After the injuries last year, I’ll more than gladly take an easy 4 games to finish out December.
I actually like the early tournaments generally even if the games usually aren't great due to inexperienced teams, facility issues, and fatigue. I mean, who doesn't like watching three games in three days? I just think the Atlantis field this year contains a lot of question marks and no guaranteed marquee match-ups for Michigan, except possibly Gonzaga.I will say that the cupcakes on the schedule suggest the staff was really spooked by NJIT and are trying to avoid a repeat by bringing even softer teams into Crisler – I believe all 7 teams in the “guarantee games” (I guess we shouldn’t use that term anymore) finished well below NJIT and EMU in last year’s Pomeroy rankings.
I find that interesting people like these tournaments of 3 in 3 but people often don’t like conference tournaments which is the same the concept. If Atlantis wasn’t played in a ballroom/banquet hall I would probably feel differently.
Who dislikes conferences tournaments? I’ve heard people say that our teams are poor fits for them (since we tend to lack depth and only run 8 guys regularly), but idk if I hear people say they actively dislike them. They’re secondary to the regular season title, IMO, but they’re still a fun event.
I don’t like conference tournaments because they’re a money grab. Entertaining for sure, as any single elimination tournament is. But I also hate that they decide the automatic bid to the tournament for the smaller conferences. The NCAA Tournament would have even more upsets if the actual best teams from each conference went to the tournament instead of half of the best teams and half teams that just had a great few days. Teams should be rewarded for their quality performance over a longer period of time than a weekend.
ITT: A lot of bitterness.
There is nothing wrong with preseason tournaments. If there was, you wouldn’t see as many high majors playing in them as you do. Find something else to complain about because, frankly, this complaint is just silly.
I actually like the early tournaments generally even if the games usually aren't great due to inexperienced teams, facility issues, and fatigue. I mean, who doesn't like watching three games in three days? I just think the Atlantis field this year contains a lot of question marks and no guaranteed marquee match-ups for Michigan, except possibly Gonzaga.I will say that the cupcakes on the schedule suggest the staff was really spooked by NJIT and are trying to avoid a repeat by bringing even softer teams into Crisler – I believe all 7 teams in the “guarantee games” (I guess we shouldn’t use that term anymore) finished well below NJIT and EMU in last year’s Pomeroy rankings.
I find that interesting people like these tournaments of 3 in 3 but people often don’t like conference tournaments which is the same the concept. If Atlantis wasn’t played in a ballroom/banquet hall I would probably feel differently.
Who dislikes conferences tournaments? I’ve heard people say that our teams are poor fits for them (since we tend to lack depth and only run 8 guys regularly), but idk if I hear people say they actively dislike them. They’re secondary to the regular season title, IMO, but they’re still a fun event.
If this is the reason why the team is a poor fit for conference tournaments why would you play in a preseason tournament like that? I think it’s just a way to rationalize their lack of success in conference tournaments. Like I said Atlantis is a big name but play their games in a ballroom.
Because it’s an easy way to schedule good games and the primary goal of a team like Michigan in the non-conference is to schedule high quality opponents so that they can be as good as possible for the conference season. Also helps prepare for conference tournaments, which you’d preferably like to win.
Pre-season tournaments are a much different animal than post-season conference tournaments for one simple reason: at the beginning of the season, you want the opportunity to condition your team. At the end of the season, you don’t want to run the legs off your team just prior to the NCAA tournament. That’s why three games in three days looks totally different at the end of the year.
As for scheduling cupcakes because we were afraid following NJIT/EMU…c’mon man. Just…just…no. Stop it. That’s ridiculous.
VB, I agree with your first point that early-season tournaments are great for conditioning and “trial-by-fire” (though I also really like watching the B10 tournament, even if it tends to grind tired knees into dust). That said, I think my second point stands. The seven cupcakes are real bottom-dwellers. While I am being somewhat tongue-in-cheek by attributing this to NJIT, Michigan does seem especially allergic to scheduling halfway decent low-mid-majors. Although I am no math guy, I think this approach – while great for working out kinks, trying out lineups, and spreading around minutes – can create some RPI/resume issues at the end of the season. In an ideal world, I’d like to see a nice blend of elite squads, solid majors, OK mid-majors, and non-tournament-eligible joke teams. Let’s bring in a Belmont, a Coastal Carolina, an Indiana State, a Stony Brook, or (!) Harvard one of these days.
I agree that I don’t like it, as I wish they would choose “better cupcakes” for sake of RPI. I just disagree with why they would schedule that way.
NJIT would have qualified as a terrible cupcake game at this time last year. I’m going to go ahead and say that the NJIT game has nothing to do with any of the scheduling this year.
@detnewsRodBeard: #Michigan gets #UConn in the opener of Battle 4 Atlantis. Winner faces the winner of Syracuse-Charlotte in the semifinals.
Should be a pretty good matchup with UCONN.
Here’s the full bracket… Could face UConn/Syracuse/Gonzaga. http://www.umhoops.com/2015/08/06/2015-battle-4-atlantis-bracket-announced-michigan-to-open-against-uconn/
I guess we’ll find out whether or not we missed on Shonn Miller. I wonder if Connecticut will have a good team this year.
I guess we'll find out whether or not we missed on Shonn Miller. I wonder if Connecticut will have a good team this year.
UConn is a difficult matchup for Michigan. They have a lot of size with 7’0 Brimah inside who can finish strong FG% of 67%, not a terrific rebounder but blocks close to 4 shots per game.
Daniel Hamilton 6’7 sophomore averaged 11 PPG, 7 boards, 4 assists, hit 34% of his 3’s,
Rodney Purvis 6’4 sg transfer from NC State, can hit the outside shot
They do lose Ryan Boatright which is big, they have a top 5 PG coming in with Jalen Adams.
They return their top 3 rebounders, best shot blocker, and 4 of 5 starters.
Michigan will need Doyle to play well and stay out of foul trouble.
I’m excited about that second game. Would love to put a 3rd recent loss on Boeheim as (small) payback for Battle, and of course we owe Charlotte one as well.