MICHIGAN'S MEN'S BASKETBALL: 2015-2016

[hack]

Oracle or anyone else: are you disappointed in Walton? No soph leap so far. Just ready to do a little more of all the stuff he did last year. The offense has never really been in his hands. He isn't yet the pick-and-roll guy Michigan could use. I like that he knows how to pick his spots and get to the rim (pick more spots, please), and seems to have some leadership qualities as he's often in the middle of the ring leading The Victors, but certainly I was hoping for a little more of a sophmore leap. That's a part of it this year.

[The Oracle]

Yes. I definitely think there's some confusion on whose role is what. I think Walton CAN be good in the PnR, but he's not aggressive enough. Almost like he's lacking confidence at times. That being said, I think JB likes Levert better in that role, but I don't think he's that good of a decision maker, especially compared to Burke and Stauskas. I couldn't tell yesterday, but other than 2 earlyish fouls, was JB making an example of Irvin? It looked that way. He needs to get his head out of his ass. Right now, they're a bunch of pieces with nothing together. That's what's gotta get figured out. I still agree that this team has 4 seedish potential.

[hack]

Does Irvin really need to get his head out of his ass? I dunno. Definitely on defense every single one of them does. Before I blame any single player, though, I'd like to know what the coaching staff has been doing about it. The players are doing their best to execute a plan. That plan was terrible against EMU, at least. I don't recall how much run Chatman got in the second half of the Cuse game, but it was more than against EMU certainly. He wasn't even tried. Arizona was a huge talent gap, but they also played harder and smarter. That's on the coaching staff at some point.

Agreed that LeVert isn't going to be that kind of pick-and-roll player. Just isn't.

How was the game live? Share any observations please...

[*JD*]

Oracle or anyone else: are you disappointed in Walton? No soph leap so far. Just ready to do a little more of all the stuff he did last year. The offense has never really been in his hands. He isn't yet the pick-and-roll guy Michigan could use. I like that he knows how to pick his spots and get to the rim (pick more spots, please), and seems to have some leadership qualities as he's often in the middle of the ring leading The Victors, but certainly I was hoping for a little more of a sophmore leap. That's a part of it this year.

He was playing fairly well up until his injury.

[hack]

No leap though. Noticeable incremental improvement, but no leap. And, he's not running the offense, so to speak. And they need him on pick-and-roll.

[Hannibal]

The optimistic projections for this year required too many guys to make big leaps and too many newcomers to exceed expectations. Too many die rolls to come up rosy. Beilien obviously deserves a lot of goodwill in this department but last year's overachievement was a miracle even by Beilein standards.

[Kstat]

I don't know how much more derrick walton I can stomach. The guy is awful at putting the ball in the basket.

We'll get it turned around when we get a new starting point guard. Right now we have two backups and putting walton on Spike's level is being generous.

[Kstat]

Lavert is playing himself right out of the draft. The turnovers are becoming a major problem for him. Not for us, our season is already finished. He my be forced to come back for year 4, though.

[Kstat]

It feels like between UM and SMU, no matter who wins we all lose. Yeah these teams are both awful. The winner of this game proves nothing. Both of these teams would be lucky to make the NIT.

[Kstat]

You get the feeling chatman has some DNP-CDs in his future. He looks like he doesn't even belong on the floor. Totally unprepared and out of place.

[Kstat]

SMU is fumbling and bobbling and bricking their way to a blowout win in Crisler because Michigan is just that bad.

I think SMU went the last 30 minutes of this game without hitting a shot beyond 10 feet. And they still won by 11.

[Hannibal]

Beilein is a genius.

[Kstat]

His players either suck or they're way too raw. Not entirely his fault. Lose 5 guys early to the NBA in 2 years and this can easily happen to you unless you're Kentucky

[hack]

Good fucking god. Something with this mix is just off, but it sure does help you win if you don't get owned on the boards in every game. Easy to tolerate some of that stuff over the last three years when there's been so much winning, but pretty easy to finger it now as a problem. We'll see what happens, but this is awfully disappointing, and has me moving back to the Matta-envy position of the past.

[Kstat]

Bad basketball is bad basketball. Interior defense has always been Beilein's poision of choice but if it were different coach it'd be something different with the same overall results. This team isn't ready to win.

The mix isn't bad, the talent is not there. The players can't run the system they've been given. Some of them might in the future but not this season.