Let’s not be like Sparty. We can admit the better team won.
I was afraid that what happened today would happen. Not that we would lose, but that Wards absence would work to MSUs benefit, and I think it did.
Without Ward in there, MSU didn’t have tons of useless post possessions and instead I think wore Teske down by making him run way more than he’s accustomed to.
Going forward, we need some more bench minutes to spell Teske.
February 24th, 2019 at 5:50 PM ^
Michigan looked like warm dog shit, and yes the better team with more heart won.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:06 PM ^
FYRE BEE LINES!!!!
/every drunk idiot
February 24th, 2019 at 8:30 PM ^
better team- yes. More heart? BS!
February 25th, 2019 at 7:36 AM ^
they played with that little-brother level of desperation. I live in the Lansing area so they have been hyping this game up quite a bit. Especially when Ward went down. The attitude wasn't "Ward's out we're fucked," it was "we need to find a way to beat scUM"
If winning meant Mcquaid would have to lose a leg at midcourt. Izzo would have sawed it off himself.
February 24th, 2019 at 5:51 PM ^
Yep nothing more to say about that
February 24th, 2019 at 5:51 PM ^
I don't think Ward being out helped. They're just better, and if he's back for the next game our chances are pretty slim to none.
February 24th, 2019 at 5:55 PM ^
I think it them helped for several reasons, actually.
Just one game. Wake up call. Nut check time. We will be fine.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:16 PM ^
Slim to none? You must have missed watching this game and the rest of the Michigan basketball games for the last few years. Slim to none? Fuck is wrong with you. Don’t you know every game has a chance
February 24th, 2019 at 6:40 PM ^
The outcome of this game is not necessarily indicative of the outcome of the next game.
February 24th, 2019 at 7:22 PM ^
Without Ward they are able to spread thw floor better, pull Teske away from the rim, and are more effective on the pick and roll.
If Ward were playing, him and Teske would have been battling in the paint, and MSU doesn't end up with as many mismatches outside on switches.
Either way, the defensive rotations were slow all day, and Poole got repeatedly embarrassed by that goofball McPoyle.
February 24th, 2019 at 5:54 PM ^
We tired out in the second half. MSU was better prepared. Let’s see what happens in east lansing when we have 6 days to prepare/rest.
February 24th, 2019 at 7:14 PM ^
Michigan State only had 1 extra day to rest/prepare. The amount of time for rest/preparation didn't make the difference in this game.
February 25th, 2019 at 12:15 AM ^
They played at home on Wednesday and we played on the road on Thursday. The burden of coming on the road to AA is less than the burden of flying to the Twin Cities and back. We were definitely at a disadvantage there, but that's some soft shit MSU uses as an excuse, there's no excuse for the selfish and lazy effort after the 15 minute mark in the 2nd half.
February 24th, 2019 at 5:55 PM ^
Sparty can kiss my ass.
February 24th, 2019 at 7:59 PM ^
Having not been able to watch the game, and therefore not being able to give a good assessment of the on-court play, your sentiment is all I have.
February 24th, 2019 at 5:55 PM ^
No worries. This will just piss off the team.
February 24th, 2019 at 7:24 PM ^
I thought the debacle at Penn State was supposed to piss off the team...
February 24th, 2019 at 7:55 PM ^
Yeah but this was lil’ bro
February 24th, 2019 at 5:55 PM ^
Not the better team unless you add a today to that.
Lots of bad shots which seems to coincide with our losses. It's sort of like only Michigan can beat itself.
February 24th, 2019 at 5:55 PM ^
We need a thread for this?
February 24th, 2019 at 5:59 PM ^
And yet here you are, commenting on it.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:08 PM ^
1.) See thread you don't want to read
2.) Click through and read a lot of comments.
3.) Post a comment to show how stupid everyone else is for reading this.
4.) . . .
5.) Profit
February 24th, 2019 at 6:19 PM ^
4.) Lather in your internet courage and condescension.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:43 PM ^
It's all about magnanimity. and Mgopoints.
Wth losses like this everyone on this board pines over each other to say the "better team won", "tip your cap," bullshit.
it was a shitty loss that we couldn't afford to take.
Fuck sparty. We played sloppy basketball and to me it looked like we tried to turn on the cruise control the minute we were up by 6 with Iggy at the free throw line. After that, it all unraveled.
This loss is going to be the defining moment of the season. We either let the nuts hang and finish strong, or fold like a bunch of bitches. ..
February 24th, 2019 at 9:22 PM ^
Penn State was the loss we couldn't afford to take.
February 24th, 2019 at 9:27 PM ^
This was a loss we couldn't afford to take because of that loss. ты понял?
February 24th, 2019 at 5:55 PM ^
I don't understand why they hedged so far out....easily cost us ten points.
I don't think MSU plays that well again.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:00 PM ^
Cost us down the stretch too with our bigs picking up a couple bump fouls defending them 30 feet from the rim and sending them to the the line
February 24th, 2019 at 6:02 PM ^
I didn’t understand pretty much thing one about our defensive strategy.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:12 PM ^
This has been their MO the last couple of games. Be in a tight game through the middle of the second half and then take control with a huge run.
We’re not as bad as we looked today at times. We can certainly win in East Lansing but it will be a challenge.
Round 1 to them let’s see what adjustments we make.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
6 turnovers from a Tom Izzo team. They might shoot better in East Lansing, but no way in hell do they repeat that performance. Easily had six instances alone of uncalled turnovers today
February 24th, 2019 at 5:56 PM ^
Winston was the best player on the floor. When that happens, State wins
February 24th, 2019 at 5:56 PM ^
Beilein is overrated. He hasn't won anything. 4 years in he didn't do anything. Stop making excuses for him.
Just trying to apply the same logic as the Harbaugh haters. Is it working?
February 24th, 2019 at 6:01 PM ^
February 24th, 2019 at 6:02 PM ^
No, because Beilein actually has won several things, and has adapted his style when necessary.
Can't win em all, but this is still a damn good team.
February 24th, 2019 at 8:22 PM ^
After starting out 17-0 we are 7-4 the last 11, not what a 'damn good team' does. I don't know if you can say we're a 'good team' going 7-4. The team appears skittish on offense to me; could it be the emphasis they are putting on defense is causing the offense to get untracked?
February 24th, 2019 at 9:02 PM ^
I personally think it’s more of young offensive players are going to have ups and downs.
Matthews is awesome and I wouldn’t trade him, but he never really turned into the offensive force I thought he would.
Zavier is always going to be limited a little bit by his shot, tho that has improved tremendously.
The other guys are young and streaky.
February 25th, 2019 at 8:51 AM ^
The season trajectory reminds me a lot of 2013, so the sky may not be falling. It is difficult to remember because of what came after it but the 2013 season ended brutally with a shitty loss to Penn State, a home loss to Indiana to gag up the conference regular season title and a brutal BTT loss (wearing camo uniforms) to unranked Wisconsin. It took that to get that team into the proper frame of mind. I tend to think that yesterday was just a really bad game against a team and a coach desperate for a win against Michigan. They were more prepared yesterday. It sucks but it is that simple. There is still everything to play for.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:02 PM ^
The expectations and state of the two sports when both got here were different. Also Beliein beat OSU his first year. Done.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:30 PM ^
You're absolutely 100% correct. Basketball can be rebuilt in a MUCH faster timeline than football. Good point.
February 24th, 2019 at 9:21 PM ^
Um most football rebuilds happen in 2 to 3 years.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:28 PM ^
I logged in to comment because of how stupid this comparison is.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:31 PM ^
Thank you for such an elaborate response with so much information to back it up.
February 24th, 2019 at 6:40 PM ^
Err... um... noted?
February 24th, 2019 at 7:05 PM ^
Even with my computer muted I can hear the "woosh" of this post going over the heads of everyone above me
February 24th, 2019 at 8:02 PM ^
Why is it that when anyone tries to be a little critical of a Michigan team this argument is brought up? No one is saying that Beilein should be fired. No one is saying he sucks. No one is making excuses for him or anything like that. The title of the thread is about honesty. Honestly this team is not as good as we thought they were after they crushed UNC and Villanova. They're still a good team, hell even a very good team, but they will not make waves in the tournament this year and they will not win a Big Ten Championship. Not with this offense.
It has nothing to do with John Beilein's coaching ability. This team just doesn't have the offensive capabilities of the last 2 teams that have dominated the Big Ten Tournament and beyond.
February 24th, 2019 at 8:52 PM ^
I don't know why but I read this entire comment in Louie Anderson's voice.
February 24th, 2019 at 11:23 PM ^
Yeah when I don't know what to say in response to a good argument I make fun of the person I disagree with too... or not.
February 24th, 2019 at 9:19 PM ^
Agree completely. They are just too limited offensively and have too many scoring droughts for me to be optimistic about their tournament chances.