Game 17: Michigan at Iowa Recap

I get that losing on the road to good teams happens, and happens all the time in the college game. What frustrates me about this one is that we played well in some areas that were required to win on the road; areas where we have not played well in some past tough games, and that have been identified here many times as key factors; we didn’t turn the ball over, Eli stepped up and had a great game, we didn’t get killed on the defensive glass; yet we still lost the game. I refuse to judge the team until the schedule stabilizes and Livers returns. But man, this is just so frustrating

If there ends up being a replay online, i’ll watch it. It’ll be painful, but i’m really curious about the officiating.

Lotta dumb fouls. But we all have eyes. Some lousy calls, which would have kept a close game closer down the stretch.

RE DDJ: “He still has the habit of dribbling into a tough pull-up two, especially early in the shot clock. The backbreaking possession for Michigan was a CJ Fredrick 3-pointer with 5:26 to play. DeJulius played solid on the ball defense but fell asleep on a screen immediately after Fredrick gave the ball up, only to allow an open three.”

Didn’t seem like Davis on the floor down the stretch was going to offer the needed buckets, and–once again–we just missed a lotta darned open shots. But I wondered whether those pretty clear blunders had gotten DDJ yoinked?

So is the hope here that Livers is just THAT important to us on defense?

The offense performing this well without Livers is encouraging. I can’t wrap my head around how bad this defense is especially in light of the previous 2 years, though.

It’s not even that Livers is that important as an individual defender but it means Michigan can stop playing lineups that just don’t really work defensively.

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Is Garza the best offensive post player in the conference? In the country? He’s really good. He plays so hard, so aggressive, and he has touch from all three levels. I gotta believe he has an NBA future.

Good point. I look forward to the days where Howard doesn’t have the option to play Davis at the 4.

I would think Livers retuning would eliminate the two big lineup which would be a good thing. Also, hopefully eliminate any minutes for Nunez. Maybe, even try Johns at the 5 as a backup option depending on the matchup. Castleton just hasn’t show anything and Johns’ lack of shooting at the 4 is an issue.

Livers gives us the ability to play against a big or small lineup without killing our defense or offense in the process. It’s not that he’s an ace, but he’s versatile and competent.

He can hang in against both Krieder (when they were big) or Wieskamp (when they were small).

Could certainly have played a part, as I wrote above, but I still don’t think it was the right decision. The lineups with Davis hadn’t worked all game.

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Yep. Livers back allows everyone else to play a more natural role instead of a stretch role.

Yes, but he’s a very key part of Iowa’s (very bad) defense. He’s absolutely brilliant offensively, though.

I’d still take Oturu or Tillman ahead of him given their versatility if I were putting together a team.

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JB would specifically run drills to emphasize not fouling. In practice, you’d have to position your arms angled backwards instead of straight up to remedy the situation where you get banged in to and your arms move forward on their own and you get a bullshit foul.

I would imagine that level of emphasis is completely gone. Maybe justifiably

We just need as many shooters around X as possible. The offense is predictable when we have the 2nd big out there and stagnates. Furthermore, DDJ is our best penetrator and best creator (for himself) at this point and we need that more than we suffer from his D.

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I do think that last night we were seeing some good things from almost all of the guys we’ve been beefing about–some more incremental improvement than big leaps. This does, hopefully, pay off when Livers is back. They were generating, as Dylan says, a crazy amount of good looks.

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Yep, this wasn’t by accident:

It’s an area where Michigan just has to figure out how to improve. I do think getting Isaiah Livers back in the mix will help.

The same Terry Wymer that is in the Final Four every year and has reffed multiple National Title games? I’m not disagreeing with you, I’m using that as a way to see he is perceived as one of the best. Which is a problem.

I get that even refs have a bad games and this was one of his. But hey…game got over at 11:30 Eastern and he had to navigate a snowstorm go get out of Iowa and I’m sure we will see him on one of the B1G games today. Because that makes sense.

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Are you suggesting that Wymer made a “business decision”?

Not really??? Not suggesting he is on the take or anything, though that may explain their incompetence more than anything.

I’ve been saying for a while that these guys need more reasonable schedules. Yes, I get they are independent contractors. But for Wymer to have a shitty game, get out in a snowstorm and ref in Illinois at 5 or Nebraska at 7 today doesn’t set up for success. Where is the film study? When is the ability to get better at their craft? Keep in mind these guys have other jobs too…

I meant it more along the lines of a wide receiver choosing not to take a hit over the middle to protect himself. In Wymer’s case that would mean making sure the game doesn’t go to overtime by, you know…j/k.