What's your record prediction for Michigan Basketball in 2018/2019?
This seems like a more fitting topic after Matthews announced he is returning. Here is what we know so far of the schedule, and I'm guessing they'll add a few more cupcakes to fill it out. I predict we have a slightly better record than last years (24-7) going into the BTT, so I'm guessing 25-6. While Matthews returning definitely helps, the team is still lacking the shooters we had last year. This team will be very strong defensively, but a big ? offensively.
2018-’19 Michigan Wolverines Schedule
-Non-Conference Schedule:
- 11/6 - Norfolk State
- 11/10 - Holy Cross
- 11/14 - at Villanova
- 11/17 - George Washington (Uncasville, CT)
- 11/18 - Providence/South Carolina (Uncasville, CT)
- TBA - Big Ten/ACC Challenge (presumed home game)
- TBA - Cincinnati (location unknown)
- TBA - South Carolina
-Conference Schedule:
- TBA - at Illinois
- TBA - Indiana
- TBA - at Indiana
- TBA - at Iowa
- TBA - Maryland
- TBA - at Maryland
- TBA - Michigan State
- TBA - at Michigan State
- TBA - Minnesota
- TBA - at Minnesota
- TBA - Nebraska
- TBA - Northwestern
- TBA - at Northwestern
- TBA - Ohio State
- TBA - Penn State
- TBA - at Penn State
- TBA - Purdue
- TBA - at Rutgers
- TBA - Wisconsin
- TBA - at Wisconsin
Dang it that was my prediction without even knowing how many games UM will play.
I was thinking looking at your schedule "when did the B1G basketball start scheduling like hockey!?!" lol
5-6 losses look likely especially if we get the situation like last year of playing State then @Nebraska 2 days later. I'm guessing shooting improves a bit but not much given the youth coming in but Iggy and Dejulius gotta help give a slight bump even with Duncan leaving.
I hope you are right but that might well be too high and assume too much. We are losing three very good starters/sixth man of the year in the B1G and replacing them with a youth movement. It might take quite a while for this team to gel. Teske is not close to being Mo offensively and Robinson's three point skills will be hard to copy. Ditto for MAAR.
I think it will be another end of year turnaround but with a learning curve with more than a few losses along the way.
3 BTT (after double bye)
6 NCAA
Crazy.
Do i see that right, that we could potentially play South Carolina twice in the non-conference portion of the schedule?
I need it after losing my bet to my one SC friend...
one guy I know who went to SOuth Carolina and I watch the bowl game at his house... poor decision by me.
jdon
Looks like a promising season ahead. One or two non-conference losses (ACC/Nova will be tough, but winnable) at most. Big Ten road games are always a cluster-f, so maybe a few losses there (@MSU, friggin Kohl, @IU and @MD are the toughest). With that in mind, I think this team goes into March strong and notches a 1 or 2 seed at 28-5.
At this point it feels like that Cincinnati game won't be played.
Book it.
Then Beilein will turn it around in the second half of the season and finish strong.
How’d I do?
how typical Beilein seasons go, in seriousness, I don't think that's the way next season goes.
Each year that M has started slow, there were multiple ? marks in the starting lineup and rotation that needed to be figured out.
2016-17: who would play the 4 so Duncan wouldn't have to start/play as much? Could Wagner stop fouling to stay on the floor and be more consistent?
2017-18: Massive question mark at PG in terms of who would replace Walton. Could Matthews be effective? Who would play the 4 after DJs departure?
For 2018-19, there are really no question marks for the starting five. The only ones are how good is Jordan Poole going to be, with the possibilities likely ranging from good to great....can Teske develop a shot to go from excellent defender to all-around beast.
All those questions and any addditional (will anyone supplant Livers? will Matthews develop a shot to become an NBA first rounder?) are mostly about the difference between being really good at a position or excellent.
I predict M will come out really strong with something to prove after losing in the title game. I actually think it'll be a bit too strong as the team can't sustain it and goes into a mid-season swoon as they run out of gas a bit (kind of like 2013), only to regain the fire for another postseason run.
but my guess is that it's because it's not that funny anymore because it's a joke people use all the time?
Izzo is forced to retire.
may not be a popular one, but there is zero proof that Tom Izzo enabled rape to occur. I don't like Tom Izzo for multiple reasons and don't even like that I am defending him, I'm just not about slandering someone without proof that they actually did something. Art Briles is a rape enabler, that has been documented and proven. Hate Tom Izzo all you want, I just think calling him a "rape enabler" without any proof is not necessary.
I agree (partly) but I think Villanova will still be pretty damn good and cincinnati was pretty tough last year too. Will be nice to get some tough early season matchups for a change - I just hope Michigan will be up for it - would love to see that Beilein Surge start early next year!
because the OP said slightly better record than last year and then increased the win total by 1 game. I suppose that is slightly better. I'm going with a B1G Regular Season Championship, so whatever record that is.
Is there a different word you would have preferred me to use?
I'm guessing we could drop 6 out of these 8: @ Villanova, Cincy, ACC Challenge, @ Ind, @Iowa, @ MSU, @Penn St, @Wisc.
They look great on paper, but I think they will struggle with scoring, particularly shooting. When things get rough, they will probably lean on Poole or Matthews a little too much. Worst case scenario, they are probably a 7-10 seed if they can't figure out their shooting. Best case, probably a 3-5 seed and in contention for the conference regular season title assuming Matthews can clean some things up and Poole makes the leap. My guess would be they're a 6 seed in the tournament. Top 10 Adj. defense in KenPom, 50-60 adj. offense. 13-7 in conference
may have something there. But between shooting improvements from Z or Livers, or significant shooting contributions from Iggy or Brandon Johns as freshman, if 1-2 of these guys can become real 3 point threats, we will have something.
Under that scenario - 16-4 in conference...
with their shooting. If even two of these seven things happen, M will be as good on offense as last years team.
- Z improves his outside shot by 5-7% points
- Ditto Matthews with his outside shot OR FTs OR handles to the hoop
- Livers adds some attack to his repertoire
- Teske keeps improving his mid-to-long range game
- Poole is an alpha creator
- Iggy is an efficient gunner
- DeJulius is an efficient gunner
Pretty sure at least two of those things will happen. Remember, guys can and often do improve on offense. If 4 or more of those things happen, don't be surprised if M is a better offensive team than it was last year.
That we have a top 3 defense returning and likely will improve upon that, this team could be extremely dangerous.
Loved that assessment - like where your head is at.
Am I the only one who doesn't really care about regular season conference championships in basketball...?
*ducks*
Just need to do well enough to get a good seed and bracket draw for the tourney. We all saw how important that can be in this past tourney.
Win the regular season title and get to the Elite Eight or better. But if we get to the title game again I will not accept another loss. Only round in the tournament we don't have a winning record in and we're already 5 games under all-time
I totally get it. You’d like to see them win it all. I do too. But it’s so damn hard to even just get to the Final Four. Much less the title game. The good thing with Beilein though is it looks like he’s going to be here for at least another few years, he’s not leaving to coach anywhere else, and with this team’s current crop of players and the studs getting to campus this summer, they certainly have the potential to get back in the not so distant future. I think he’s got at least one more Final Four in him before he calls it a career.
34 including BTT and Big dance
Final Four---Minneapolis
about next year...could be a another special year..I can see us back in the Final Four