NotDudeButGuy

March 19th, 2016 at 12:28 AM ^

Is officially on the hot seat.  This season is unacceptable and another season like this is out the door for him.

Joined: 03/16/2016

MGoPoints: 1840

Rick Grimes

March 19th, 2016 at 12:28 AM ^

I think I may have considered deeming the season a success had Michigan beat Notre Dame, but since they lost I will say it wasn't. Totally disgusted in seeing them lose a game like that, especially when they led by 12 at halftime. They did a good job forcing turnovers in the first half but their shooting defense was bad the entire game and everything was bad in the 2nd half. 

Joined: 03/29/2014

MGoPoints: 1066

Gulogulo37

March 19th, 2016 at 12:29 AM ^

I'm usually an optimist anyway, but I'm pretty optimistic about next year. Hard to see Wagner not taking a huge leap forward next year. And if Doyle's problems were due to his sleep apnea and Donnal keeps improving, our post play next year could be vastly vastly improved. Hard to tell how the backcourt will be next year, but considering they don't lose anyone and have new blood coming in, you'd think there will be substantial improvement from a few players there. Brian also wondered on the WTKA podcast if Walton ever fully recovered from last year's injury. He was better as a freshman in some ways than as a junior.

Of course everyone was optimistic about this year, and yes, it's been disappointing but this team could have been so much better with a healthy Levert and Spike (and possibly Doyle).

Joined: 03/16/2010

MGoPoints: 28359

ReegsShannon

March 19th, 2016 at 11:57 AM ^

My point is that he isn't going to just suddenly become tough now. His big problem is that he is super soft and goes up every time afraid to get blocked and not looking to dunk. That mentality isn't gonna change 4 years into the program at age 21.

Joined: 02/01/2014

MGoPoints: 3056

JayMo4

March 19th, 2016 at 11:20 AM ^

I don't think Walton was better as a freshman than he is now.  He had a much better team around him, and all he had to do was hit the occasional wide open three.

Even now, he's still a pretty good shooter if he's getting the ball kicked back out to him with his feet set.  His numbers drop in a hurry if he has to create his own shot.  That's the difference between now and two years ago.  This team needs him, that one didn't.

Joined: 04/19/2013

MGoPoints: 12070

theytookourjobs

March 19th, 2016 at 12:29 AM ^

What a disappointing season.  This game really turned me on Beilein.  He is flat out pass poor at in game management.  He has no clue how to stop opponent momentum.  His substitutions are brutal.  No fucking reason for dakich or Doyle to see the floor in this game.  Don't even have words for Donnal.  The last possession was worse than pathetic.  The best thing that could happen to this program is for Beilein to retire.

Joined: 11/24/2008

MGoPoints: 10442

HollywoodHokeHogan

March 19th, 2016 at 12:30 AM ^

The ND game had three separate plays that showcased the essence of a different player.  1.  Aubrey Dawkins stands with his head up a his ass watching a defensive rebound float softly over his head.  ND gets the rebound.  2.  Dunk-allergic Mark Donnal gaks up a lay-up  in crunch time.  3.  Zak Irvin is a chucker at heart, regardless of his pretty poor 3pt % this season, so he dribbles around for a while and heaves a 29 footer at the end of the game. 
 

JB must think five fouls makes a player ineligible for the next game too.  That's about the only reason I can think of for waiting until there is one goddamn minute left in the game to put in Wagner. 

What to expect next year:  Walton is the starting pg and the team's best defender.  He's an above average big ten player but nothing more.  Xavier Simpson does a whole hell of a lot less than people around here think.  MAAR is the starting sg and best player.  He also gets injured and misses a number of games.  Robinson starts at sf, is still just a shooter.  Irvin starts sharing time with Chatman at the four and neither is very productive.  Center is a complete fucking mess.  Wagner looks like the best bet there but is still way too raw.  The team is about four wins better than this year's team and makes the round of 32.  They still get dominated by MSU and OSU.  Mgoblog rejoices at the immense success of JB's comeback year. 

Joined: 02/12/2011

MGoPoints: 20514

adcough

March 19th, 2016 at 12:31 AM ^

But ND had better athletes. They earned it.lack of players on um. The game was consistent with the disappointing last month-chucking 3's with the clock winding down and bigs not finishing.

Joined: 11/22/2010

MGoPoints: -8

adcough

March 19th, 2016 at 12:31 AM ^

But ND had better athletes. They earned it.lack of players on um. The game was consistent with the disappointing last month-chucking 3's with the clock winding down and bigs not finishing.

Joined: 11/22/2010

MGoPoints: -8

superstringer

March 19th, 2016 at 12:32 AM ^

You cant expect to have. highly competitve team with a team leader as inconsistent as Irvin. He would be a great third-best player on a team; but since he's not capable of being the star, it forced Walton or MAAR into that role. So ultimately we have no go-to guy. And we just go flat.

Maybe Lavert was that guy and that injury skewed everything. We'll never know.



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Joined: 02/04/2009

MGoPoints: 18198

VAWolverine

March 19th, 2016 at 12:37 AM ^

1. Our bigs are just not very good. Wagner shows promise though. 2. What happened to MAAR and Robinson in the second half? 3. Beilein just directed traffic in the second half. 4. We need to remember Irvin had fairly involved back surgery in September. He will be stronger and more consistent next year. 5. I often wonder if Walton should have his vision checked although he shot well in the first half. Truly a Jekyll and Hyde performance tonight and season overall.

Joined: 11/06/2008

MGoPoints: 9927

SDCran

March 19th, 2016 at 1:12 AM ^

The eye test agrees with you, but the stats don't bear it out.  Our bigs held their own in every game except the tourney game vs. Purdue.  For a a team not built around their bigs, that's solid performance.

And when our big's rotation had 2 sophmores and 2 freshman, that is especially not bad.  I expect our bigs to continue to not be a liability next year and usually be an advantage.

Joined: 01/27/2010

MGoPoints: 4685