Lindy's picks Michigan basketball to finish 7th in B1G
http://www.umhoops.com/2016/09/09/michigan-picked-finish-seventh-big-ten-lindys-sports/
Lindy’s Sports preview magazine picked the Wolverines to finish seventh in the Big Ten this season.
The magazine bluntly questions Michigan’s ability to improve defensively.
“Who’ll get better on defense so opponents don’t shoot 51 percent on 2-pointers again?”
September 16th, 2016 at 11:57 AM ^
I expect nothing else. This team will not be very good. They need a better center or two and better shooters. I long for the days of Trey Burke & Co.
September 16th, 2016 at 12:03 PM ^
September 16th, 2016 at 12:00 PM ^
I'm not sure the ceiling is all that much higher, but that's pretty much where the team finished last year. I think the improvement at the 5 from more experience and Wagner getting stronger and having X as a backup PG will make the team better. I don't think they'll compete for the title, but I could see them as a top 4-5 team (in the Big Ten).
September 16th, 2016 at 12:10 PM ^
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September 16th, 2016 at 12:39 PM ^
See this here? Drives me insane. Questioning Beilein's recruiting? Fine. His emphasis on offensive over defensive skills and rebounding? Also fine. But that his offense won't work? After he's posted the top offensive efficiency in the country twice in the what was the best conference in the country both years. That's inane and makes me seriously question your basketball knowledge. Also UM has not approached a bottom 3 finish in the JB era since his 1st year. Barring super significant injuries, there's no rational reason to expect it this year.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:22 PM ^
My main issue with the offensive philosophy is that it doesn't play well in the B1G. I don't think there is much question that it is the toughest conference in the country physically, and the way Beilein builds his teams, their weaknesses get exposed regularly by the style of play. They have proven, however, that even when they are "down" like last year, they can play with some of the better teams in the country out of conference.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:31 PM ^
Again. Best Offense in the Country for two straight years. The two years before that it was 19th and 35th. The last two years have been injury riddled and not ideal (though we did finish 42nd lastyear). I have absolutely no problem with questioning Beilein's defense coaching abilities, but all these questions about his offense are far more about "feelingsball" than any basis in fact.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:30 PM ^
The biggest issue with the offense is he needs elite talent to run it at a really high level. When he doesn't have elite talent, the offense is merely top 40 or so, which is nowhere near good enough when our defense doesn't even rank in the top 100.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:36 PM ^
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September 16th, 2016 at 1:42 PM ^
In order to make this offense perform to its potential, there needs to be a big man similar to McGary and Morgan. One that can pass from the elbow and cut toward the basket and finish. Also, both of those guys would hold their own on the glass and on the defensive end.
September 16th, 2016 at 2:22 PM ^
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September 16th, 2016 at 12:04 PM ^
September 16th, 2016 at 12:05 PM ^
September 16th, 2016 at 12:11 PM ^
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September 16th, 2016 at 12:25 PM ^
Did Gregg Popovich die?
September 16th, 2016 at 1:27 PM ^
Hey come on man, we're trying to be realistic about our options here
September 16th, 2016 at 12:12 PM ^
September 16th, 2016 at 12:16 PM ^
Seems much to low. I think that is the absolute floor. I think Wisconsin is def better and you can easily argue with Purdue ahead as well. MSU could be great but you never know how freshman are. I honestly think MSU/UM/Mary/OSU/Indiana are all pretty close together.
September 16th, 2016 at 12:19 PM ^
Didn't we bring in an assistant who will focus mainly on defense? Wonder if we should be expecting a bump there at all this year or if that's going to be a multi-year reclamation project.
September 16th, 2016 at 12:24 PM ^
September 16th, 2016 at 12:32 PM ^
But must do it right.
I for one will not allow my beloved university to go back to the mud from which it was somewhat unfairly plucked and mucked.
I want a program that builds young men of character and competes at the highest level.
Modern college basketball assuredly makes these two things almost mutually exclusive. It takes a special group of overachievers and overlooked talents (see 2012-3) to maximize the results when competing against a markedly increasing number of schools playing the corrupt AAU and handler game.
I get sick and tired of seeing unproductive Beilein-bashing threads. If you hate Beilein, that's cool. But please, provide legitimate alternatives. WHO do you want to lead this team? WHO will get the results without cheating?
September 16th, 2016 at 12:46 PM ^
September 16th, 2016 at 3:14 PM ^
That succeed without being shady. This is such a tired bit.
September 16th, 2016 at 12:42 PM ^
A fully healthy Irvin and Walton, no lost pieces from last season, and the addition of an impact PG, (2) 6'11"+ freshman, another year of workouts for Duncan and Mo, and adding new coaches to help JB with defense.
I honestly can't see us finishing lower than 3rd in the B1G, with a realistic shot at winning the B1G regular season and B1G Tourney.
Why even look at our numbers last season when we were playing without LeVert, a hobbled Walton, and players like Chatman, Doyal, and Dawkins all getting way too many minutes.
So you have an upgraded version of every returning starter (Irvin, Walton, Duncan, Donnal, and MAAR/Wagner), plus impact freshman who are improvements over all our transfers, plus new voices in the locker room that actually preach defense, and you're looking at a Top-15 team easy.
Not seeing where the pessimism is. Oh yeah, we're not Kentucky, Duke, UNC, or Kansas. I forgot, since Beilein hasn't made Michigan into a national powerhouse and recruiting one-and-dones, we're a dumpster fire of a program who should just fire Beilein, hire some rat scumbag, wait another 5 years until his system is in place, then 20 years down the road lose all our records for illegal recruiting/academic fraud/hookers and blow/etc/etc/etc. Gotcha.
September 16th, 2016 at 12:55 PM ^
Also, what is the objective of your last paragraph? Is your general belief that unless we sustain our Coach B contract, we will spiral into another infraction? It seems like you are willing to accept current performance because you are afraid of repeating the results of the previous tenures. However, arent there other ways? I mean, I find it hard to believe any coach with success is obtaining those results by cheating. I guess I just wish we could have dialogue on this board about Coach B without the pontification that the absence of Coach B equates cheating and imminent NCAA infractions.
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September 16th, 2016 at 1:04 PM ^
Not just previous tenures. waaaaay previous tenures. Why is this fanbase so stuck in the goddamn past on everything? Ed Martin was literally twenty years ago. TWENTY!
And a lot has changed in those two decades. The NCAA doesn't punish anyone for anything anymore.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:10 PM ^
That last paragraph was for the trolls mostly. who say they want us to be like we were with the Fab Five, and recruit toe to toe with UK, Duke, UNC, Louisville, MSU; who all veer towards the "shady" side of recruiting.
If we don't achieve my expectations, I will change my opinion as how I see the trajectory of Beilein and this program.
Right now, I still see an upward swing with this program and coach B. I look no further than how we battled with Notre Dame last season, when we were probably the healthiest we were since Big Ten play started. That's a game we should have one, had we made one or two defensive stops.
Beilein can coach with anyone in the conference, and nation as evidenced by our close games with UK in the tourney, playing Wisconsin tight in the B1G Tourney the year Wisconsin made the Championship game.
I would say a failed season would be 5th place or lower, not making the B1G Championship game, and finishing lower than a 4 seed in the NCAAT.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:25 PM ^
One thing I am curious to see is who steps up to be a team leader. We havent seemed to have "the guy" the past several years who could either motivate the squad or put the team on his back to bring home a win. i wonder if Walton can move into that very needed role.
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September 16th, 2016 at 1:58 PM ^
The answer to our team leader is an easy one for me. A healthy Derrick Walton.
He isn't going to be a corner 3-pt shooting PG anymore. He's going to be freshman Derrick Walton. He's going to attack the rim, kick out to open shooters, draw fouls, and create the spacing we need for our offense to click.
Our season will come down to whether or not the healthy, stronger, and improved versions of Walton and Irvin can attack their players one-on-one, finish at the rim, and find open shooters when the D over-commits.
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/01/post_13.html
http://scores.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400510000
http://mgoblog.com/content/michigan-80-michigan-state-75
"Michigan didn't lose that lead in large part due to Derrick Walton, whose 19 points matched Stauskas for the team lead. Ten of those came in the final 2:29, beginning with a fast-break and-one layup after Caris LeVert threaded a perfect outlet pass that hit Walton in stride. Walton also knocked down both of his three-point attempts, 2/4 of two-pointers, and 9/10 from the stripe—8/9 in the game's waning moments. On defense, he helped limit Keith Appling to ten points on 3/11 shooting. If the freshman point guard was nervous, it didn't show."
That's our leader. He's healthy, hungry, and has a chip the size of the MSU football program after our finishes the last 2 years.
September 16th, 2016 at 12:53 PM ^
This team finally has seniors. Top-4 finish should be the floor and I honestly think we have a decent chance to win the B1G.
I think Donlon is gonna make a big difference here.
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September 16th, 2016 at 12:58 PM ^
September 16th, 2016 at 1:00 PM ^
How many college basketball assistants make a "big difference" anywhere outside the recruiting trail? If the defense is more physical that just means even more frustrating auto-benching from Beilein, who will revert to what he knows and (insanely) believes in when a player gets into the first bit of foul trouble.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:00 PM ^
That matters a ton in 2016 college basketball.
Personally, I'd rather have a lineup full of average seniors (which Michigan's are) vs highly-ranked recruits.
(sarcasm off).
And in all honestly, what has this team shown you over the past two years that they are ready to jump back into the Big Ten's elite other than being hilariously average, dominated on the glass, and basically void of playmakers?
September 16th, 2016 at 1:08 PM ^
He will either no answer or play the injury card, even though we were healthy the last two noncons and looked like ass.
September 16th, 2016 at 2:36 PM ^
Lebron James could barely play basketball at all until his senior year of college. Same thing with Kobe.
Oh wait, those guys went straight to the NBA from high school. Nevermind.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:44 PM ^
Must've missed where Wisconsin gets all the recruiting STARZ.
Basketball threads on here are the same four or so people just stomping on a mud puddle repeatedly. It's sad.
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September 16th, 2016 at 1:47 PM ^
That Wisconsin team was then beat by a Duke team made up mostly of 5 star freshmen. Probably not the best example to make your case.
September 16th, 2016 at 2:14 PM ^
That WI team had 5 star Sam Dekker.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:57 PM ^
I'll pretend to be optimistic because seniors suddenly matter in college basketball?
In fact, I am more skeptical about upperclassmen in today's CBB because it ultimately means they didn't have the ability to be one or two and done. You get the very rare cases of kids that actually enjoy playing for their school, but that's maybe 1 out of every 30 that defers out of the NBA draft.
September 16th, 2016 at 2:23 PM ^
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September 16th, 2016 at 1:05 PM ^
Seems a tad high, this is going to be an ugly year for BBall.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:12 PM ^
Wouldn't say that. It's going to be a mediocre year. We'll be a tad better than last season. That's not enough.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:06 PM ^
John B. is a good guy and all that but he is not going to win many recruiting battles against the Kansas's, Duke's, North Carolina's or Kentucky's of the world.
Michigan has all the resources in the world and then some to recruit at a very high level but consistently getting top level guys here doesn't seem to be happening. Beilien relies on player development to win. If some of those guys don't develop as you'd hope, it slows the programs growth.
I also think they blew any momentum they had as a result of the National Championship run.
September 16th, 2016 at 1:23 PM ^
Quick, to the conventional take machine!
September 16th, 2016 at 1:10 PM ^
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September 16th, 2016 at 1:14 PM ^
It's basically the same team from last year. I know everyone will be excited because player Y put on 20 lbs of muscle, but that's not going to vault them into elite status.
September 16th, 2016 at 2:32 PM ^
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September 16th, 2016 at 1:22 PM ^
Just curious, what would it take to make you think he does suck? If it's another bubble team (I think it will be), that will be 7 in 10 years that Beilein has failed to produce a team that was a lock for a tournament bid going into the month of March. The good stretch from 2011-2014 is looking like it was a big exception to the norm.