MBB final AP Top 25 poll released. Michigan finishes 29.
Lost in Coronavirus, stock market, and other associated news, is the AP released their final men's basketball poll. Michigan finishes 29th.
Personally, I thought it was a heckuva season. Back in May when the world was freaking out about Beilein's departure, the future was hazy. For Michigan to start out the way they did, with that roster, and a new coach/new system, and a win over Staee, it was fun to watch.
The future is very bright with Howard at the helm.
Go Blue!
... and in other news between Bill Self, stating “nobody in America had better season than we did,” and the Florida Senate voting 37-2 to pass a resolution last Friday that proclaimed the Seminoles (26-5) as "NCAA champions by default", I hope those clowns don't throw their shoulders out patting themselves on the back. I've heard ER care these days isn't a given.
I agree-an excellent season. Juwan did an exceptional job of coaching...I am very optimistic.
I'd call it more "encouraging" than "exceptional". He made a lot of rookie mistakes, in that at first he clearly couldn't get away from scheming like the former NBA coach he is. We lost some games early because he didn't know what he was doing. So, I'm reluctant to award him a medal for this season.
BUT
. . . he rarely repeated mistakes and the team generally didn't look lost. In fact, the difference in his redemption games was sometimes stunning. MSU comes to mind. Winston goes from an unstoppable 32 points on 19 shots to 20 points on 18 shots (!) in Howard's Revenge. MSU as a team goes from 53% shooting to 33% (!!) in a 27-point (!!!) swing. Livers coming back from injury helped immensely, but it also seems you can't get Howard twice. I was also a little apprehensive that a frontcourt coach couldn't properly utilize Beilein's artillery ballet, but Howard's schemes consistently generated good looks. So, happy to be wrong there.
All in all, he was very much a net positive in his first year and that's without even going into his recruiting thunder. But I'm most pleased with his self-awareness and willingness to learn.
Any other teams have 3 victories over top 10 opponents?
March 18th, 2020 at 10:11 PM ^
I wouldn't proclaim Michigan the 2020 national champions. I'm not dumb enough to meet the qualifications for a Florida State legislator. But definitely some wins, and a finish in the top 25.
March 19th, 2020 at 12:10 AM ^
What the heck is going on in Florida?!?!?!
Don't forget about the Florida governor claiming the national championship for UCF football in 2017 (and then the NCAA recognized it too).
UCF finished first in one of the computer rankings and the NCAA lists those as champions as well. Case in point, Notre Dame is listed as a champion for 2012 despite getting monkey stomped by Bama because it finished first in one of the computer rankings.
March 18th, 2020 at 10:17 PM ^
Tough to get a T25 rank when you lose 4 of your last 5. Good season on average, though - very happy with it!
March 18th, 2020 at 10:29 PM ^
Since Lunardi assigned us a 6 seed, that means in his view we're between 21 and 24.
March 18th, 2020 at 10:37 PM ^
Sounds about right. A good season, but one without a chance to write our own ending. If we could have had a crack at the post-season, I believe we would've climbed a bit higher and ended on a strong note, losing in the Sweet 16 after beating Rutger and losing to Wisconsin in the Big10, ending up at 22-15.
Sounds about right, indeed.
I think the season gave us enough data to conclude we're remeniscient of 1990s "live by the 3, die by the 3" NBA teams. Four-out wasn't considered a viable offense back then because while it could upset anyone on a good day, it was too streaky to survive the playoffs. The idea that teams could build a consistent offense around 3-pointers is a relatively new concept (thank you, John Beilein).
Our postseason would've been the same -- a series of coin flips. If we went deep into the tournament it's because we got hot. Could also have faced a first-round exit if we got cold. Either way the tournament itself is too deep, and our offense too streaky, for this squad to have had a realistic shot at the Final Four.
March 18th, 2020 at 10:39 PM ^
We got gypped.
March 18th, 2020 at 10:48 PM ^
I think we'd have made real noise in both tournaments, and would have ended up in top 15 in end. But losing out like we did, have to expect it.
March 18th, 2020 at 11:04 PM ^
Would you use the term "jewed" so casually? Gypped isn't much better.
https://lifehacker.com/these-words-and-phrases-have-racist-origins-1823042643
March 18th, 2020 at 11:15 PM ^
There goes the MGoRoma readership.
March 18th, 2020 at 11:52 PM ^
Lifehacked just educated me on how to not be racist to Gypsies. Wtf man has it come to this? A common term that “lifehacker”??? Tells you is racist to people im not sure even exist. Please forgive me gypsy posters of the blog. Lol
March 19th, 2020 at 12:12 AM ^
Yeah... next they'll be telling us the circle game isn't a dorky, sophomoric, thing but actually flashing white power signs.
March 19th, 2020 at 12:54 AM ^
I was going to say screwed but I was concerned if the fornicators might take it the wrong way. Seriously though I never knew that. I didn’t know Gypsies to be a race. I thought it was a lifestyle.
This is a nothing burger and you’re trying to serve it as filet.
March 19th, 2020 at 12:48 PM ^
Stop being such a hooligan.
I had a bad feeling Staee was going to make a run so fuck them.
Izzo is forever going to moan this was going to be his year. I can get some satisfaction for that.
I am sure he is already working the Cassius deserves another year angle in the back channels.
Interestng that a Top 25 list has the 29th too.
March 19th, 2020 at 12:54 PM ^
Juwan did a great job. Michigan beat Creighton and Gonzaga. Very close loss to Oregon and Louisville, beat Sparty. It was a one heck of a strength of schedule and among the toughest in the nation. Add how tough the B1G conference was this season.
That's probably about what we should have expected before the season started. Obviously we saw that they had a high ceiling when healthy, but all in all it was a decent first season by Juwan and co.
Too bad we didn't get to see how the team would have fared at tourney time.