NCAA Men's D1 General Discussion

SkyBrickey said:
Michigan up to a ridiculous +34.86 in KP.

It's notable they are a deep team and winning in different ways. Cadeau had 13 assists vs Gonzaga but only 1 assist the night before vs Auburn. Interesting.
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The storyline for Michigan going forward, including when we play them, is who will be able to figure out how to take advantage of two things: 1) The fact that Mara almost exclusively plays HEAVY drop coverage against screens, and 2) The fact that Cadeau is still a subpar defender given his size. You may need to score 100 to beat Michigan, but if you can exploit those two things it’s doable. Burnett at the 2 is also an average defender more suited to guard 3s than 2s b

We’re still 4 months out, but I’d posit that a victory over Michigan would be driven far less by our star front court than by Evans and our PG combo.
 
scottdude8 said:
What’s fascinating about watching Cadeau right now is how confident he’s playing, including shooting. He’s still bricking far more than your average point guard, but there’s zero hesitation about letting it loose when he’s open. And he needs to in order for Dusty May’s three big lineup to work since Mara and Johnson are non shooters.

Lo and behold, with confidence Cadeau is shooting 37% (on non trivial volume, 18/45) from deep. It seems like having a coach that knows how to use your skills and instills confidence is important. I forget, did Cadeau not have that last year, wherever he played? ;)
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Interesting that Michigan is winning so easily with a three big lineup. Florida has a similar lineup. I would have thought that such lineups would have severe floor spacing problems and also struggle defensively on the perimeter. I haven't seen either team play, but I guess I'll have my chances (including live in DC).
 
MChambers said:
By the transitive property of college basketball, Michigan is 79 points better than Maryland, since Maryland lost to Gonzaga 100-61. Convince me I'm wrong.
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brevity said:
You’re wrong. Michigan is at least a million points better than Maryland.
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@brevity has a point but I don't think @MChambers is wrong because I feel like, at a minimum, everyone is at least 79 points better than Maryland! 😁
 
Michigan was great over the past few days and they have plenty of talent, but it's worth remembering that Thanksgiving Week tournaments have featured many teams over the years who have a great few days. Sometimes it's a harbinger of things to come, sometimes it's not.

After all, who could ever forget Ball State upsetting Kansas and UCLA – both ranked in the Top 10 – en route to a meeting with top-ranked Duke in the 2001 Maui Invitational final.
 
MChambers said:
Interesting that Michigan is winning so easily with a three big lineup. Florida has a similar lineup. I would have thought that such lineups would have severe floor spacing problems and also struggle defensively on the perimeter. I haven't seen either team play, but I guess I'll have my chances (including live in DC).
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And it's the same team that barely beat TCU and Wake two weeks ago. Obviously, they are getting better fast, but it's a long season with many twists and turns.

It should be a great barometer for Duke in February. I'm glad the elite non conference games late in the season (thinking St Johns '99, late 80s early 90s Arizona and UCLA games ) are back a little bit.
 
BrummieDevil said:
Michigan was great over the past few days and they have plenty of talent, but it's worth remembering that Thanksgiving Week tournaments have featured many teams over the years who have a great few days. Sometimes it's a harbinger of things to come, sometimes it's not.

After all, who could ever forget Ball State upsetting Kansas and UCLA – both ranked in the Top 10 – en route to a meeting with top-ranked Duke in the 2001 Maui Invitational final.
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I remember 2011 Duke being talked about in the same manner at roughly this same time of the season. It's a long season and things happen.
 
MChambers said:
Interesting that Michigan is winning so easily with a three big lineup. Florida has a similar lineup. I would have thought that such lineups would have severe floor spacing problems and also struggle defensively on the perimeter. I haven't seen either team play, but I guess I'll have my chances (including live in DC).
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Interestingly, Michigan tried multiple starting lineups over the first few weeks before settling on this one. Every Michigan fan assumed Mara and Johnson would be a center platoon and Yaxel would be a stretch 4, so this has been a major curveball.

From what I’ve seen so far, the lineup is working in part because Mara is a plus passer for a center, and in part because all three od Yaxel, Cadeau, and 5th starter Nimari Burnett have obviously been coached to shoot every semi-open 3 with no conscience. Mara is doing a lot of passing out of the high post to help open things up. Johnson is mostly a bruising offensive rebounder at this point but it’s working because he’s the fifth option.
 
scottdude8 said:
The storyline for Michigan going forward, including when we play them, is who will be able to figure out how to take advantage of two things: 1) The fact that Mara almost exclusively plays HEAVY drop coverage against screens, and 2) The fact that Cadeau is still a subpar defender given his size. You may need to score 100 to beat Michigan, but if you can exploit those two things it’s doable. Burnett at the 2 is also an average defender more suited to guard 3s than 2s b

We’re still 4 months out, but I’d posit that a victory over Michigan would be driven far less by our star front court than by Evans and our PG combo.
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I’ve never made a prop bet (yet), but if they keep defending like that I’m putting money on Caleb that he scores more than predicted. He Loves shooting the three when they go under the screen.
 
That's a shame for the Heels and all their fans.

A few choice IC quotes:

Just another mediocre UNC team. Wilson’s talent will be wasted, will make the tournament and not do much. Same story different year.

Once again Hubert has a weak team outside of Caleb. His seat is getting hotter. Team wasn’t prepared and he once again has zero answers to change anything.

We are going to be a bubble team again this season. Unreal.
 
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SkyBrickey said:
That's a shame for the Heels and all their fans.

A few choice IC quotes:

Just another mediocre UNC team. Wilson’s talent will be wasted, will make the tournament and not do much. Same story different year.

Once again Hubert has a weak team outside of Caleb. His seat is getting hotter. Team wasn’t prepared and he once again has zero answers to change anything.

We are going to be a bubble team again this season. Unreal.
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Okay we’re all glad. That the pale blue toilet floaters lost. But they actually played pretty well for most of the game. At this point, the idea that they are a bubble team seems absurd.
 
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