January 3rd, 2020 at 11:28 AM ^
I'm feeling like basketball is a superior sport for fans because I can enjoy every single game knowing that a loss won't ruin the entire season.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:20 PM ^
Yeah, I'm ready for an expanded football playoff. The whole "the regular season IS the playoff!" thing sucks for 98% of fanbases.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:41 PM ^
Seems to suck for a fair number of the student-athletes too. Expanded playoffs and fewer guys are sitting out bowl games.
January 3rd, 2020 at 1:24 PM ^
Except even with an expanded playoff, we still wouldn't have been invited. Ever.
January 3rd, 2020 at 1:41 PM ^
Not correct, 2016 team finished 6th assuming it was a 6 team or more playoff
January 3rd, 2020 at 8:03 PM ^
The idea is it would move to an 8 team playoff. Michigan was 7 at the time of playoffs in 2018. 6 in 2016. 2016 they would have definitely been in. 2018 you can argue the CFP would have left them out since they took such a beating from OSU. But they were ranked 7.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:28 AM ^
Just ok.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:32 AM ^
I’m definitely more nervous than a few weeks back. MSU is rounding into form right now. Really think Teske’s size advantage in the post could be a real trump card on offense.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:36 AM ^
They shut down Cockburn last night.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:54 AM ^
There are effective ointments for Cockburn. People swear by CBD oil. Also, penicillin may be necessary.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:04 PM ^
He was a shell of the attacking ball hawk who we faced. Looked very passive last night.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:43 PM ^
Probably because they shut him down.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:05 PM ^
It's MSU, they have a ton of experience with dealing with Cockburn
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:08 PM ^
He also got 2 fouls in under 9 minutes and sat the rest of the first half. He picked up 6 offensive rebounds and 2 blocks in about 20 minutes of play.
MSU did a good job against him but Illinois shooting terribly from deep and the usual Breslin whistle certainly played a role in how the game turned out.
January 3rd, 2020 at 3:05 PM ^
ya, that foul at the half is one of the worst calls i have ever seen.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:21 PM ^
Just OK is not OK.
January 3rd, 2020 at 2:28 PM ^
Guess who just got reinstated?
Well, not officially.
January 3rd, 2020 at 5:14 PM ^
"Are you nervous?"
"Yes."
"Me too. Don't worry, we'll figure it out"
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:32 AM ^
I have a bad feeling about this one. Livers going down is a significant loss. I think this team is still a decent team that can make the S16, and the early run against UNC and Gonzaga was a bit of fool's gold.
I expect at the end of the year, they will be a lot more rounded into form and will be playing well; however, an early season game against a pretty damn good team is going to be tough.
I think Michigan hangs for a bit, but MSU will pull away.
Bleh, yuck, hated typing that. Just how I feel.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:37 AM ^
Completely reasonable imo. It might seem weird, but I think Simpson needs to be aggressive at shooting the 3 plays under on the pick and rolls. I think he’s definitely improved to the point where if given space, simply taking that shot (even if only making 1/3) will really open the passing lanes for our offense.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:42 AM ^
X at least has proven a little bit he can hit the outside jumper. It's a small-ish sample size this season, but he needs to be able to threaten the D a little bit with the long ball.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:46 AM ^
Exactly. I would assume based of the larger sample size they would still give that shot even with a few falling to start the game, but it’s definitely a shot that will be available early and often. MSU switched on every screen last year it seemed like, and unfortunately for Simpson his size doesn’t allow him to attack big men on the drive well in that scenario.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:56 AM ^
Howard's approach on screen switching is far different than last year. MSU will get punished for it more because so far under Howard UM is much more willing to throw it down to a big guy when they get a smaller player switched on them. Teske, etc will most likely have a field day if they elect to adapt that strategy this year.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:49 AM ^
Yeah going to be close to 10 point underdogs in this one. Going to be difficult to pull this one off without Livers.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:03 PM ^
I feel exactly the same. I live in Lansing so not looking forward to all the chest thumping.
January 3rd, 2020 at 2:48 PM ^
I feel like shit about Sunday's game. That's all the analysis I have. Hope they prove me wrong.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:34 AM ^
Pretty unsure honestly. Even without Livers I think UM is a little better or maybe a push with MSU this year, however expecting them to get royally fucked by the refs like last years game at Breslin. I mean getting hosed by the refs is a safe assumption for most road teams in the Big Ten, so I don't think the odds of UM outplaying MSU and the refs without Livers is as good as we would like.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:51 AM ^
You can't expect a team to take one of their two best players off the floor on a team without much of a bench and not expect a big drop off in play.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:56 AM ^
You think Michigan without Isaiah Livers is better than Michigan State right now?
I don't.
It they had to play the rest of the season without Livers they may mold into their rolls and be better by the end of the season but I don't think they are a good bit from being better right now. I think this game is winnable with an aggressive David Dejulius and a hot shooting Brooks and Wagner. One or the other probably makes it a close game. If we get the X and Teske pick and roll show it is going to be brutal.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:58 AM ^
Yes, maybe a push. I am not sure why people want to suddenly annoint an MSU team that has not beat a ranked team yet this season. They were impressive against Illinois, but they have not beat alot of teams with pulses besides that.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:13 PM ^
They never beat anybody pre-conference, and it is usually ugly and unimpressive even when the do. They had it all going last night. If Watts/Brown/Kithier play at that level MSU will win the BIG by two or three games.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:45 PM ^
Pretty even injuries. No livers, no Langford. Both pure scorers/ shooters.
January 3rd, 2020 at 12:55 PM ^
Langford isn't part of the equation anymore. He hasn't played in going on two years and will not return this season and it is becoming more likely that his career is over at MSU.
This is State's team. Michigan is down Livers.
January 3rd, 2020 at 1:10 PM ^
We had this argument last year, and I still do not understand the logic behind it.
Langford was expected to start for the team, he was cleared after the summer to resume all normal basketball activities. It would be no different than having Michigan lose a starter before the season starts. It is is a significant blow to the depth, and saying MSU hasn't lost a player does not make a lick of sense.
If Michigan had to run the entire year with Johns as a starter because Livers was hurt pre-season, you can be damn sure our fans (myself included) would talk about it as a big loss.
January 3rd, 2020 at 1:38 PM ^
I just disagree. If Livers sustained a preseason injury and was out for the season you would not hear a peep out of me about injuries. Particularly, now after he is out for the second consecutive season there is no way I would be claiming "injuries" as part of the equation. Like, no, in 2016, when Michigan lost to Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament, I was completely done with "if we had Levert this would have been a different story." He just wasn't in the equation.
Like, what if Langford is done for his career? Can State still play an injury card next year because he technically still has eligibility? Was Michigan "playing without Mitch McGary" in 2015 after he was suspended for the season?
The fact that the guy who raised this issue is a clear MSU troll is illustrative. They want it in their back pocket in the event they lose. But MSU is at full strength.
January 3rd, 2020 at 2:00 PM ^
I guess we just have to agree to disagree on this.
The dude practiced with the team and was preparing to be a starter; he was a big part of their plans. The fact that they had to figure out who else to allocate his minutes to means that his injury completely impacted their strategy, recruiting, and their entire season. I would feel the exact same way if it was a Michigan guy. It lowers the expectations of the season. It's not an excuse; it happened.
January 3rd, 2020 at 2:12 PM ^
If Langford is done for his career, does State have an "injury issue" next year because he technically still has eligibility left?
I just don't get it. For whatever reason you are the primetime audience for Izzo's "weird guys" stuff. The man has not played since last December. They have gone to a Final Four since then without him. We don't even know what kind of player he was going to be this year.
January 3rd, 2020 at 2:17 PM ^
Dude wins/losses and nothing else matters. I wish i could put this much jibberish into the outcome of a game or season. What does “playing the injury card” gain besides a dumb argument on a message board. My point was that depth will play a role, not to incite some weirdo argument about whether the score counts or not because of injuries.
January 3rd, 2020 at 2:19 PM ^
Nah, your point was to play the injury card for MSU.
January 3rd, 2020 at 3:08 PM ^
If my point was to get some weirdo to write a manifesto on how two nearly identical injury situations are totally different between two teams, I will consider it a success.
January 3rd, 2020 at 3:17 PM ^
Langford is gone, dude. Gotta move on.
January 3rd, 2020 at 3:27 PM ^
ok thanks for the discussion
January 3rd, 2020 at 1:46 PM ^
The last time Michigan didn’t make the tournament, they were down 3 starters for most of the year and the fans used that season as a reason they wanted the coach fired and continued to use it as a reason until he made it to the sweet 16 two years later
January 3rd, 2020 at 1:51 PM ^
Exactly.
January 3rd, 2020 at 2:09 PM ^
He’s been injured less than a year, he was supposed to start this year and is taking a scholarship but other than that youre right.
January 3rd, 2020 at 2:24 PM ^
We know. You are down to your weird guys already. And you can't even play your transfer that had really no good argument to be granted immediate eligibility.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:34 AM ^
double post
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:34 AM ^
Not good. It's at MSU, and they just dismantled Ill last night by 20. Without Livers, pretty low chance of winning.
January 3rd, 2020 at 11:38 AM ^
Meh, MSU has still not beaten a ranked team yet this year. They beat a bunch of tomato cans the last 5-6 games, with the exception of Illinios. I don't think we can just discount how they looked earlier in the season, MSU is a flawed team this year relative to their better teams over the years.
January 3rd, 2020 at 2:25 PM ^
Call it what you want but analytic site like kenpom compares how they fared against opponents and how all others have played against them also and has them among top teams in country when you equalize everything.
You're placing way too much stock on one or two big games and not enough the large sample size of information we have which going forward is way more reliable