Michigan basketball 2015-16 snowflakes
This season was as fun to watch as this site has been fun to use...which is to say, not fun, there has been literaly no fun at all.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:58 AM ^
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Because that's what we said last year and no one improved.
MAAR and Donnal marginally improved. Walton, Irvin, Dawkins, and Doyle got objectively worse. There is zero reason to expect this team to be much better next year.
because our record alone this year compared to last year would diagree with that point.
Who do you expect to improve significantly next year?
March 19th, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^
Walton got worse? Jesus dude, do you pay any attention to Michigan basketball? The dude was basically out all year last year.
As the other guy said in response, it was incredibly marginal from Rahk and Donnal and everyone else got worse. The main difference this season from last was having Walton available whereas he was injured the entirety of last season and even then the quality of our team didn't improve that much. Moved up about 18 spots on KenPom. Still far away from a top 25 team.
And we somehow got worse on D.
March 19th, 2016 at 11:14 AM ^
I wouldn't say marginal for MAAR at all. He's gotten much more consistent from one game to the next (he'd have a big game last year only to disappear next game,) has markedly improved as a shooter (especially from the corners,) and his passing has improved.
I'm not sure I'd say marginal for Donnal either, but only because he was awful last year. He did some good things this year - the problem is that for every good play, he seemed to have two more bad ones.
Walton got better. The fact that he's not Trey Burke doesn't mean he didn't have a much better season this season than last. I thought his improvement in running the transition really jumped out - problem is, we don't play enough defense to get out and run often. You saw some of his ability there in the first half tonight.
double post
March 19th, 2016 at 12:25 AM ^
I wish it was as easy for me as it is for you.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:29 AM ^
Look at it this way: everyone returns from the team that finished the season, and Wagner likely will bulk up so that he can become a regular contributor instead of a spot guy. That alone could make a big difference. And then we add a few freshman, most notably Simpson, whose stock keeps rising. At worst he'll probably be a quality backup, something we haven't had since Spike's injury (which has forced us to run Walton ragged). I do think we can have a good team next year.
The only player I actually think has a chance to improve is Wagner (and I am excited about him). Xavier should be helpful.
That said, one of the main problems for this team is that we still lack a star player that can be a gamechanger. And that will not change next year.
March 19th, 2016 at 11:15 AM ^
Wagner wasn't a spot guy this year because he lacks bulk. Donnal ain't exactly setting any bench press records.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:33 AM ^
I was excited for this year. Might get excited for next year if Irvin decides to go pro.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:48 AM ^
March 19th, 2016 at 12:25 AM ^
Proud of our players but we have major problems that need to be addressed. This isn't just Caris Levert. Recruiting can cure all. Defense, big man play, and offense at stretches were brutal this year.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:29 AM ^
Michigan squandered a double digit lead with horrible second half shooting.
But the 2nd (?) and 4th fouls on Wagner were bullshit. The 4th foul call took away a basket with and 1 opportunity when the game was tied at 58.
The refs kept Wagner from being a force in the second half of this game. We sucked with Donnal on the court. When Wagner was in the game, he made it very tough for ND to drive at the basket. He also guarded the screens really well.
Either Wagner has improved a lot in the past month or Beilein inexplicably plays Donnal over Wagner.
And smh at Donnal at missing the lay-up.
Finally, Walton and Irvin are mixed bags. Neither has become what I thought each would be. Irvin, in particular, has regressed from how he was playing as a sophomore.
Edits:
- Derrick Walton started the game 4-5. He finished 4-13. Staggering.
- And Irving was 4-16.
I can only sigh in numbness.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:30 AM ^
Beilein's love affair with Donnal will cost somebody his job.
I know Wagner is unpolished especially when he drives, but COME ON!, the team is just different with him out there!
He actually brings grit.
Only Wagner and MAAR play with that kind of toughness on this team.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:42 AM ^
March 19th, 2016 at 12:31 AM ^
That BS foul was so maddening. I'm not as emotional with sports since I've gotten older, but I think the neighbors must have heard some of my F-bombs. Still other chances to win the game of course that shouldn't be overlooked, but that was so bad. It wasn't even close. I don't know how that call was made.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:25 AM ^
March 19th, 2016 at 12:25 AM ^
The offensive foul on Wagner - which looked like a block to me - was a huge, huge swing. If it goes the other way we're up 58-56 and he's shooting a FT. Instead it's a turnover and he has to sit with four personals. Brutal.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:29 AM ^
is a coaching decision that I think we have provided more than ample evidence to suggest beilein handles incorrectly on a consistent basis.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:31 AM ^
Well, with four personals I think you've probably got to sit him there. That's a little different than the first-half autobenching, on which I agree he's overly rigid.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:41 AM ^
Because you hope to have him for the final possessions of the game. You gamble that the team can hold on for the next couple of minutes in the meantime. If Donnal could have made that layup we would have gotten through it OK. (Even as it was, we had the ball only down three with 30 seconds left.)
March 19th, 2016 at 12:26 AM ^
Go Blue
March 19th, 2016 at 12:27 AM ^
I love watching Beilein's offense but he has to make 2 changes:
1. Recruit better players (who are more consistent, re: not Jekyl-and-Hyde)
2. Get a good defensive/rebounding coach on his bench.
If we were at least good at #2, we would be a much better team. Beilein is able to craft good offenses with "lesser" recruits but he can't do the same on defenses. No one's perfect but the best leaders know what they don't know and, therefore, surround themselves with other talented individuals.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:29 AM ^
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better players if JB decides to get dirty by paying players.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:26 AM ^
March 19th, 2016 at 12:26 AM ^
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March 19th, 2016 at 12:38 AM ^
...but he was shockingly bad for the past month. His regression into a poor shooter is astounding and shocking.
I can only shake my head in disbelief looking at his game log for the past month...
March 19th, 2016 at 12:55 AM ^
I think he wore down from playing too many minutes.
March 19th, 2016 at 12:27 AM ^
Not thrilled, no. But calling for the coach's head? Did we want Lloyd fired when he went 9-3 with a loss in a bowl game?
This blog wanted Lloyd fired? I didn't know that.
March 19th, 2016 at 10:15 AM ^
March 19th, 2016 at 11:18 AM ^
Yep. Carr was bad in the end, a different coach the second half of his career than the first. The younger among us may forget how mediocre he became, particularly in light of how the next two coaches performed. App St makes the case by itself, but look at the record vs OSU if that doesn't hurt enough.
March 19th, 2016 at 10:03 AM ^