What is wrong with Michigan tonight?

[Pam]

I didn't watch the game, but just saw the Michigan State is pounding Michigan. Now, I know that Michigan State is a very good team, but what is wrong with Michigan - 72-43 with 2.32 left to play. That is a drubbing!

[throatybeard]

I didn't watch the game, but just saw the Michigan State is pounding Michigan. Now, I know that Michigan State is a very good team, but what is wrong with Michigan - 72-43 with 2.32 left to play. That is a drubbing!

They got Miamied?

[1 24 90]

Whoever made the Big Ten schedule really had it in for Michigan. At Indiana, home against OSU, At Wisconsin and tonight at MSU. No other contender in the Big Ten has a 4 game swing like that.

And MSU played great until I stopped watching.

[El_Diablo]

Clearly, Michigan is not a true contender without Ryan Kelly in the lineup.

[Pam]

Thanks guys - some funny replies. Their schedule has been really tough the last few games. And yes, they got Miamied. LOL

[BD80]

Road conference game against an Izzo-coached team.

[Furniture]

Clearly, Michigan is not a true contender without Ryan Kelly in the lineup.

That made me laugh!

[throatybeard]

Road conference game against an Izzo-coached team.

Word.

I've long felt Izzo is the Midwestern K. I like those guys. If you held a gun to my head, and said, you gotta cheer for someone else, where you didn't go to school, Michigan State would be very near the top of the list.

[Pam]

I completely agree with you and I never underestimate Tom Izzo or Michigan State. Totally a class act and a great coach.


Word.

I've long felt Izzo is the Midwestern K. I like those guys. If you held a gun to my head, and said, you gotta cheer for someone else, where you didn't go to school, Michigan State would be very near the top of the list.

[Olympic Fan]

It's really amazing to me how many top yeams -- I mean REALLY top teams -- have been blown out this season.

Miami did it to Duke. Arizona did it to Miami, Arkansas did ut to Florida. Illinois did it to Ohio State. Now Michigan State does it to Michigan.

Those are all teams that could win the national title. I can't remember that happening to so many great teams in the past.

[-bdbd]

Whoever made the Big Ten schedule really had it in for Michigan. At Indiana, home against OSU, At Wisconsin and tonight at MSU. No other contender in the Big Ten has a 4 game swing like that.

And MSU played great until I stopped watching.


The announcers were remarking on Michigan's last four games and how incredibly difficult they've been. BUT they also pointed out that MSU has a similarly arduous four-game stretch coming up, I think they said, starting next week.


02/12/13 vs. Michigan * East Lansing, Mich. W, 75-52
02/16/13 at Nebraska * Lincoln, Neb. 8:00 p.m. ET
02/19/13 vs. Indiana * East Lansing, Mich. 7:00 p.m. ET
02/24/13 at Ohio State * Columbus, Ohio TBA
03/03/13 at Michigan * Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA
03/07/13 vs. Wisconsin * East Lansing, Mich. 9:00 p.m. ET
03/10/13 vs. Northwestern * East Lansing, Mich. TBA

[Saratoga2]

Michigan is a really good team with a star PG and very good and capable scorers and a very strong inside presence in Mich McGary (but a freshman). They play in a very strong big ten conference, with Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Indiana and Michigan State as very solid teams on their schedule. What happened is they played a much improved Michigan St team that played 40 minutes of aggressive 40 minutes of aggressive Tom Izzo defense. Michigan St. has quality bigs, a very good PG and very athletic guards and wings who play as a team. Michigan had a lot of trouble scoring while Michigan St. was able to score at a consistent rate.

So who are the Really good teams other than Duke?

Indiana
Michigan St.
Florida
Arizona (haven't seen enough of them to really know)
Miami
Gonzaga (also haven't seen much of them)
Syracuse (Not as impressed with them)
Kansas (not as impressed with them)

Indiana, Michigan St, Florida and Miami all play very solid defense and with give teams 40 minutes of hell out there. All have been beaten so there are no super teams. Duke is more of a finesse team that has to play solid defense to have much chance. Against one of the best, they will have problems inside and also can be slowed as far as 3 point shooting. Ryan helps them both on defense and makes them much harder to defend with his size and experience and his ability to score from the 3 and from mid range. I am hoping he can make it back soon enough to get reintegrated so that we can see what Duke at full strength is capable of.

[roywhite]

It's really amazing to me how many top yeams -- I mean REALLY top teams -- have been blown out this season.

Miami did it to Duke. Arizona did it to Miami, Arkansas did ut to Florida. Illinois did it to Ohio State. Now Michigan State does it to Michigan.

Those are all teams that could win the national title. I can't remember that happening to so many great teams in the past.

Excellent point and the blowout losses have been striking.

Hasn't happened to Indiana -- does that mean they may be a notch above the other contenders, or maybe their debacle comes later?
Tough year to handicap for sure.

[OldPhiKap]

Michigan was rattled by the announcement out of College Park that the Woverines' "real rival" has always been the Terrapins.

[Dev11]

Word.

I've long felt Izzo is the Midwestern K. I like those guys. If you held a gun to my head, and said, you gotta cheer for someone else, where you didn't go to school, Michigan State would be very near the top of the list.

I'm afraid of the scenario where I am forced to change basketball allegiances under threat of death.

[davekay1971]

1) They don't have enough lateral quickness on D
2) They don't recruit enough athletes
3) They don't have a reliable inside game and rely too much on the 3
4) Coach B doesn't develop enough depth
5) There's a young player currently on the bench who, if Coach B played him more, would make the difference
6) Coach B doesn't schedule enough early season non-conference away games
7) Their max is Sweet 16 this year, TOPS, and it's going to be that way until Coach B changes items 1-6
8) Their in-state rival has surpassed them and the Michigan fans are just going to have to get used to it.

Clearly, an untimely rash of foot injuries is in Michigan's near future. Or a national championship at the end of this season. Or both.

[MCFinARL]

1) They don't have enough lateral quickness on D
2) They don't recruit enough athletes
3) They don't have a reliable inside game and rely too much on the 3
4) Coach B doesn't develop enough depth
5) There's a young player currently on the bench who, if Coach B played him more, would make the difference
6) Coach B doesn't schedule enough early season non-conference away games
7) Their max is Sweet 16 this year, TOPS, and it's going to be that way until Coach B changes items 1-6
8) Their in-state rival has surpassed them and the Michigan fans are just going to have to get used to it.

Clearly, an untimely rash of foot injuries is in Michigan's near future. Or a national championship at the end of this season. Or both.

Hmmmm, this all sounds vaguely familiar. Can't remember from where, though. ;)

[weezie]

Those stupid "we on" shirts that will soon be wiping wax off many cars in the Mitten State.

[ChicagoCrazy84]

1) They don't have enough lateral quickness on D
2) They don't recruit enough athletes
3) They don't have a reliable inside game and rely too much on the 3
4) Coach B doesn't develop enough depth
5) There's a young player currently on the bench who, if Coach B played him more, would make the difference
6) Coach B doesn't schedule enough early season non-conference away games
7) Their max is Sweet 16 this year, TOPS, and it's going to be that way until Coach B changes items 1-6
8) Their in-state rival has surpassed them and the Michigan fans are just going to have to get used to it.

Clearly, an untimely rash of foot injuries is in Michigan's near future. Or a national championship at the end of this season. Or both.


I think it will end with Trey Burke going down to a toe injury until the NCAA Tournament, comes back so everyone thinks they will win it all and then they run into an Arizona team that shoots 75% from 3pt land.

[Ben1029]

Those stupid "we on" shirts that will soon be wiping wax off many cars in the Mitten State.

The Izzone printed off shirts that said "YOU OFF" :cool:

[scottdude8]

No need to overreact to this game. Michigan is an extremely young team (we started 3 freshmen, a sophomore and a junior last night) and finally looked like it in an incredibly hostile environment. Combine that with Sparty playing one of the best defensive games I've seen out of any team in the last 4-5 years and its a recipe for disaster.

If the Wolverines can mentally recover from this they are still a Final Four contender. They're uber talented, just young.

[gwlaw99]

Anyone else notice that Michigan State slapped the floor several times on defense?

[Mike Corey]

Trick question: There's always something wrong with M*chigan.

;)

In all seriousness, M*chigan is enjoying some success at basketball, and they do have a lot of potential if Beilein can hold them together through this bit of adversity.

[UrinalCake]

It's really amazing to me how many top [teams] -- I mean REALLY top teams -- have been blown out this season.

Isn't there some stat that no team has ever lost by a certain number of points - maybe 25? - and then gone on to win the title that year? It seems likely that that will be broken this year. OTOH, you might consider putting some money down on Indiana to win it all if history proves correct