Michigan coach John Beilein hasn't seen improvement from Wolverines throughout season
Michigan head coach John Beilein signals from the sidelines during the first half of Michigan's 57-56 loss to Michigan State on Tuesday, January 26. Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
John Beilein is confused - and why wouldn’t he be?
The third-year Michigan coach has always seen his team improve throughout the year, learn from errors and then enter the conference and post-season tournaments on a late-season hot streak.
This year’s team hasn’t done that.
“We’re making the same mistakes that we’ve made in previous games,” Beilein said Monday after reviewing tape of his team’s latest loss to Wisconsin. “It doesn’t make sense but it’s happening and we just gotta work on it so it doesn’t continue to happen.
“But very similar mistakes that we’ve made continually all year long.”
There have been errors on offense and defense, Beilein said, which have plagued the Wolverines throughout their 11-12 season.
There has been lost focus on defense and quick shots on offense, and a lack of depth. There aren’t consistent replacements ready on the bench.
Against Wisconsin, Michigan received four points and four rebounds from its bench. The game before, the Wolverines got 17 of their 52 points from the bench in a 67-52 loss to Wisconsin, but 11 came from freshman guard Darius Morris, who has since been elevated to the starting lineup.
“Sometimes, having the depth if there’s an injury or just going to that bench that sixth, seventh or eighth man you either have experience or they are gaining it every day as a young player,” Beilein said. “That is a key for having a good season and building your program.
“Teams that do not have that better have five guys that are very veteran in there. I saw it yesterday, maybe Ohio State played six guys total in the whole game. Depth is an issue everywhere. Certainly it is with us.”
Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein.
Comments
rightmind250
Tue, Feb 9, 2010 : 5:30 p.m.
what do you expect? Beilein & Richrod are 2 peas in the pod from West Virginia. They just quit 1/2 way through the season and the team follows suit. Did'nt the football team closeout with 5 losses?
trigg5
Tue, Feb 9, 2010 : 2:17 p.m.
As i said from day 1 um 7th in BIG TEN.What in the world made u think you would be improved? Maybe u bought into being ranked,if u did your just sheep that know nothing about Bball.
jerome
Mon, Feb 8, 2010 : 8:54 p.m.
Around 11:46 left in the second half down by 12, in the double bonus the rest of the way. Why didn't coach Beilein tell his guards to drive the basket and create fouls for freethrow opportunities? Slow the game down! Hello, we're losing! The clock was the enemy as much as Wisconsin! We could've gotten back into that game with better coaching on his part! The players are burnt out but they follow their coaches lead! Both are responsible for an abysmal season!
oneandseven
Mon, Feb 8, 2010 : 4:19 p.m.
Not what everybody had in mind last September with the thoughts of an 11 win season, was it???
saginaw
Mon, Feb 8, 2010 : 4:10 p.m.
Well, at least, the Football team seems to be improving. We can easily win 5 - 6 Big Ten games this year. OSU, PSU, Iowa, Wiscy and maybe even MSU will be tough teams in 2010.
JimW
Mon, Feb 8, 2010 : 3:09 p.m.
I disagree that there has been no improvement this year. I think the defense was showing real improvement, up to last week. The spirit of this team seems to be easily broken. If they start to struggle on offense, it seems to quickly affect their defensive effectiveness. I was disappointed that the entire offensive emphasis in the first half against was predicated on getting the ball inside to Sims. I agree that we have often been too content to shot a 3-pointer, but to completely abandon the 3-point shot does not fit the Beilein style at all. Beilein has recruited 3-point shooters and he needs to let them shoot. Clearly, we need to also get the ball into Sims, but he cannot be the whole offense. The season is almost a lost cause, but we need to stay behind these guys.
a2roots
Mon, Feb 8, 2010 : 1:59 p.m.
Unfortunate it has taken this long for the coach to recognize how poor his team has played. The average fan saw this long ago and the coach is now mentioning it. The players play and the coaches coach and in the end they have all have been a huge disappointment. Play has been abysmal and the coaching has been equally as bad. The coaches need to stand up and admit they are as much a part of the problem as the players. This team is toast for the rest of the season and sorry to say probably for years to come.