Michigan vs. Toledo in NIT; Tuesday at 7 p.m.
We're a 2 seed. Likely play Vanderbilt if we win.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:09 PM ^
Hate to say it but the Rockets will probably win handily.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:20 PM ^
We were 46th in KenPom to their 87th. If I’m reading his chart correctly, we’re a 5 point favorite at a neutral site. Of course, none of that matters if the team isn’t motivated because it’s not the big dance.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:20 PM ^
People need to stop the massive negativity. We all recognize this season as a disappointment. It's like the critics think if they stop whining about it, the rest of us will forget. Trust me -- we won't. But we're not going to "fire Juwan" now, anyway. Why not enjoy a few more games?
And ... I'm old enough to remember that the year after we won the 1984 NIT we got a number 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. It can be a springboard.
The NIT is an opportunity for young players to get some one-and-done tournament experience, an opportunity for the more experienced players to finish the season with positivity, and hell, an opportunity for the fans to actually enjoy some results.
It's not ideal, and nobody is saying it is. Still. I'll never understand UNC's choice -- don't they like playing competitive basketball? What the hell. Go Blue.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:31 PM ^
Absolutely agree with you.
Get some reps, get some young guys extra practice time...I see zero downside from a basketball/learning experience
Michigan's horrible season doesn't change regardless of what happens in the NIT...
March 12th, 2023 at 11:57 PM ^
Agreed...build up some confidence in how good we can be.
Dennis will you show up after the game if they lose or disappear?
I was a JR when we played in 1984 NIT. Was disappointed we missed the then 53-team NCAA, but happy we didn't throw in the towel and walk away. Dayton, whom we beat by 22 earlier in the season, got one of the final NCAA bids. At the time, word was Bobby Knight was actually lobbying for Dayton to get a bid over UM because of a spat he had with Frieder during a loss at A2 in January. He still held sway at the time.
In hindsight, going to the NIT was better for UM because it helped guys like Tarpley to get ready for back to back B1G titles in 85 and 86. We probably would have been a 1st round loss in NCAA that year.
I'm not TERRIBLY disappointed in this team since my expectations were much lower. I felt losing Collins and getting Llewellyn was bad from the start. Would rather Juwan tried to amp up Frankie at the end of the year to get ready for this year. After both Moussa and Caleb left (I think they will flame out within 3 years because they didn't develop their game in college), I really dialed down my expectations.
Really, looking back at this team, other than the win at home vs. Sparty (post tragedy) I can't remember a SINGLE game this year where I was happily surprised where we won when I expected a loss. The miracle vs. Wisconsin is a game we should have won at home w/o heroics.
As for Juwan, I think he gets two more years to get us back to 20+ wins and NCAA. I hope he uses some blend of psychology going into the NIT to get three key guys. For Hunter, use the Aidan and Joss Ross philosophy about bringing us back to greatness. The guy is not likely to be an NBA pick anyway. Motivate him to step up his conditioning. For Kobe and Jace, show some balance of tough love and future potential. Those guys are NOT ready for the NBA and will flame out like Moussa and Caleb in 5 years or less. call in Trey Burke if you need to for them to see what can happen with a great SOPH season.
As I approach 60, I can tell you negativity over sports is a total waste. Enjoy the good times. Some of your family and friends will experience serious health issues, if not death.
I can understand UNC's approach, they probably thought that the NIT was a standardized test and they wanted to avoid it all costs... ZING!
Yeah, it gets tiresome seeing/hearing adults get their feelings hurt by the results of a game. Sure, it's disappointing how the season turned out. But the commentary about it gets ridiculous. Also, there's not one fan out there who's more disappointed than the players, I'm confident in that.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:28 PM ^
Wait, aren't we a 3 (not a 2) seed? With only one home game if we keep winning and chalk holds?
March 12th, 2023 at 11:32 PM ^
Edit: Apparently the original bracket put out by the NCAA was wrong and the corrected one says we're actually a three seed.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:38 PM ^
Is this bracket from the NCAA wrong?
March 12th, 2023 at 11:39 PM ^
NIT messed up and flipped the 2/3 seed. Michigan is a 3 seed.
March 13th, 2023 at 12:17 AM ^
Lol way to go NCAA making the NIT seem like a thing people should take seriously. Still care about how we do, but come on and get your stuff together
March 12th, 2023 at 11:40 PM ^
Vandy is claiming on Twitter that they're the 2 seed.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:51 PM ^
Michigan basketball tweeted that the NCAA fucked up with the original bracket and Michigan is actually a 3-seed.
They messed up the seedings in the other quadrants as well.
Perhaps the rationale for making Vanderbilt the 2 seed and Michigan the three seed in their part of the bracket was that Vanderbilt (20-14, NET 81) was 10-11 in Quad 1/2 games and 5-1 IN Quad 4 games while Michigan (17-15, NET 61) was 8-14 in Quad 1/2 games and 4-1 IN Quad 4 games.
The Commodores also have much more experience than Michigan. Among their top six scorers and players who average more than 20 minutes a game, they’ve got a fifth-year senior, two seniors and three juniors. LINK TO VANDERBILT ROSTER
Unless Yale upsets Vanderbilt and Clemson loses before the quarterfinals, Michigan will have to travel to its next game if it beats Toledo.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:36 PM ^
Xavier won the NIT last year with some young talent and had a great season this year. Hopefully coach Howard is bringing that up to the team.
Toledo is very good, but they may have a letdown after losing the MAC championship. They are probably pretty exhausted.
March 12th, 2023 at 11:43 PM ^
I watched Toledo play Kent State. Toledo is better than UM, of that I am fairly certain. They looked like a good team!
March 13th, 2023 at 12:00 AM ^
We played good teams well to keep us interested. Just couldn't win. We played bad teams. Just won enough to keep us interested. We got to the NIT. Just to keep us interested. UM Basketball this year.
March 13th, 2023 at 12:26 AM ^
Remember that one game where Beckman kept calling them Mudhens? I'm not a superstitious guy, but if I were, I would be blaming that man.
Hey at least the ladies made the tournament.
I guess that question we've all had will finally be answered: is the 1st place MAC team or 8th place Big Ten team better in basketball?
I wonder what the crowd will be like. The Toledo fans might just be louder and more boisterous than the Michigan fans.
I'm excited to watch the game.
Toledo seems like a good team. I'm not thinking it will be easy to beat them. Let's go Blue!
Don't forget to follow the CBI, the 3rd post season tournament. Last year 624 people attended the championship game.
Odds of showing up against Toledo seem low.
Well, a home game on a Tuesday night is certainly something to do. I wouldn't complain about that when we could be doing flip otherwise.
Just when I was finished watching basketball for the season, now I'm back in, haha.
Give the ball to the big kid!
By the time Monday evening rolls around we may be a 4 or 5 seed
Let's hope there's more than a bit of "excitement" in Crisler tomorrow evening.
My guess is - Toledo fans will pick up quite a few tickets - and, creating a defined home court advantage may not be easy.
It's one game at a time.
Go Blue!
March 13th, 2023 at 10:04 AM ^
I just hope they show up.
I've seen Michigan lose to Toledo in-person before. Its not an enjoyable experience.
March 13th, 2023 at 11:18 AM ^
I am still traumatized from watching that in person.
March 13th, 2023 at 11:29 AM ^
Go Blue. I'm glad we'll get to see Michigan play again this season.
March 13th, 2023 at 12:37 PM ^
You can always improve, we need to come to play. Toledo is a fairly good team
Has there been any mention of who is “sitting out” or not playing in this game?
Go Blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's a new season - and next year starts now! This tournament/experience could be very valuable for such a young team. Let's hope they really start to play well together and some of those younger dudes like Barnes and Kayyat get some action and guys like Tschetter, Reed and even Jett/Kobe/Dug get more comfortable. GO BLUE!!!
Sometimes watching this team hurts the eyes. Adjust defense or get pounded tonight. Come On!