Villanova beats #14 Florida State
If anyone gives a shit about something other than hand wringing about football, there was some good news today. Villanova defeated a top-15 team and appears to be on the brink of re-entering the top 25. Michigan's win is looking better.
November 25th, 2018 at 8:35 PM ^
Inject any positive news about Michigan sports directly into my main vein as the rural patients like to say.
November 26th, 2018 at 6:12 AM ^
You want positive sports news injected into your penis? Or are you just misusing the "main vein" colloquialism?
November 26th, 2018 at 9:35 AM ^
I haven't used the "main vein" reference in 30 years. Until today.
November 25th, 2018 at 8:42 PM ^
The UNC game Wednesday will be the true barometer of where we are. Personally, I think we are ahead of where we were at this time last year, and we are full of potential...but we have some pretty clear deficiencies. I would not be surprised if UNC wins by double digits, nor would I be surprised if we did the same.
Either way, we have built a strong OOC resume and should be really well prepared for the conference season and a tourney bid. That's where the Beilein magic happens.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:24 PM ^
I hope he speeds it up by a month, so that we actually get to be the 2 seed we are playing like by the end of the season.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:01 PM ^
I agree this team is ahead of schedule. I don't know if they are ready to take down UNC just yet, but wouldn't rule it out if they keep up the defensive intensity. Johns is my biggest concern right now when it comes to adding some depth. Leaning on mainly 7 players to carry the load right now is a problem as the Big Ten schedule will take its toll on the team. Johns looks like he has zero confidence. I was really hoping he would be a bigger contributor thus far. Maybe Beilein works his magic and things will start to click for him. Also looking for more growth out of Davis moving forward over the next month.
November 26th, 2018 at 2:07 AM ^
Davis seems fine to me for spot minutes. I think Livers ability to play a small 5 is what we need to give Teske breaks.
I had no expectation for Johns. In Beileins offense freshmen usually look like crap. Look at Brooks improvement as the latest example (or Darius Morris or even Walton). So many times it takes guys a full year before they are ready. If John's can contribute anything, it's a bonus, but our hope shouldn't rest on him.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:51 PM ^
I'll be there Wednesday routing for the boys in blue (and maize).
November 26th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
Routing happened on Saturday. Please root for the boys instead!
November 26th, 2018 at 1:20 AM ^
I watched UNC Texas. UNC did not look very big, very athletic, nor very experienced and sound. They didn't look scary at all. They do have an absolute stud of a freshman with some epic hair though. I think we should be a slight favorite. I would be surprised if UNC won by double digits. This could be the game we lose on free throws at the end though.
November 25th, 2018 at 8:44 PM ^
Turns out that Furman basketball is pretty good! They're 7-0 for the season and already beaten Loyola-Chicago and Nova.
Maybe there was an overreaction to Nova's recent losses to Michigan and Furman. Was Nova a top 10 team? Nope, but they're more than good enough to be a top 25 team and lost too many players from last year National Championship game. They're young and have talent. Jay Wright will have them ready to play in March just like JB does for Michigan.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:15 PM ^
I think Villanova is going to win a lot of games this year.
Come tournament time, this will still hold as a very big win for Michigan BB.
November 25th, 2018 at 8:44 PM ^
That just makes our win against them look even better. Go blue!
November 25th, 2018 at 8:56 PM ^
Also good news: Ohio State, despite a run of greatness in the 2000s, hasn't won the Big Ten in basketball since 2012, while since then Michigan has won the conference twice, the conference tournament twice, made three Elite Eights, two Final Fours, and been the national runner-up twice. This is in a sport with far more parity and equalization amongst conference elites compared to the game of hand egg.
Stuff your local Ohio State fan's pipe with that knowledge and watch them blubber away.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^
They won’t give a shit after yesterday.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:35 PM ^
It’s okay. Let them gloat in the one singular place they have our number. Then say “that’s basically what my little brother and my friend with an inferiority complex does too.” They’ll love it.
November 26th, 2018 at 12:37 AM ^
Are you saying Michigan is the Ohio State Football equivalent of Basketball in the BIG?
November 26th, 2018 at 5:46 AM ^
No not quite
November 26th, 2018 at 4:43 PM ^
No, and Michigan doesn’t need to be that. The structures of a basketball season allow for plenty of differences.
but any claim OSU can make with regards to their recent football superiority, michigan could realistically do the same for basketball.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:21 PM ^
Who knows if our beloved football program will ever find its way and live up to its own hype. But until it does, I'm proud to root for a basketball team that is an absolute joy to watch and that just wins. GO BLUE. BEILEIN FOR EMPEROR.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:44 PM ^
Interestingly, Beilein did not have a winning conference record until his 5th season at Michigan and didn’t make it past the first weekend of the tournament until his 7th season at Michigan.
November 26th, 2018 at 2:09 AM ^
He had a bigger crater to dig out of than Harbaugh. Also, he wasnt a flashy hire who could immediately pull in top recruiting classes. He was winning with the Merrit/CJ Lee lineup before recruits started taking notice.
November 26th, 2018 at 7:48 AM ^
What the "live up to its own hype" are you talking about. Get the hater agenda out of your little mind. The only "hype" is from the ignorant haters and the pathological partisans.
Michigan basketball seems headed in a very good direction. I really like this year's roster...and the implications on down the road. If an offensive efficiency can be added the ceiling is very high for this team. Right now, this team is a joy to watch.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:28 PM ^
Its hard to describe the complete confidence I have in a Beilein coached team. I don't even particularly care if we get blown out by NC as I know that our team will be ready for a run in March.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:35 PM ^
One of the reasons I enjoy basketball more TBH. Teams are going to lose a handful of games during the season. A single loss doesnt kill you. This allows me to watch games relaxed and just enjoy it for what it is- a master coach teaching young men how to win the right way.
November 26th, 2018 at 8:04 AM ^
This is exactly where I'm at. I love college football because of the week to week intensity, but at this point I'm tired of caring so much and then crashing back to earth year after year.
Basketball is a fun, casual watch all year, and then a blast come tournament time.
November 26th, 2018 at 10:18 AM ^
Football is that Hott gf you had, but was never going to hang onto.
Basketball is like your wife, a nice, long, steady, relationship. Then March hits and we're both like DAAAMN!!!(Chris Tucker in Friday, style)
November 25th, 2018 at 11:13 PM ^
The fact that he has blown out rivals, won Big 10 championships and even made it to the Big Dance multiple times in recent history proves that he’s elite and not just hype.
He will have the men rolling come March. Bet the house on it.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:11 PM ^
Thank God for Michigan Basketball.