Michigan 79, Illinois 69
[Marc-Grégor Campredon]
Kenpom said Michigan would win by 10, and lo and behold Michigan won by 10. Matthews hit all of his shots (except the free throws) and Wagner scored in double digits for the first time since his ankle injury, driving the lane against an overmatched opponent.
I’m telling you that up front in case you watched the first 12 minutes and decided to go build that dresser for your mother in law or something.
I can’t blame you if you did, since the first quarter of this game was some of the ugliest basketball all year. Michigan came out looking not at all ready for the constant pressure a Brad Underwood team puts on opponents, turning the ball over 12 times—one third of their first half possessions. Even more lost than Michigan’s backcourt were the referees, who were calling everything and nothing, including eight rather tacky offensive fouls (six on Michigan). Charles Matthews picked up two such early whistles and spent most of the half on the bench. Illinois quickly went on a 9-2 run to take a 17-9 lead, helped by two big corner threes by freshman Mark Smith.
Beilein countered with a Poole-Livers lineup, wherein Isaiah Livers starting dunking everything in sight. Michigan finally retook the lead on a quick upcourt pass from Zavier Simpson to Jordan Poole set up outside the arc. The poor lone Illinois defender can be forgiven for thinking this would be an immediate shot—I mean, it’s Poole—but nah:
via Ace
Jaaron Simmons took over point after an Illinois timeout and the Illini climbed back to a 34-31 halftime lead that felt as flimsy as a mail order dresser held together by three cam screws in a quarter inch of particle board.
As play resumed, that lead disappeared in seconds as Michigan settled into the team they’d been since mid-December. The Illini couldn’t prevent Matthews from burning their perimeter defenders, and once Charles sat with a third foul, Poole offered a pair of threes to put the Wolverines up by double digits, with MAAR and Wagner closing it out as they do.
as he do. [Marc-Grégor Campredon]
Zavier Simpson started and played 32 minutes, including all 20 minutes of the second half. Despite the early turnovers—he’d finish with five—he continued to demonstrate the #1 job is his, setting up Michigan’s best offensive possessions with some superb outlet passes—the resulting 10 points off fast breaks made up the Kenpom-predicted difference between these two teams. Brooks and Simmons finished with three turnovers and two assists in 8 minutes. Even Z’s missed open corner three was a rim-out that felt good off the release. Given how bad the start of this game was, it’s good to walk away with that confidence still intact.
This Illinois team could be dangerous in a year or two. Like his Oklahoma State team remembered from last year’s tournament, Underwood’s offense is good at making your centers look the wrong way before a lethal backdoor cut. When the fakes and motion didn’t work, Michigan was able to win a battle of athleticism with just about every lineup.
Whatever you went into this game believing you can probably find something from it to support that claim. I mostly believe what Ace tells me, so my eyes tell me Charles Matthews is still Michigan’s best player, Teske is a major improvement from last year as a backup to Mo, Wagner is slowly coming back to form, Livers and Poole are starting to become bigger contributors, MAAR is who he is, Simpson is fine, and this Michigan team is rounding into the kind that no #1 or #2 seed wants to face but has to thanks to bad RPI gaming.
Oh, and cam screws are awful and furniture that relies on them should be shot into the sun.
[Hit THE JUMP for the box score and an amazing photo series by MG of the dunk.]
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
Some more shots of the game from Marc-Grégor Campredon:
Oh and the dunk. One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
January 6th, 2018 at 7:49 PM ^
January 7th, 2018 at 12:02 PM ^
Seemed like Livers didn't get on the floor until latter first half. When he did he changed the game. I don't get this at all.
January 6th, 2018 at 3:25 PM ^
Based on the echoing screams emanating from Twitter about the first half, I'm glad I slept in (I'm on the West Coast)
January 6th, 2018 at 8:13 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 3:27 PM ^
This could have been one of those ugly Michigan home floor January losses. But, they wiped out an 8 point first half deficit and eventually won by 10. Some of the younger players have really started improving which gives Michigan more options going forward. Livers and Poole are really becoming important players off the bench. Yes, they still have weaknesses in inside defense and rebounding. But by March, this team could be one of the best teams in the Big Ten.
January 6th, 2018 at 3:28 PM ^
dont get me worng, this year i think we're ahead of what i was expecting (more bubblish looking team) and im happy about it
is this team a top 10-top 5 team next year?
January 6th, 2018 at 3:55 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 5:08 PM ^
I think that's selling us a little short. I'd say we're borderline top 25 right now. (Just imagine if we still had DJ Wilson...)
In a year's time, if both Matthews and Wagner stay? I could see us in the top 10.
January 6th, 2018 at 4:03 PM ^
Assuming we don't have the remix to ignition like last year and retain both Charles and Mo.
Sign me up for the Hype train, this shit could launch early with even a win against Purdoo and hold on to a 5-6 line.. But then Im gussing some one gonna be gone.
January 6th, 2018 at 4:29 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 5:33 PM ^
Shit gonna be popping if those 2 are leaving!
January 6th, 2018 at 11:11 PM ^
January 7th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^
If not Matthews or Wagner, then someone else, though they would likely be a less vauable player.
Everyone took for granted that Wagner would be going early after this year, but so far, he does not seem to have stepped up his game significantly. Watching him this year, I don't find myself thinking "Yeah, NOW he's ready for the NBA!" Maybe he'll go anyway, just by default, but it's far from a sure thing. Matthews has looked better so far, but still has some holes in his game, and could definitely use another year. But all it ould take is a few highlight games at the end of the season for the NBA to just say what the hell, and grab him anyway.
January 6th, 2018 at 3:32 PM ^
The conference is far from its best, but a 3-1 start looks good to me!
Huge stretch coming up with vs. Purdue, @MSU, vs. Maryland.
January 6th, 2018 at 3:38 PM ^
Remarkably balanced scoring ... I wonder if there's ever been a Michigan game where six guys score in double figures with first and sixth only four points apart? There's a fun database query in there.
January 6th, 2018 at 3:40 PM ^
but Baylor's uni's look even worse
January 6th, 2018 at 3:58 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 4:10 PM ^
Cam screws can be good, if the whole system is done properly. I have some commercial type office furniture that's all done w/ cam screws, and it's incredibly solid.
January 7th, 2018 at 5:16 AM ^
(Class of '78)
My Dad assembled my bro (class of '74)
and me a dresser when I wasn't even a teenager yet -
and I'm using it to this very day!!
What's a cam screw?
(Sounds a bit kinky...)
January 6th, 2018 at 10:31 PM ^
But I like to use wood glue on the joints for extra strength. Helps prevent the screws from pulling free under stress
January 6th, 2018 at 4:11 PM ^
January 7th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^
I think it was the last play of the first half; Illinois' coach called out some adjustment to the play they had called during the preceeding TO. Beilein was looking at the coach, heard what he said, then shouted out for Livers (I think) and Teske to switch their men. Illinois proceeded to screen with the guy Teske was now guarding, leading to a disrupted pick and roll action.
I don't think I've ever seen a coach audible another coach's audible in a single hoops possession like that. All hail Beilein.
EDIT:
It doesn't look like Beilein is really looking at or paying attention to the ILL coach, but you see their PG and the ref look over to the ILL bench where the coach is shouting a new call. So, I'd guess Beilein at least knows they are going to something they saw in the scout, Beilein is looking at the matchups and then switches Livers and Teske on the fly.
January 6th, 2018 at 5:39 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 5:50 PM ^
It wasn't an issue today (19-24) outside of Simpson (3-6). Hopefully that's a positive sign.
January 6th, 2018 at 7:02 PM ^
Partially because Matthews (1-2) missed so much time on the autobench.
January 6th, 2018 at 7:14 PM ^
Perhaps, but against Iowa he went 3-4 and the team overall, 8-10. Maybe we're turning the corner as a team.
Simpson's got to get better though, or else we may not be able to have him on the floor in late-game situations.
January 7th, 2018 at 2:40 AM ^
our guy that gets to the FT line most often, by far, is a bad FT shooter. Matthews has shot twice (!!!) as many FTs as the second place guy (62 to Wagner's 31) and he hits 52 percent of them. I don't think that's gonna change so we're going to keep shooting relatively poorly as a team.
The good thing is, we don't go the line much so it's not a huge hit overall to our efficiency. I'm more worried about Z struggling (10-19) because he'll have to hit some late game FTs this year.
January 7th, 2018 at 10:33 AM ^
are tough for whatever reason. Every player has their explanation. I will say it's the isolation. Your on the charity stripe and everyone is looking at you. I know player's practice shooting these shots all the time. Shooting free throws at a home game tough enough. Shooting free throws away from home with all the noise and whatever is being seen in the stands would be a great deal of difficulty.
January 7th, 2018 at 1:10 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 6:03 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 6:18 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 7:07 PM ^
At least with the ridiculous single play seasons with rivals, I believe they came to Ann Arbor the last time this happened? Unlike two years in a row in football.
January 7th, 2018 at 1:04 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 6:57 PM ^
Surprised Watson is still getting minutes.
January 6th, 2018 at 7:11 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 7:19 PM ^
for a long stretch like today. I don't think he's going to be a regular part of the rotation.
January 6th, 2018 at 7:01 PM ^
Does anyone know who that old guy is who always sits by Beilein at home games? Is that his Dad?
January 6th, 2018 at 7:03 PM ^
I believe it is Al Glick, of the Al Glick Field House on campus. I see the governor sitting right by them every once in awhile too.
January 6th, 2018 at 7:14 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 7:51 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 7:51 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 9:01 PM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 9:02 PM ^
January 8th, 2018 at 3:32 AM ^
January 6th, 2018 at 10:15 PM ^
I like this team. They look dangerous. Livers and onion. Like that kids game. Mathews and Simpson look gangster too. Blue Collar Baby!
January 7th, 2018 at 8:47 AM ^
January 7th, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^
January 7th, 2018 at 1:17 PM ^
Comments