Great game-tough loss, but

No reason (IMO) for handwringing and woe is me expressions if you are a Michigan basketball fan. The game remind me very much of last year's IU game. Great game, the crowd was great, we could have at the time I thought should have, won but we fell short. A few things:

1) We played excellent defense, the best I have seen this year against a very good team. Many times we forced them to shot clock or near shot clock violations.

2) yes we got killed on the boards- although I actually thought we did better boxing out (which has been a weakness and still needs to improve), than earlier this year. Frankly several times they went over our backs and should have been whistled.

3) Those who want Beilein to focus on rebounding are missing the point- that isn't what we are or what his teams are. That's a fine style but it isn't ours. If you like that style may I suggest you follow Tom Izzo teams. He is great with it. But there are many ways to win and in today's college game you cannot realistically be good at everything.

4) I still think this is a team that is going to be very competitive both in the BT and the NCAAs. I hate to put too much pressure on one guy, but Walton is the key, if he improves the way I think he can, we will go far. I love Spike and he is a very valuable piece, and he is the better PG right now. He is really limited defensively though and I think he is better as a spark off the bench.

P.S. Live by the 3, die by the 3 may be true in an individual game BUT IT IS NOT TRUE overall.

'shoes

As usual, or as is the case the vast majority of the time, 'Shoes, a sound diagnosis. As well as the over-the-back's that weren't called, add the late bullshit non-foul by McGary that was called...

What I especially agree with in your analysis is the point about rebounding and other phases of the game. No single team can excel (not be strong at, excel) at every one...and there are different factors that make each championship team. Same goes for any sport. Examples:

Baseball---how did Greg Maddux win so often and post such solid ERA's destitute of any velocity?  Shit, I'm not sure I'd say he even had a "major-league" fastball.

Tennis---how did JImmy Connors or Rafa Nadal win on Wimbledon's fast grass (twice each) when neither of them, particularly Connors, has any serve worth mention?

Football--(and here's an "ouchie!")---how did RichRod's small players at WVU destroy big, strong Oklahoma in that one bowl?  (Probably 'cos he wasn't coaching, eh?)

Hoops---how did 'Nova win the 1985 crown, when Patrick Ewing alone---let alone all of G'Town's players---outrebounded them?

Hoops II---how did, in the 1987 NCAA, our tiny team whip Navy and its center named, uh, David Robinson (who scored an outlandish fifty in that game)?


No doubt you can answer every one of those.  ALSO---I fully agree about the 'Live By...Die By" comment; sure, it can bite you in the arse on any given day, but there certainly isn't any evil in making it your "staple"...as JB has. Fortunately for us (witness last March's NCAAs) he's brilliant enough to surround it with enough other facets of the game for us to be a contender at all levels, not just a game-here-and-there "wow-shoot-out-the-lights" flash in the pan type of team.

The problem right now, is that they aren't going to have done anything for their tournament resume heading into conference play. The field for the Puerto Rico tournament looks pretty weak in retrospect, that's not Michigan's fault, but the FSU win doesn't look very impressive at this point, and Charlotte doesn't appear to be great either. So they're going to have to do all their work in the conference. I'd still be very surprised if they don't make the tournament, but they're in a hole in terms of seeding.

Agree with the last part, Ab. Seed might not be top 3.  But insofar as them getting into the NCAA, I have the confidence of a man willing to wager a big bet.

We're all but a lock to win the remaining two OOC games, and in the conference, I can't believe there's a team we can't at least SPLIT h-&-h with...and Nebraska and possibly Indiana (based on what little they've shown after losing so much of last year's team) should be sweeps, and PSU and NW we get only once, but easy wins both. Along with at least one in the B1G tourney, there's you're 20 right there.  No way does 20+ wins fail to get the defending NCAA runners-up to the dance.

Let's also think team quality. Our new PG, Walton Jr., is an 18-year-old kid who can only improve---and mature--in the coming months...much as Trey had to two years ago. Mitch will return to (and eventually surpass, given an extra year of age and experience) his 2013-NCAA-tourney form. Levert has been a very pleasant surprise, nicely complementing Nik, and GRIII finally showed his meddle Saturday (in the first half anyway).  Does any knowledgeable CBB fans honestly think we aren't going to get better than we currently are as the conference season unfolds?

JJ- fortunately we are in a conference which will afford multiple opportunities for signature wins.

'shoes

Yup. We really need to be thanking our Big Ten brethren for taking care of business OOC. That will help the Big Ten in terms of RPI/Signature Wins/Seeding.