U of M MEN'S BASKETBALL 2016-2017

[Kstat]

If they lose at Nebraska -- which I'm going to pencil in right now

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[hack]

Walton has just absolutely owned the offense. Amazing. I wonder if this would have happened faster without the injuries, and without Spike being more of a natural creator. There was always a better creator than Walton until this year.

[Whitley]

Michigan will play the Illini at noon on Thursday. Assuming they beat the Illini ...next it is a game against Purdue, Michigan draws.

Right now I think Michigan is an 8 seed. Win two games and that will bump up to them to a 7 I think.

[The Oracle]

With my luck, since I arrive in DC Friday am, they'll lose Thursday.

[Niffla]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

I deserve that

[Hannibal]

If the team had played like this in January, we'd have at least a couple more wins and we'd be a lot more excited about these next few weeks.

[hack]

If the team had played like this in January, we'd have at least a couple more wins and we'd be a lot more excited about these next few weeks.

Even if Walton wasn't suddenly a master of his position, if the team had played hard we'd be in a much better position.

[Kstat]

Even if Walton wasn't suddenly a master of his position, if the team had played hard we'd be in a much better position.

Transitional year. If we had the same Wagner and Simpson to start with we'd be in much better position as well.

Walton has had a remarkable senior season but he's not the most talented guy on the team he can't be your best player if you want to get back to the sweet 16. It'll really take off when Wagner becomes that guy, assuming he sticks around.

[Hannibal]

It'll really take off when Wagner becomes that guy, assuming he sticks around.

I'm guessing that he'll stick around and then we'll get screwed out of his junior year by an injury (But wouldn't it be nice to get an extra year out of a guy like that JUST ONE MOTHERFUCKING TIME?! )

[Kstat]

I'm guessing that he'll stick around and then we'll get screwed out of his junior year by an injury (But wouldn't it be nice to get an extra year out of a guy like that JUST ONE MOTHERFUCKING TIME?! )

Michigan has had guys stick around an extra ear. It just doesn't feel like an extra year after they do.

[Hannibal]

Michigan has had guys stick around an extra ear. It just doesn't feel like an extra year after they do.

We have had two guys who would have taken a huge chance by leaving early (GR3 and Burke) stick around. IMHO both of those decisions were totally obvious at the time. The rest of them either took off or in the case of McGary and Lavert, we were robbed of their final year.

It sounds like Wagner is going to have a legit shot to play back home after this year. I don't know much about the pro leagues there so I guess I'll take the experts' word for it. Hopefully he'll stay and then please, for the love of God, stay healthy.

[Kstat]

We have had two guys who would have taken a huge chance by leaving early (GR3 and Burke) stick around. IMHO both of those decisions were totally obvious at the time. The rest of them either took off or in the case of McGary and Lavert, we were robbed of their final year.

It sounds like Wagner is going to have a legit shot to play back home after this year. I don't know much about the pro leagues there so I guess I'll take the experts' word for it. Hopefully he'll stay and then please, for the love of God, stay healthy.

As I said last year, good European college players never stick around. They get paid very well by European pro leagues and at the same time can continue to build their NBA draft stock against legit tough competition. It's like a minor league baseball player moving up from AA to AAA. Less talent but the players are older and mere developed.

European clubs are limited to have many foreign (American) basketball players they can sign, but Wagner being German doesn't count against that, so he'd be worth way more to say, Alba Berlin, even if they know he's a rental.

It boils down to how much Wagner wants his payday, and being able to play professionally in his hometown would be huge. His NBA stock likely wouldn't change much.

I suspect the coaching staff would be the one thing keeping him here. There's a strong bond there and he's grown a lot under them. He might not be comfortable changing that in what's probably going to be his draft year.

[Hannibal]

Makes sense. How is the pay compared to NBA?

[Hannibal]

What gets us up to a 7 seed? Three BTT wins?

[hack]

Transitional year. If we had the same Wagner and Simpson to start with we'd be in much better position as well.

Walton has had a remarkable senior season but he's not the most talented guy on the team he can't be your best player if you want to get back to the sweet 16. It'll really take off when Wagner becomes that guy, assuming he sticks around.

I don't agree at all that Walton can't be the best player on a Sweet-16 team, but even if sho none of that counters the point that if they'd played harder the whole year they would have more wins and a downhill run to that goal rather than an uphill climb. Come out to play against VCU; against OSU, which Dakich called the dullest basketball game he's ever seen; against Iowa before they found their legs; or against Illinois on the road; and things would be different. Even if they went 2-2 in those four games, rather than 3-1 or a very realistic 4-0 if the effort is there. Massive difference. A 5 or 6 seed was plenty doable, or even a 4.

I'm glad the team's come around, but I don't think it's at all accurate to suggest that this is where it should be or that it hasn't left some significant wins on the table.