U-M Basketball vs Long Beach State - Friday Open Thread
Michigan vs. Long Beach State in the last tune-up before heading to the Bahamas.
BTN+ link; free Varsity Network audio link
Michigan is a 15-point KenPom and Vegas favorite. Let's keep up the good vibes. Go Blue!
November 17th, 2023 at 7:51 PM ^
Eh, there's going to be games where you come out flat but some of this looks like a team reading its own press clippings & taking LBS lightly.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:52 PM ^
They clearly don’t respect this team.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:51 PM ^
Put Nkamhoua on Tsahonis in the 2nd half. Way too many easy looks
November 17th, 2023 at 7:51 PM ^
Defense optional
November 17th, 2023 at 7:52 PM ^
First to 100 wins. I would have to think at some point LBS shooting has to cool down.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:56 PM ^
Michigan at 1.35 ppp in the first half; LBSU at 1.3. Michigan's crushing them on the offensive boards or they're be behind -- Michigan with a 47% OREB whereas LBSU has a 24%.
Michigan's also getting to the free throw line a lot, but they're shooting 67% there (it only feels worse).
LBSU at 6/11 (54.5%) outside the arc and 11/21 (52.3%) within it. Michigan, on the other hand, is shooting 6/16 (37.5%) from three and 10.19 (52.6%) from two.
You'd have to think LBSU probably won't hit half of their outside shots in the second half. Michigan needs to figure out the LBSU zone -- their offensive numbers feel a little misleading since they had almost half of their points in the first 7 minutes and then went into a pretty serious lull.
Feels like first team to 90 wins...
November 17th, 2023 at 7:57 PM ^
This is the kind of game where Coach Howard's fire on the sideline is missing.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:57 PM ^
It’s good if they face some adversity in this one. They’ve been blowing teams out so far this season. It won’t be a good thing if they lose the game though, it would undo all the positive so far this season. Hopefully they snap out of it and put this one to rest in the second half
November 17th, 2023 at 8:05 PM ^
I thought UM was going to be a defensive team this year. Feels like Paul Westhead is coaching
November 17th, 2023 at 8:08 PM ^
All of the team coverage leading up to the season indicated that it would be a defense first team but that has clearly been incorrect. They are offense first with defense optional so far this season.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:06 PM ^
What’s the score? can’t get the game
November 17th, 2023 at 8:09 PM ^
Looks like our offense is on point as usual but is our defense that bad today?
I refuse to purchase B1G+ so I can't watch.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:11 PM ^
It's the Sahonis/Traore show with the worst (by far) team defense of the year.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:13 PM ^
D is atrocious
November 17th, 2023 at 8:14 PM ^
Please bench Williams, constantly clueless on defense
November 17th, 2023 at 8:20 PM ^
Williams has been 😬 on D all year. He routinely allows himself to get really caught up on screens, and he never closes out all the way.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:14 PM ^
This isn't flat, it's lazy defense.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:15 PM ^
Wow. Absolutely no answer on defense. Just wow.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:18 PM ^
No effort & no animated sideline getting in their ass about the poor showing on defense.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:21 PM ^
Martelli pretty much stands around with his arms folded and I’m not sure I’ve seen Eisley move in three years now on the bench. He doesn’t get animated when it’s going good or bad.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:15 PM ^
At this point defense is not only optional but seems like it's frowned up on.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:15 PM ^
Is this the same team that we saw play it's way to 3-0? The second chance gimmies, the uncontested rebounds, WTF? Does everyone have the flu?
November 17th, 2023 at 8:15 PM ^
Ahh, college basketball, where the second half is officiated entirely differently from the first. Michigan takes timeout with 12:29 left, down 69-64, and they still haven't had the under-16 timeout (not sure if this counts as the under-16, but I don't think the first timeout of the second half counts as a media).
Whatever defensive adjustments Michigan made at halftime don't seem to have helped much.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:18 PM ^
Confirmed -- the under 16 comes with 12:16 left on a deflection out of bounds. And the under-12 could obviously come soon also.
Hopefully all of this sitting around makes LBSU forget how to score. For the past 20 game minutes, they're on about a 120-point-per-game pace. :(
November 17th, 2023 at 8:15 PM ^
Oops. NM.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:17 PM ^
hahaha, you were just trying to hijack the thread. ;)
November 17th, 2023 at 8:19 PM ^
The defense is awful and everyone's offense has come bac to Earth a bit.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:26 PM ^
Back to earth and into some deep hole
November 17th, 2023 at 8:21 PM ^
Down 69-64, 11:30 to go. Giving up way to many layups.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:21 PM ^
Not having a decent player at the small forward position kills this team. Charles Matthews or Chaundee Brown on this team would make a world of difference.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:22 PM ^
So, 30-seconds play time & then commercials is now routine?
November 17th, 2023 at 8:24 PM ^
They had a Michigan timeout, which doesn't count as a media timeout even though it includes commercials, then the under-16 (with about 12:20 left), and now the under-12.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:24 PM ^
I asked the bar I’m at to purchase Big Ten+ for this. Could’ve saved them the $ I guess.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:24 PM ^
We're not looking as smooth tonight as previously. Is the LBS defense that disrupting?
November 17th, 2023 at 8:28 PM ^
Yes -- they're running the 1-3-1, apparently (per the radio feed).
But Michigan's scoring enough points to win. It's the defense that's holding them back.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:32 PM ^
They are motivated and playing with twice the energy we are. I don't think it'd matter what defensive scheme they played, they'd be in our faces
November 17th, 2023 at 8:26 PM ^
Struggling big time with this zone
November 17th, 2023 at 8:26 PM ^
Dude has 30 already on us lmao
November 17th, 2023 at 8:26 PM ^
Just… so bad.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:26 PM ^
The only good news is that Sahonis scored 46 against UC San Diego last season, so maybe he won't score his career high at Crisler today.
(He has 30).
November 17th, 2023 at 8:32 PM ^
Maybe, lol
November 17th, 2023 at 8:34 PM ^
30 before the 10 minute mark of the 2nd. So 3/4's of the game. Ridiculous...
November 17th, 2023 at 8:27 PM ^
Down 71-69, 8:51.
getting out hustled
November 17th, 2023 at 8:28 PM ^
Comically bad.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:28 PM ^
Ball not going inside , too much hero ball.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:29 PM ^
They should be able to stay in front of people better, but so far they haven't even been able to do that.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:31 PM ^
Finally a defensive stop!
November 17th, 2023 at 8:31 PM ^
When was their last missed shot? Seems like they’ve made about 15 baskets in a row.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:31 PM ^
There's playing composed & then there's this team playing nonchalant.