Flawed Michigan basketball team looking nothing like a tournament contender
ANN ARBOR - John Beilein’s resume is full of masterful coaching jobs.
He won 22 games at Canisius in his second season as a Division I coach, led West Virginia to the Elite Eight as a seven seed, and last year he took Michigan from Big Ten afterthought to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 11 years.
If the Wolverines want to dance again this March, it might take Beilein’s best work yet.
Michigan lost its third straight game Wednesday to Boston College, 62-58, in not-as-close-as-it-appeared fashion.
Manny Harris has been perhaps the only bright spot for the Wolverines this season.
Melanie R. Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
The Eagles got 24 easy points from Corey Raji and led by double digits most of the night, taking advantage of a listless Michigan defense and another evening of wretched 3-point shooting (9-of-34) to hand the Wolverines a home loss that could come back to haunt them.
Last year, Michigan built its NCAA tournament resume on non-conference wins over Duke and UCLA. This year, with losses to Marquette, Alabama and BC - 3 teams that will be fighting for their own tournament lives - the Wolverines are making a pretty convincing case for the NIT.
“We’re just not a well-functioning unit right now, and that’s what I’m supposed to do, figure that out,” Beilein said.
Some of Michigan’s problems are correctable.
The shooting should get better as looks come easier against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Detroit, though 34 3-pointers is a recipe for disaster against any team. And the magical disappearing DeShawn Sims, he of 4 points, 3 rebounds and 23 minutes Wednesday, remains one of the best players in the Big Ten.
But Michigan, by and large, is a flawed basketball team. The Wolverines don’t have the athletes to match up on the perimeter or the size to control play down low, and aside from Manny Harris, there’s no one who can create his own shot in tight games.
Sims said there are other problems, too, including a lack of confidence that’s infiltrated the locker room and led to chemistry issues.
“We got a lot of young guys and the chemistry hasn’t clicked yet,” Sims said. “It didn’t take this long for our chemistry to click (last year). We were losing together the previous year so we kind of came in with the mindset of we’re hungry. We just have to get more hungry and get our chemistry together.”
Beilein didn't mention chemistry, but he did wonder aloud whether his team was "distracted in certain areas" and he did mention graduated point guard C.J. Lee.
Lee's freshman replacement, Darius Morris, didn't attempt a shot, grab a rebound or have an assist Wednesday.
“For whatever reason it’s not meshing the way it did last year,” Beilein said. “But there was a span last January where we were very much like this. Exactly like this. Couldn’t make a shot and one mistake led to another mistake, so as a result we got to find a way to help them get through that.”
Michigan lost 7 of 9 games during 1 month-long stretch last winter, but proved resilient enough late in the season, beating Purdue and winning at Minnesota, to make the NCAA tournament.
If the Wolverines don't score some statement non-conference wins soon - they have three chances left, at Utah next week, at top-ranked Kansas Dec. 19 and home against UConn in mid-January - they'll need an even better showing in the stronger Big Ten.
“We’re frustrated, but the thing about college basketball, you got to bounce back, you can’t think about it too long,” Sims said. “It’s definitely still early so we can’t hang our heads.”
Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
Comments
chosen1
Fri, Dec 4, 2009 : 11:02 a.m.
XTR, why would you bring up the names of 2 players who caused Michigan bball shame by accepting money to play here? The pieces are being put together for this team to succeed. The problem is that when fans were all over wtka last year moaning and groaning about Lee and Merritt, we failed to realize their leadership and defense was a key factor in our success. Our guys need to hustle for every loose ball, we need to man up on d and make sure we execute the assignments. There can't be 4 guys playing the right way and one guy zoning out of the game. I'm all for switching up the 1-3-1 defense as teams with size (though there aren't many in the big 10) are taking advantages of it. But how are we not taking advantage of having one of the most gifted players in the league (no doubt Manny and Evan Turner are the big ten's cream of the crop)?
gpfromwv
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 6:53 p.m.
Thanks for the help Michigan. You took Beilein and we had to settle for Bobby Huggins (WVU #1 RPI in the country). You took Rich Fraud and we're going bowling and ya'll have to stay home again. Ya'll need to get an athletic director that can actually hire quality coaches and then Supervise them to obey the rules at least in Fraudriguez's case. The Big East is THE premier Basketball conference and I'd take the top four football schools against the top four Big Ten football schools and expect a 2 and 2 record.
XTR
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 5:31 p.m.
Inside the Hall, Michigan's 3 point shot offense is a gimmick offense. Very easy to stop or pull the percentage down if the defense extends beyond the arc. They can stop Lou Bullock from shooting threes if they extend the defense, but Bullock can pitch the ball down low to Tractor Traylor down the post. If Traylor gets double teamed, he can get the ball to Bullock for the open three. This year, this team does not have a Traylor type of player hence when they can't get the threes in, they lose. When did I state that Wisconsin's offense a gimmick offense? Is their offense a 3 point offense? Is their lineup composed of 4 or 5 guards? Wisco beat Duke with an old fashioned typical Big Ten team. Slow tempo, low mistake tempo with inside sets using very tall players inside the interior to rebound and defend inside. Wisco's team is not a gimmick team.
newe82
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 3:03 p.m.
All of the University of Michigan Sports programs are going down the toilet. That should be put at the feet of Martin. Beilein has earned the right to have a few down games, but if they finish at.500 this year then he should be on the hot seat next year. Somebody needs to tell the Michigan coaches they are suppose to get better each year and not worse.
rnich231
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 1:03 p.m.
Now the Football and Basketball teams stink as bad as the patchuli covered hippies that UofM calls a student body. What an embarrassment!!
LakeErieMaize/Blue
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 12:41 p.m.
Live by the three,DIE by the three!!!Can we at least acknowledge that we have an inside game.Lets GO BLUE!!!
miatamich
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 12:02 p.m.
U-M's 1-3-1 defense is getting attacked from the sides, which is its achilles heel. Plus, there is not sufficient size or athleticism to play any interior defense and rebound. The easy baskets they give up near the rim is horrendous. Add in their inability to shoot and you have a recipe for the bottom rung of the Big Ten.
bigfella
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 11:15 a.m.
no post presence/defense + no dribble, drive penetration = no ncaa tourney.
musthaved
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 10:51 a.m.
The only real issue hear is that Michigan did not understand their pre-season ranking. They actually were picked to finish 15th in the Big 10 (behind 3 womens teams) not 15th in the country. Anything less than last in the Big 10 should therefore be viewed as a successful season.
twill68
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 9:35 a.m.
I couldn't agree more with XTR, this type of basketball is not suited for the Big Ten or other major conferences. Until we get a low post threat on the offensive and defensive end of the court and stop jacking up 3 point bombs we are going to be in trouble.
InsideTheHall
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 9:32 a.m.
XTR....gimmicks????? Was the Wiscy victory over Duke a gimmick???? Wiscy executed...Michigan did not. The shooting slump will not last forever and that will help. LLP is liability, soft defensively, plays out of control, and has a flawed shooting stroke. He needs to get nor more than 8 minutes a game. Gibson and Wright need more minutes to give us more heft on the court. Manny is trying to do to much in attempt to make up for others. Forcing to many shots hence the low shooting percentage. Nothing the shot doctor cannot cure BUT this team needs to play flawless to compete.
XTR
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 9:26 a.m.
Chosen, Cronin and Morgan don't play this year. Beilein's gimmicks will not work anymore in the national scene and in the Big 10. See what happened the past 3 games? This is his 3rd year, there should be improvement from last year and not the other way around. He added guards instead of real big men in the lineup. Teams just guard the threes and then slash to the basket and UM's small team becomes a gimmick team which is easily beaten. If Beilein was considered "successful" in the Big East (his teams were not UConn, Syracuse and Cincy which have big players), he sure is not in the Big Ten. Next year what happens to UM? No more Gibson and Sims? Does he have big men to place in the rotation with at least a season of experience? If not, then it's downhill again next year.
guns4me
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 8:36 a.m.
Overated,as every year in every sport.
chosen1
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 7:46 a.m.
XTR...the big east in basketball is no small schools. Louisville, Uconn, Pittsburgh, Villanova, Syracuse, Cincy aren't slouches. I'm assuming you don't watch college basketball regularly. He has big men and they are both coming off injuries (Cronin and Morgan). They are both young guys and there is another big coming in next year. He is getting what he needs in recruiting. What he needs is to sit the Morris kid, as he needs to see the game from the bench right now cause that kid is lost out on the floor.
XTR
Thu, Dec 3, 2009 : 5:49 a.m.
Beilein's so called "mastery" were done at small schools where gimmicks work. In the national scene and in the big 10 these things will not work against bigger and better athletes. Beilein needs big men inside to control rebounds and for interior defense.