MBB: The Buzzsaw Starts Tomorrow
Not going to go through the full remaining schedule - but Michigan has 14 games left in the regular season, 8 of them are on the road, and 12 of the teams we play have been, are or will be in the Top 25 this season. It is going to be an insane and brutal seven weeks of conference basketball - followed up by the BIG and NCAA Tourneys.
Can't think of a better coach and team leaders (Z and Matthews) to take us through this difficult stretch and the rest of this season. Going to be fun - and could be really special.
Let's get things started with a big win in Madison tomorrow. We are better - but never easy to win there. Give em hell, boys - and Go Blue!
January 18th, 2019 at 1:44 PM ^
Sat, Jan. 19 at Wisconsin Noon, ESPN/2 Madison, Wisc. (Kohl Center)Tickets
Tues, Jan. 22 Minnesota 7:00 p.m., BTN Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)Tickets
Fri, Jan. 25 at Indiana 6:30 p.m., FS1 Bloomington, Ind. (Assembly Hall)Tickets
Tues, Jan. 29 Ohio State 9:00 p.m., ESPN/2 Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)Tickets
Fri, Feb. 1 at Iowa 7:00 p.m., FS1 Iowa City, Iowa (Carver-Hawkeye Arena)Tickets
Thurs, Feb. 5 at Rutgers 8:00 p.m., BTN Piscataway, NJ (Rutgers Athletic Center)Tickets
Sat, Feb. 9 Wisconsin Noon, FOX Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)Tickets
Tues, Feb. 12 at Penn State 8:30 p.m., BTN State College, Penn. (Bryce Jordan Center)Tickets
Sat, Feb. 16 Maryland Noon, FOX Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)Tickets
Thurs, Feb. 21 at Minnesota 7 :00 p.m., ESPN/2 Minneapolis, Minn. (Williams Arena)Tickets
Sun, Feb. 24 Michigan State 3:45 p.m., CBS Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)Tickets
Thurs, Feb. 28 Nebraska 7:00 p.m., ESPN/2 Ann Arbor, Mich. (Crisler Center)Tickets
Sun, Mar. 3 at Maryland 3:45 p.m., CBS College Park, Md. (Xfinity Center)Tickets
Sat, Mar. 9 at Michigan State 4/6/8 p.m., ESPN/2 East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center)Tickets
January 18th, 2019 at 1:48 PM ^
Yeah - it's almost as difficult as what Gonzaga and Nevada has to face on their schedules the rest of the season..
Can't remember the BIG being deeper than this year. Though unlikely - certainly possible that 10 BIG teams make the Tourney. Unreal...
January 18th, 2019 at 1:55 PM ^
I get the joke. But I have watched both Nevada and Gonzaga play quite a bit and I think they are legit. It is the Tennessee and Auburn duo that I don't buy. Every year I get my bracket I find Auburn and Tennessee and decide whether I have them going out in their first game or will grant them the dignity of a first weekend appearance. (Put Cincinnati on this list for every year they are a thing, also).
January 18th, 2019 at 2:08 PM ^
I think Tennessee is legit this year.
January 18th, 2019 at 2:11 PM ^
On the flip side, my friends make fun of me, but over the years Marquette has gotten me huge points on my brackets.... although not the past couple of years.
January 18th, 2019 at 2:59 PM ^
Not buying Auburn yet, they haven't beaten any really good teams and have 3 losses which is good but not outstanding against that schedule at this point.
I generally sympathize with the skepticism on SEC teams not named Kentucky. But Tennessee beat Gonzaga and Louisville on neutral courts, went to overtime with Kansas when they still had Azubuike, and has no other losses. All indications are they are legit.
January 18th, 2019 at 7:17 PM ^
Auburn beat Murray St who has the second best player in the country. Even though no one has heard of him
January 18th, 2019 at 9:19 PM ^
I have heard of him. Fast as fuck and a dunk meistro with great hair.
January 18th, 2019 at 11:28 PM ^
They're solid but #43 so i wouldn't get too excited over that win. Playing competitively in that maui loss to Duke is probably Auburn's best achievement so far.
January 18th, 2019 at 1:49 PM ^
Double post - but will reiterate: Let's kick some Badger ass in Madison, and GO BLUE!
January 18th, 2019 at 2:16 PM ^
Win all the games!
January 18th, 2019 at 1:45 PM ^
We are the buzz saw.
January 18th, 2019 at 1:59 PM ^
Goo goo g'joob
January 18th, 2019 at 1:47 PM ^
I think this will be a difficult game. Wisconsin just came up a little bit short in what would have been two big comebacks on the road. I think they will play really well out of the gate and a week off usually lends to itself to rust. The start time is also a little weird, it is effectively a "morning game" in Madison. I could see a double digit deficit for Michigan in the first half in this game. I think we will respond and that it will be close throughout, but this strikes me as a losable game and I really don't see that many of those on the schedule.
January 18th, 2019 at 1:54 PM ^
ANY of the remaining road games are "losable". Even Penn State. Luckily, I think our team has the right combo of talent, leadership and maturity to win any road game as well.
January 18th, 2019 at 1:57 PM ^
I am looking at kind of more the "totality of the circumstances." Weird start time, coming off a week off, #1 ranking in the balance, against a team that is severely due for a big win in what is always a difficult environment. I just get the feeling this game in particular could be a snake pit.
January 18th, 2019 at 1:56 PM ^
Really? I see every road game as loseable and every home game besides maybe Minnesota. Basketball is hard and pretty random
January 18th, 2019 at 6:45 PM ^
Yup. All it takes is a bad day of shooting and the other team to get hot and you lose. Almost every top 10 team every year has a bad loss or two
January 18th, 2019 at 1:48 PM ^
Just saw that every home game remaining is sold out now. Bout time
January 18th, 2019 at 1:52 PM ^
Posted this note in the Wisconsin Preview thread. A few things going for us tomorrow is the fact that UW students do not begin spring semester until next Tuesday. Hoping for a Trohl Center atmosphere that is more similar to our Illinois game earlier this month.
Also, expecting some snow tonight and into tomorrow morning in Southern Wisconsin. Hope this keeps some badger fans inside the comforts of their homes. Wisconsinites are pretty down on Wisconsin sports lately, and this is evident with the amount of tickets on the secondary market right now.
Still expect Wisconsin to hit some ridiculous shots, and Teske to pick up 2 quick fouls, but still feels like we can overcome the Trohl Center and road refs.
January 18th, 2019 at 2:02 PM ^
These guys can do it
January 18th, 2019 at 2:11 PM ^
Don't know how it'll all turn out but hopefully the first loss isn't to MSU.
January 18th, 2019 at 2:48 PM ^
I feel the same way. Thankfully MSU version 1 is in Ann Arbor. OSU is also in Ann Arbor, so that is nice.
January 18th, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^
How do you know which teams will be ranked in the top 25?
January 18th, 2019 at 3:03 PM ^
Perhaps I stated it wrong - all 12 have been or are in the Top 25. In the case of Ohio State for instance, they have been, but are not today. However, the way those mid-level BIG teams have been going, they seem to switch out every week or two. Wouldn't be surprised to see them back in the Top 25 at some point.
No chance Penn State or Rutgers, the only two teams not on that list, is going to get there.
January 18th, 2019 at 2:33 PM ^
We've won them all so far and there are no gimmes. As noted though it figures to get much tougher. We have concluded the "soft" part of the conference schedule: 4 of 6 at home, the two road games @NW and @Illinois and we got to play IU without their fine point guard and NW at Crisler without Vic Law.
I expect Wisc to come out and play like their backs are pressed against the wall- which they are.
January 18th, 2019 at 2:47 PM ^
hot take
January 18th, 2019 at 2:49 PM ^
Wisconsin sucks though...
January 18th, 2019 at 2:51 PM ^
I keep thinking about what the implications might be for that last game of the year with MSU. Could be huge.
January 18th, 2019 at 6:33 PM ^
Need to win these games to keep up with them, especially after they won last night at Nebraska - one of the DANGER few games on their schedule.
January 18th, 2019 at 2:52 PM ^
Didn't think it's worth a new thread topic since it's pure speculation at this point, but there's chatter out there that Doug Nussmeier is being rumored as the next Cowboys OC, or at least that'll be one of the canidates....
January 18th, 2019 at 3:03 PM ^
That schedule looks like 3-4 losses to me. That should be good for a one seed
January 18th, 2019 at 3:11 PM ^
What these players and this coaching staff have done so far this year is quite remarkable...but not as remarkable as the hand-wringing from the insecure fans who evidently refuse to appreciate what is happening right before their very eyes. What everyone should be most confident of is that these kids are going to play the game hard and with good skill. Good lord...appreciate it.
January 18th, 2019 at 3:21 PM ^
This will be an epic test for this team, but in the past two years, this same squad have been in emotional and difficult games where they pulled out a win. They will be ready and play hard. Win the game.
January 18th, 2019 at 3:36 PM ^
"Running into a buzzsaw" usually is a metaphor for a team getting blown out. I don't think that'll happen tomorrow.
January 18th, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
Beilein teams have historically improved throughout the season and peaked towards the end of the season.
If that trend continues this team going to be awfully tough to beat.
January 18th, 2019 at 4:06 PM ^
No worries. We are the buzzsaw.
January 18th, 2019 at 4:12 PM ^
There will undoubtedly be a few losses in this stretch, but the league is so deep this year (amazing turnaround from where it was last year) that much of the league will cannibalize itself by the time the season ends.
There is a very good chance that the conference title will be on the line when we go to EL for the last game of the regular season. UM and MSU have clearly separated themselves from the rest of the league.
January 18th, 2019 at 4:40 PM ^
Where's the hype video?
January 18th, 2019 at 5:05 PM ^
Wisconsin has lost 4 of its last 5 games. Apparently analytics love them. I dont see it
January 18th, 2019 at 5:15 PM ^
The B1G is weird. Illinois looked bad and then just evicerated Minny. Purdue had a 40 point lead on Rutgers.
I think this game goes down to the wire. And 34 on Wisconsin will have a moment that will be worthy of starting a fight on the court.
January 18th, 2019 at 6:18 PM ^
Going 14-0 is obviously better than going 7-7 through this stretch, however, I don't really care too much about the record. This will be fun, entertaining basketball for eight weeks. You can't ask for much more than that. February blowouts against Rutgers and Illinois of years past are dull; the improved quality of the Big Ten means every game, even the mismatches, are likely to be good to watch.
January 19th, 2019 at 1:14 PM ^
This team is built for adverse road conditions.