U of M MEN'S BASKETBALL: 2018-2019

[hack]

Why didn't you watch the game, Jeff?

[Jeff Buchanan]

On the road.

[hack]

That's a difficult-to-evaluate response. If it isn't an actual legitimate excuse, probably best for me not to know that.

[Jeff Buchanan]

JB's been to Final Fours, NT games, and won B1G titles is the difference. The football program under Harbaugh hasn't gotten to the equivalent place that JB's basketball program has.

My take is this: The general consensus from what I'm reading is that both big game losses (MSU for B-Ball and osu for F-Ball) occurred due to coaching failures. In the case of BB - something changed with how JB deployed M's defense if how easily MSU scored (1.24 PPP) is an indicator of that. Most observers thought that was the reason M lost this game. YMMV. In the case of FB - something I do know a bit about - JH and his staff were unprepared for osu's game plan. Brown deployed his defense poorly and JH stuck with M's plodding offense in response to his defense's collapse coupled with osu's/meyer's/day's hi-scoring offense.


I believe losing big games in both programs in the 2018/19 seasons is an issue. Does it go beyond that? For football definitely and the record demonstrates it. For Basketball? I can't say..... I don't follow it closely enough to say one way or the other. Pretty sure WM and Hack - who do follow the B-Ball program closely would say it's not a trend.

[WM Wolverine]

Talent is an issue on this team, not coaching imo. Sparty with Winston always had the best player on the floor and he created a ton of offense for both himself and his teammates.

[WM Wolverine]

Loss to Penn State felt far worse to me, that was a team that M should beat almost every time.

[hack]

So the best basketball conversation we can muster here is a wholly invalid comparison to the football team made by someone who didn't watch the game.

[iam416]

Basketball is far higher variability sport than football, Buchanan. Getting beat with a high offensive efficiency for a single game isn't cause for concern.

Coaching-wise, you run your shit. That's what teams do. You have your offensive system and defensive system/philosophy and you run it all year making tweaks along the way. And you measure the coaching job in terms that season, not one game. I mean, Sparty lost back-to-back games to Indiana and Illinois three weeks ago. I don't think anyone was saying Izzo was getting outcoached. If they were, they're idiots. Blaming JB for losing on Sunday is just silly.

Personally, I think M's offensive inconsistency is their problem -- it crops up from time to time -- not the defense. And when you score only 6 points in 12 minutes in the 2nd half that's going to be problematic against anyone, let alone a team with players that can score.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Points taken, talent.

[hack]

1. It was Poole's defense. MSU didn't have any players coasting on D.

2. Ward's injury allowed Izzo to adopt a defense that can work better against Michigan. Very interested to see what happens if he's healthy in two weeks.

3. Give MSU a ton of credit for adopting better tactics than they have in the past, but Michigan still scored more and easier than they had in at least a few weeks, and were up 6 with 15 to go -- their usual spot.

[iam416]

My points were taken. Your points are rejected.

[AlabamAlum]

I was gonna sass M for losing to their rivals at home, but then I remembered Bama basketball is hot garbage.

So, I am gonna know my role and stfu.

[hack]

As it should be. Jeff's no dummy.

[hack]

I was gonna sass M for losing to their rivals at home, but then I remembered Bama basketball is hot garbage.

So, I am gonna know my role and stfu.

It was a Great Victory For MSU, whose junior class has how triumphantly pulled to within one game of .500 against us.

[froot loops]

MSU's offense is certainly not moribund even without Langford and Ward. There are certain years under Izzo where it looks like they don't even practice half court sets but this isn't one of those seasons. They are 6th ranked in the nation, they are pretty good. Winston has carried the team like Respert did back in the day.

There's no long lasting lesson to be learned here, Beilein is a great coach but he's working with a team that isn't a great shooting team and that is tough. If they hit their shots at Breslin, they may return the favor.