MICHIGAN'S MEN'S BASKETBALL: 2015-2016

[*JD*]

Michigan plays Oregon on Monday, Syracuse on December 2nd, Arizona on the 13th & SMU on the 20th. We'll know a lot more about this team in a month.

[Mike]

We also play the winner of VCU/Villanova the day after the Oregon game in Brooklyn.

[*JD*]

Sweet!

[The Oracle]

Bielfeldt can probably give spot minutes, I don't feel good if we're rolling into conference play and he's still our 5. I thought Donnal would be a lot farther along than he's shown. As hack said, not convinced they won't show improvement by then. If Max was 6-9 instead of 6-6 we'd have something.

I saw Villanova play a couple times and not all that impressed. I think they are a more experienced us. I really hope we get by Oregon, I'd like to see either Villanove or VCU. Lots of talk of this being Shaka's best team yet. I put VCU in with teams like Tennessee, Memphis, Clemson, Washington and almost all the SEC...all athlete no skill. Teams JB typically feasts on. Don't think this Michigan team is at that point yet though.

[WM Wolverine]

Practice reports were overly positive on Donnal, yeah he's very disappointing. Maybe he just looks good compared when defended by our other fives. :(

[The Oracle]

Well I thought he even looked pretty decent in the limited time we saw him last year in exhibition. Oh well, we'll see.

[*JD*]

You'd like to see him doing a little more against so-so competition but he is shooting 60% from the floor and has shown a decent touch from the Loy Vaught area.

The one that I'm waiting for to get through his early struggles is Cam Chatman. He's shooting 18%. He does look pretty good doing other things (leading the team in steals, handling the ball) but he should be knocking down some shots and getting to the rim.

Walton and Spike both look really good. Spike's shot is off but his passing has been great.

[hack]

Donna is soft. Doyle looks like a pig in shit in the paint. The game looks like it comes simpler to him. But Donnal has made some decent plays on D. Helps well. Im fine with all this.

Too my kid to the Palestra tonight. Wonderful old building.

[hack]

12 minute mark. Michigan's played a lot more offense than defense. But goddamn that offense is beautiful to watch.

[hack]

Irvin with two really nice dribble drives. Looking very agile.

[The Oracle]

Not bad with virtually no Walton so far. Doyle has looked the part tonight, hedging screens/recovering, tip ins, and 1s, even help side swat. Everything you'd want. Donnal even hit a 16 footer. Be nice at some point to be able to rely on those 2 to man the 5, but we might have to wait a bit for that.

If we can keep them out of transition, we should be okay. Agree on Irvin too...if he can expand that part of him game even more, WTF out. Pleased so far. Gotta hold on...would like the Villanova measuring stick more than the VCU one.

[The Oracle]

Oregon's not great defensively, but the offense isn't clicking awfully well right now and we still sit at 1.04ppp. You can work with that.

[Kstat]

defensively this team is better than last year from a talent standpoint. offensively they will never replace stauskus but there's better depth.

this team looks like it's a year away feom being really good, which sucks because there's no way LaVert and Irvin are both here next season.

[The Oracle]

Joe Young is the only guy that really scares me for them. He had a few open looks he normally makes. Need to tighten up on him.

[hack]

I LIKE RICKY DOYLE.