be. It's clear our facilities are as good as any in the country and everyone knows he is a great developer of talent --- yet Beilein seems to continue to lose recruiting battles left and right. Everyone here seems to give him a pass because he landed McGary (don't bring up GRIII because he rose up the rankings after he was committed to M), but this is a major deficiency and this program's Achilles heel.

I am not expecting UK-level recruiting here, but we should at least be able to as well as the Bucks.

[WM Wolverine]

The little time McGary was actually here, he was the perfect fit as JB's '5'. Terrific rebounder, good passer, just good enough of a shooter...

Other than McGary, I don't think elite big men want to play for JB. If McGary would've been healthy in '13, I think he could've convinced other big men that they could thrive in JB's system.

[hack]

The 5 is pretty much a eunuch in Michigan's offense.

We'll see. I don't know the story with Thornton, and that might be an indicator, but Beilein's now got to prove he can get some bigger-name kids. I think the 5 spot's always going to be a struggle. Shouldn't have to be.

IMO the achilles heel is interior play. We don't have to cede control of the paint but choose to. When the plan works it's great, and when it doesn't it's just Beilein outsmarting himself.

[WM Wolverine]

JB is chasing Winston, who was close to committing to Sparty, instead of Thornton who is a likely 1-year college to NBA recruit... I think he's as good of a talent in his class, at least at what he does (PG)...

Post Walton PG is a class of '16 recruit imo. M is set at the wings for at least a couple years so I'm okay if M doesn't land Battle. M needs front court help like usual but JB believes he only needs one interior guy.