Game 21: Michigan Thoughts

[higgins3]

Really disappointing game and effort today. That Michigan was ripe to be beat and we didn’t try hard enough, play smart enough or coach well enough. How many defensive rebounds hit the damn floor before one of our guys gathered it in? Were our guards told not to try to rebound today? How many 50/50 balls did they come up with. Our guards Corey and Geo looked like they were stuck in mud. Michigan was the team playing its 4th game in 8 days but they had more energy than us . Pike also has to take a little hit here with his offensive game plan. Michigan was playing high denying the wings and their bigs hedged really high. Ball screens should have been eliminated ( since half of them get called as moving screens), and the court should have been totally spaced with Corey and Geo breaking down their man and then dishing like we did the other night against Iowa. Michigan has a pulse on defense unlike Iowa but we played right into their hands. When Coach saw we had no assists, he should have dumped the balldown low to either Deshawn or Eugene and let them pass out and play inside out. No ball movement, no cutting, no crashing the boards when a shot went up was just ridiculous. Corey was getting frustrated and Issa disappeared and our bigs, Duke, Sa, and Shaquille were almost non existent. Deshawn came to play and we should have ridden him more and Eugene as well. Just a really terrible offensive effort and not just because some shots did not go down but we didn’t give ourselves a chance to get better shots.

Few additional thoughts including the refs. They called some tricky tack and some phantom fouls and at least 3 times when we cut the lead to 6 or 8 with the ball called some bad moving screen call, or some other phantom call. It was expected on the road in the Big 10 but our intensity on defense was definitely affected which did impact the game.

Bullock has some offensive game and Michigan did not have the bulk to play him down low but we hardly ever went there except early on a one on one move. The regular offense should have swung the ball around to get him the ball on the block. We didn’t even try. We cannot continue to get almost zero out of our center position. A goose egg is unacceptable at this point of the year. Coach has to at least attempt to get our bigs on the block and attempt a few shots per game. Finally, Duke should not start another game this year. His 2 fouls in a few minutes have become the rule rather than the exception and he should sit for the first 5 and watch how the other guys , Sa or Shaquille play their bigs , and maybe he will stop fouling quickly . We need his offense and his fouls are destroying his offensive game.

I was thinking ng the same. If bullock is in the game, play him for what he is. A slight mismatch. Get him kooks in the post. Interesting okayer. He already looks comfortable shooting the ball. Now they just need to go in.

 

[TODDB33]

Really disappointing game and effort today. That Michigan was ripe to be beat and we didn’t try hard enough, play smart enough or coach well enough. How many defensive rebounds hit the damn floor before one of our guys gathered it in? Were our guards told not to try to rebound today? How many 50/50 balls did they come up with. Our guards Corey and Geo looked like they were stuck in mud. Michigan was the team playing its 4th game in 8 days but they had more energy than us . Pike also has to take a little hit here with his offensive game plan. Michigan was playing high denying the wings and their bigs hedged really high. Ball screens should have been eliminated ( since half of them get called as moving screens), and the court should have been totally spaced with Corey and Geo breaking down their man and then dishing like we did the other night against Iowa. Michigan has a pulse on defense unlike Iowa but we played right into their hands. When Coach saw we had no assists, he should have dumped the balldown low to either Deshawn or Eugene and let them pass out and play inside out. No ball movement, no cutting, no crashing the boards when a shot went up was just ridiculous. Corey was getting frustrated and Issa disappeared and our bigs, Duke, Sa, and Shaquille were almost non existent. Deshawn came to play and we should have ridden him more and Eugene as well. Just a really terrible offensive effort and not just because some shots did not go down but we didn’t give ourselves a chance to get better shots.

Few additional thoughts including the refs. They called some tricky tack and some phantom fouls and at least 3 times when we cut the lead to 6 or 8 with the ball called some bad moving screen call, or some other phantom call. It was expected on the road in the Big 10 but our intensity on defense was definitely affected which did impact the game.

Bullock has some offensive game and Michigan did not have the bulk to play him down low but we hardly ever went there except early on a one on one move. The regular offense should have swung the ball around to get him the ball on the block. We didn’t even try. We cannot continue to get almost zero out of our center position. A goose egg is unacceptable at this point of the year. Coach has to at least attempt to get our bigs on the block and attempt a few shots per game. Finally, Duke should not start another game this year. His 2 fouls in a few minutes have become the rule rather than the exception and he should sit for the first 5 and watch how the other guys , Sa or Shaquille play their bigs , and maybe he will stop fouling quickly . We need his offense and his fouls are destroying his offensive game.

 

[TODDB33]

Some of what you say is true but to say we were not trying is incorrect. You say Corey and Geo should have been out high with the floor spaced so they could break down their man. Michigan D picked these guys up at half court and were in their face every possession and by the time they had opportunit to break down there was usually about 8 seconds left. Our D played a good game our O did not but not for a lack of trying but because of Michigan’s D. Announcers said throughout game our D was playing well. We went a total of 14 minutes without a basket if we make 7 shots we are in the game. Let’s not bash the team entirely for this loss Michigan had more to do with it than RU

 

[TDIrish27]

I was out of town but got a chance to see the 2nd Half in the airport

RU competed and played hard------effort was there absolutely but without being a champion of the obvious you have to knock down shots.

Don't over think it.

 

[dollarbill]

Freeman really didn't seem too interested in playing help defense today. On a few plays, he could have stood his ground and taken a charge but instead played ole defense, and on several others he wasn't in position to help on drives past perimeter defenders. Anyone know what Carter looks like on the defensive end for next year?
Let's see how they turn it around for Nebraska on Wednesday.

It's hard enough playing the 5 at 6'7" in the B1G. Not a formula for much success. $$$$

 

[higgins3]

I think three things are important.

1. If Bullock is playing, use him in the post and at the perimeter. The kid has played five minutes in two years, and already has more confidence than most players on the floor. Not afraid to shoot it. Passable on defense,too.

2. Not settling for jumpshots when you have size. Doucoure, Freeman, and Omoyuri all settle for jump shots. They are given the space and need to take advantage of it. Not to mention, I thought RU could have made some changes on the defensive end.

3. Asking the team to do why they shift away from finding a recipe for success against Iowa. Sure, Iowa was a poor defensive team. Still, RU passed the ball well and got better shots. Why did the team move away from what worked there?

 

[TDIrish27]

Purdue was 22 for 33 against Iowa from 3.

 

[RUChoppin]

It's hard enough playing the 5 at 6'7" in the B1G. Not a formula for much success. $$$$

Freeman didn't play much at the five, though. Omoruyi dropped to the five a bit, but usually Freeman stayed at the four.

Hoping Omoruyi's defensive grit rubs off on Carter next year, as well as the rest of the team. As an upperclassman leader, hopefully he can instill that type of lunch pail attitude across the incoming freshmen.

 

[goru7]

Some of what you say is true but to say we were not trying is incorrect. You say Corey and Geo should have been out high with the floor spaced so they could break down their man. Michigan D picked these guys up at half court and were in their face every possession and by the time they had opportunit to break down there was usually about 8 seconds left. Our D played a good game our O did not but not for a lack of trying but because of Michigan’s D. Announcers said throughout game our D was playing well. We went a total of 14 minutes without a basket if we make 7 shots we are in the game. Let’s not bash the team entirely for this loss Michigan had more to do with it than RU

I am not bashing the team just disappointed in their overall effort. We did not rebound well , let a lot of them drop to the floor especially on the defensive end and Michigan got almost every 50/50 ball. It was not our usual effort across the board.
Offensively, I mean we really should have spread out like in every corner and on the block. We didn’t make a slight offensive adjustment that would have gotten us better and more uncontested shots.
Michigan defense was okay but we played right into their hands . They do not play defense like we normally do. They were torched by Nebraska a few nights before. Just very disappointed losing a game to a team that looked very beatable

 

[TODDB33]

I am not bashing the team just disappointed in their overall effort. We did not rebound well , let a lot of them drop to the floor especially on the defensive end and Michigan got almost every 50/50 ball. It was not our usual effort across the board.
Offensively, I mean we really should have spread out like in every corner and on the block. We didn’t make a slight offensive adjustment that would have gotten us better and more uncontested shots.
Michigan defense was okay but we played right into their hands . They do not play defense like we normally do. They were torched by Nebraska a few nights before. Just very disappointed losing a game to a team that looked very beatable

The way Michigan played D against created a lot of the problems you brought up. If we don’t get a basket for 14 minutes and only lose by 14 that in my opinion translates to we played very well for 26 minutes and not so well for 14.. would be curious to know if in those “empty” minutes how many shots were taken and were they open looks or highly contested