MICHIGAN'S MEN'S BASKETBALL: 2015-2016

[WM Wolverine]

With the improved play and expected development of Irvin, Dawkins, MAAR, and the addition of Duncan Robinson; I don't think SG/SF will be a weakness even if LeVert makes the mistake of leaving a year too early. LeVert would help M immensely but M isn't as desperate for him to return this season as they were for McGary or GR3 to return this season...

What LeVert does do well is play well with the ball in his hands and run the offense at times. M's SGs/SFs have made strides in-season but aren't near as good at ball handling, passing as LeVert.

[hack]

With the improved play and expected development of Irvin, Dawkins, MAAR, and the addition of Duncan Robinson; I don't think SG/SF will be a weakness even if LeVert makes the mistake of leaving a year too early. LeVert would help M immensely but M isn't as desperate for him to return this season as they were for McGary or GR3 to return this season...

Agree. Even without LeVert this team has top-ten potential and probably should be the preseason favorite for the conference. Spike will be a senior; Walton and Irvin juniors. Unless there's a major recruiting win there will be no freshman playing meaningful minutes. In other words, no excuses. With all that experience out there the offense should be in fine form by Christmas, and that should leave more practice time for the other stuff.

[WM Wolverine]

They should compete with anyone in the B10, a 3-5 seed sounds about right (ranked 10th - 20th). I don't think the talent will be outstanding next season but it'll be a JB style team with very good play from the PG, wings and hopefully competent play from the frontcourt.

[hack]

7-10ish without LeVert. With him, 3-5 and a great shot at outright champion of the conference. That's assuming we have last year's Beilein and not this year's. I suspect he's going to redeem himself. Doyle and Donnal are going to have all the attention they can absorb this summer. But it's Beilein's fault he hasn't gone out and gotten a rim protector. With a rim protector next year, he could afford a Walton/Spike backcourt on defense. Walton/Spike/LeVert/Irvin would be four guys, or at least 3.5 guys, who can create for others and shoot comfortably above 40% from the field. That would be playing to Beilein's strengths to an insane extent.

[Cody_Russell]

What about Dawkins, guys? 31 points in a game doesn't happen for no reason.

He is a key piece next season as he will be a sophomore.

[hack]

And that springy athleticism. Chatman is going to have a hard time beating him out IMO. Ultimately my bet is that LeVert leaves and Beilein will sacrifice the defense for the offense whenever the choice presents itself. We'll see a Spike/Walton starting backcourt, Irvin and Dawkins on the wings, and Doyle. Rakhman as third guard, Chatman and Robinson backing the forward spots, and Donnall backing Doyle.

That's a really good team. Offensive execution should be much much better than this year, leading to fewer crises of consequence. They'll still get punked on the boards and give up too many points, but they are also just going to flat out run away from a lot of teams.

IF Doyle comes back greatly improved in two of three areas -- P&R, rebounding, defense -- then look out.

[WM Wolverine]

I know it's your worst nightmare but Chatman is a '4' in this offense, he'll play some '3' like GR3 but he'll get more minutes at the '4' ... LeVert isn't 'that' valuable (difference between a 8-9 and a 4 seed) imo, maybe to this years team he would've been but next season M will have:

*PG: Walton/Spike
*SG/SF: Irvin/Dawkins/Robinson/Maar/Hatch (LeVert?)
*PF: Wilson/Chatman
*Doyle/Donnal

Not a FF contender with or without LeVert but it looks like a deep squad and it's strength is the position LeVert plays. Should be very competitive in the B10 and Sweet Sixteen is well within reach.

[hack]

Well Beilein considers the only difference between the forward spots being that ideally the 4 is left-handed. Certainly I don't agree, because I'm sick of getting beaten on the boards and enough said, but I've made my peace with it. No coach is perfect, and I guess I'll take the booms with the busts because the boom years are fantastic.

Not gonna go around and around about expectations, save for the difference between 4 and 8/9 is massive, and that Beilein has absolutely no business next year coming in lower than 4 no matter who's on the team. That's where I'm at.

[hack]

6 minutes left and up 22 on Illinois. I just looked for a sec, but the uniforms look ridiculous. Looks like Beilfeldt got the start.

[WM Wolverine]

73-55 final, not sure how M lost to them earlier in the season, one of a handful of very winnable games M lost that they should easily be on the NCAA bubble; Eastern, NJIT, Illini, Indiana, NW. Even the OT losses to Wisky & Sparty. were games M could've one with a lucky bounce or two.

[hack]

Er...

[hack]

Up 3 with 13 left. Playing hard.

[Cody_Russell]

Rebounding... A huge problem.

[hack]

What's amazing about Wisconsin is how their identity shifts from year to year. Michigan's getting to the rim easier in this game than they have in recent years, but good god Wisconsin's offense this year.

The constant is the hustle. They play so hard.

[Cody_Russell]

Yea, it's Bo Ryan's best team.

I would have loved to have seen Kentucky vs Michigan this season ... The size difference would be crazy.