MBB Open Thread: Creighton @ Michigan, 6:30 Tip on FS1

if michigan could rebound they would be up by 10+

This team needs wings so bad it’s not even funny. 

Yah so the defense is exponentially worse than we grew accustomed to over the past few years. 
 

and I am struggling to understand what our offense is beyond hero ball step back 3s. 
 

There was no rebounding effort to speak of. 

We are playing 1000 miles an hour.

That was the one of the roughest halves of hoops I have seen in a while. 

This could be a long year and a rebuilding effort for Juwan once the upperclassmen are gone this year. 

41 points given up in a half at home against Creighton?

No thanks

Way too early for grand pronouncements about the season.

Had to expect this team would take awhile to gel; can't expect a new coach/system/style to click right way. Patience.

So.... We're a NBA team.  Not sure anyone wants to play defense, so the recruits should be lining up.

Three halves and so far defense not good. They have no real strategy for how to defense the screen always coming over the top with no help and giving them good looks. Rebounding is bad. This offense needs athletic big men and that ain’t us. 
 

If threes aren’t falling then we’re going to be up shit creek. 

Only down 3 to a well-ranked team, but some of the carelessness out there has been frustrating. On turnovers that lead to fast-break points for Creighton, on not securing the offensive rebound against a team that’s challenged height-wise, on defense in general, etc. Case-in-point: Brooks taking a shot with way too much time left in the half, giving Creighton enough time to take two shots before the buzzer. Feels like they would be up a bunch had they had it tightened up a little more (or had the just not given up that ugly 6-0 stretch for Creighton). I’m worried what will happen if Michigan’s three-point shooting goes away in the 2nd half (like it kinda did at the end of the first).

They have 11 offensive rebounds to our 1. Getting destroyed on the boards against a smaller team. Unacceptable.

Courtesy of Dylan at UmHoops

Creighton at an unsustainable 1.26 PPP/ 66% EFG but against this current D, one wonders. Rebounding 50% of their misses  

Michigan at 1.17 PPP through 32 possessions which felt like 40. 

Michigan has looked very polished offensively but the story of this game is rebounding (10-0 for Creighton on the offensive boards) and subpar defense (only 2 TO's by Creighton with 0 steals by Michigan).  On the bright side defensively, Michigan does have 5 blocks.

If Michigan just evened it up on the boards, they would have a comfortable lead.

If we can at least even out the rebounds that should help the defense enough to hopefully win.

Play D

Damn lots of negativity here which sounds like me during football games. My expectations are quite low this season so I'm happy they aren't getting blown out.

Lock down on the boards in this half and we should win this. 

It's funny - Beilein's teams looked like a slowed-down version of the championship Warriors; great spacing, emphasis on efficiency, and hard work on D.

 So far Howard's team looks like the current Warriors; fast pace, free-flowing offense with everyone involved...and absolutely no defense.

c'mon Z that is horrible

Z is just a pleasure to watch. 

Thee we go!

Great defense to start the half. All these negative nancies can stfu 

Edit: alright Nunez d needs work. 

Nunez better hit all 3s because he's terrible defender. Livers with a massive block!

Chucking 3s

Gotta give Creighton some credit - first TO for them, playing at a furious pace. That's really impressive. Hopefully not sustainable.

Slowing it down this half.

Hot takes are up to snuff tonight.

Guys act like Creighton isn't out there trying to score the ball.  Some of their shots have been 'tip of the cap' types.  Some have been breakdowns, yes but most have been mostly better offense than a defense can guard.

Franz will be a huge lift. Nunez is a shooter. But dang dude sucks on D. However, Creighton has scorers. Seems like a legit squad. Sometimes better O is beating decent/above average D. 

This team needs Z to be a stud. First 4 Minutes of that half he was the best he has been in 1.5 games. Need more of this. 

DDJ is looking much better this game, great to see the improvement.

Defense is shockingly porous compared to last year but the offense is dynamic! It's entertaining no matter the outcome

Exciting game so far - fun to watch in a whole new way.

Is it part of Juwan’s system to not box out on d? 

DDJ redemption. 

Oh my - Creighton guy lowered his shoulder into Z like a linebacker.

Where is our D.

That looked like a garbage blocking foul to me.

How the fuck is that a block 

Another example of shit defense right there. Eli how did you lose that guy?

The team is playing with a ton of energy. Looks they really want this one