Move Past Wisconsin: Sparty’s Coming to Town

Let’s be honest here: Michigan looked terrible yesterday against Wisconsin. The Wolverines’ shot selection left much to be desired, they couldn’t make stops on defense when they needed them most, and Wisconsin dominated the rebounding column. The Badgers showed up, and Michigan didn’t.

Move on.

Yeah, it’s no fun to lose, especially at home. But good teams don’t let losses like yesterday’s carry over into future games. Instead, they learn from those defeats, and work on what they can do better. Often times, they come out better and more focused in their next game.

So was the Wolverines’ loss on Sunday good for the team?

Michigan’s Remaining Schedule and Beyond

After a tough stretch of away games and difficult home games, the Michigan basketball team will face the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday night. The Wolverines will try to stay perfect at home while knocking off their rivals. OSU may have won a couple of weeks ago in Columbus, but Michigan was able to hang in there for the most part. Saturday will definitely be different with a home crowd behind them. It should be a good game, and everyone that doesn’t have a ticket should definitely try to find one, or at least show up for College Gameday early in the morning. But if you can’t make it, there is soooo much more to look forward to with Michigan basketball.

My Valentine

As seen on many Facebook pages, a tribute to the one-and-only Denard Robinson:

Michigan Hockey at Yost Ice Arena

As I have probably mentioned in other posts (meaning I have mentioned it), I have been a member of the basketball band for the past four years and have been to just about every Michigan home game in that span. The atmosphere in Crisler Arena is fantastic, and the Maize Rage has really grown into a loud and intimidating group as the team has improved. But let’s be honest, they have NOTHING on the student section at Yost Ice Arena.

Takeaways from MSU

Last night’s 60-59 victory over the Michigan State Spartans ran Michigan’s winning streak against their in-state rival to three, and gave the Wolverines a big win in Big Ten play. Most importantly though, the game also provided viewers with a glimpse into the inner workings of the Wolverines’ team.

First and foremost, Trey Burke is a star. The freshman has come in and has done a better job of replacing Darius Morris than most expected. Burke scored 20 points last night, and led the team in rebounds, assists, and steals as well. While Burke does not have the passing ability that Morris has, and tends to try to do a little too much with the ball, Burke has proven to be an ample replacement for the current Los Angeles Lakers guard. Last night’s performance against MSU showed us that Burke also has the ability to rise up and lead the team in big games; on nearly every possession, Burke led the Wolverines down the floor and made plays.

Along the same vein, Michigan has the tremendous ability to account for the struggles of others. Tim Hardaway, Jr. has not shot as well from the field as in the past, perhaps due in part to a recent growth spurt. The sophomore shot just 2 of 13 against Iowa and did not hit a field goal last night until his dunk to begin the second half. In his place, though, Michigan has seen guys like Burke, seniors Zack Novak and Stu Douglass, and sophomore Evan Smotrycz step up in different games.  Even as Smotrycz has struggled this season, others have filled the void in different ways. Last night, Hardaway and Smotrycz didn’t perform to the best of their abilities. Burke, Novak, and Douglass all had at least nine points, including Douglass’ lay-up with 31 seconds left in the game.

While it was unfortunate to see the Spartans overcome the large Michigan advantage and take the lead late in the game, the Wolverines showed their tenacity and their ability to hang around with bigger teams. Draymond Green and Derrick Nix of MSU present much larger presences in the paint than any of Michigan’s players, but the Wolverines’ defense limited them to a combined 20 points.

It may not have been the prettiest victory (although both teams shot over 48% from the field), Michigan showed that they should be considered among the best in the country and certainly in the Big Ten.

Michigan Wolverines Season Preview

This past month, I have been focusing my writing towards Michigan football as part of an internship that I received over the summer. This position that I have provides Michigan Wolverines football coverage to rural Michigan newspapers. Some get published and some do not; for those that do end up in papers or online, I will post a link to each newspaper’s website. Lastly, as I complete each article (pregame and postgame plus some extras), I will try my hardest to put them on my blog in a timely manner. My first article, a season preview written about a month ago, is below. As always, feel free to leave comments!

Scott