NCAA 2018: Michigan vs. Florida State Discussion Thread

Yeah, TRADITIONALLY our ability to avoid turnovers, a Beilein signature, has prevailed against high pressure defenses, and yields easy looks. Simpson is a little more turnover prone than out PGsof the past, but that balances out by Rahk and Duncan being two of the most turnover-averse players in the nation at their usage.

During our win streak (12 games) Simpson has 47 assists to 23 turnovers, which I think we can live with. The only time Iā€™ve really thought he was sloppy with the basketball was in the Montana game when he had a couple of bad outlet passes that got picked off - but even then, apparently those were his only two turnovers of the night.

??? Simpson averages less turnovers than Burke or Walton did, the kid is amazing with the ball.

Pure TOPG, yes. But his usage is way below theirs.

X TO%: 16.7
TB 2012 TO%: 11.9
DW 2017 TO%: 11.7 (career 13.9)

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In fewer minutes and less usage.

X turns it over on 16% of his possessions, and uses 17% of the teamā€™s possessions.

Walton turned it over on 12% of his possessions last year while using 23% of the teamā€™s possessions.

So those guys turned it over more purely by virtue of possessing it more.

Iā€™m not saying Simpson is a ā€œhigh turnoverā€ PG - heā€™s above average at protecting the ball and will probably get better. But weā€™ve had 6 years of exemplary play in this regard from the position.

As I said, this gets balanced out by our secondary ballhandler (Rahk) being almost historically good at valuing the ball.

I swear Mohammedā€™s usage gets undersold a bit purely because he avoids turnovers to such an insane degree (turnovers count as a possession ā€œusedā€).

Theyā€™ve all been great and since Simpson canā€™t shoot off the dribble, Iā€™m sure that changes it a bit. Just from watching and not looking at stats, it seems to me he is very good a protecting the ball and itā€™s clearly getting better.

Iā€™d definitely be sympathetic to the argument that since Simpson canā€™t really shoot, heā€™s dependent on putting the ball in riskier situations (driving in traffic) than the others. Or at least his possessions disproportionately constitute such plays since there are so many fewer jumpers balancing them out.

All of this sounds like Iā€™m knocking Simpson, which I donā€™t mean to - heā€™s rapidly improved this year and Iā€™m excited that we probably have him for two more years. Thatā€™s something in December I never thought Iā€™d say.

His usage rate would probably go way up if he could just shoot off the dribble like Walton and Burke could. No idea how those stats work but from just watching all three of them, they all seemed very good at it and Simpson has improved greatly this year and hopefully can next year as well.

Yes. They press on around 25% of posesssions and grade out in 76th percentile. Hamilton said during his presser yesterday that they might not be able to pressure Michigan as aggressively.

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I am not an expert on Leonard Hamilton pressers, but I got the vibe that he didnā€™t seem all that confident about their chances.

I thought the exact same thing.

Probably goes without saying that Walton was then a senior whileā€“happilyā€“we have X for two more years. Guy will continue to improve.

Stole this from a B Quinn article, but hotdamn: ā€œ[Michigan] has won 12 consecutive games in tournament settings (regular season and postseason) when facing a 36-hour window.ā€

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I did not like how we looked against the press last game.

Me right now:

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That probably serves him well, pushes him to prepare and convince his team theyā€™re underdogs.

The best coaches Iā€™ve worked with and played under were paranoid about losing every game.

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I cannot believe we just won that game shooting the way we did. Wow.

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Iā€™m excited John Calipari gets to watch Charles Matthews play in the Final Four!

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Another grinder, but weā€™ve been grinding them out most of the season, up until the post-season.

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