Indiana-Michigan

[Shoalzie]

Fun game so far but can I get a Vitale mute button? He ruins big games...

[Shoalzie]

McGary needs to be on the floor as much as possible in the second half...he's pure energy and he's been their answer to Zeller. Morgan with the bad wheel can't keep up with Zeller and I'm still not sold on Horford. Burke with that gangster 3 at the end of the half hopefully sparks his play...didn't really like his first half. He looked flustered for most of that half and made some uncharacteristic mistakes. For as ugly as that first 10 minutes were...they're still in this game. It was shades of the Ohio State game in how they looked sluggish out of the blocks.

[Screw_Michigan]

You mean you're not watching the MSU/scUM tard fest at Joe Louis? At least scUM is going to finish out of last place...jesus.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

UM did a good job taking IU's initial punch, which they always deliver at home. They need to tighten up on defense and develop a legitimate big if they want to win the conference and make a deep run in March.

[Shoalzie]

I'm impressed they didn't fold after that last 11-0 run...they're a gritty team.

[Shoalzie]

Props to the Hoosiers...their third run was the difference. I can't wait for the return matchup in March.

[WolverineSteve]

Very tough to win on the road anywhere in the B1G, and Assembly may be the toughest.

The two losses thus far are very similar. Robinson does his best Houdini and Stauskas' ass tightens up and he can't hit anything. This team may benefit from a longer absence of Morgan, provided Horford can stay healthy. He and McGary are high energy guys with better offensive games. The big road games are too much for Levert, Stauskas, and GR3 at this point. I hope they figure it out before they hit the Breslin. Burke is the POY and Hardaway is a beast on both ends now.

I agree on Dickie V.....he is a shell. One good point he made though; he said that no tournament game will be a tough as a home game in the conference, neutral site and all. If UM finishes with 4 losses they're a 1 seed for sure.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Shit, I wish Russell Byrd had half the moxie of Nik Stauskus. And Stauskus is shooting at a 48% clip from 3, so you can't complain too much. He's also a pretty damn good athlete, so if his shot isn't falling on a particular night he can get himself to the rim.

Is there a more annoying player in the league than Jordan Hulls? God, I hate that fucker. Victor Home Depot, on the other hand, it's a lot of fun watching that guy bring it. As good as Trey Burke is, that guy would get my POY vote in the Big Ten because of what he does on both ends of the floor and his motor never stops.

[Shoalzie]

Horford looked really good against lesser opponents...especially Northwestern. He seemed really tentative out there last night but that was a tough atmosphere and that Hoosier team feeds off that energy from the crowd.

They make high-effort/high-skill plays and the crowd eats it up. Oladipo and Zeller are very talented but they also play their balls off. I don't think the Wolverines will play a tougher game than last night...the combination of opponent and atmosphere. It'll make going to Breslin seem tame.

Stauskas is such a great replacement for a guy like Novak...you still have a guy with the guts to fire away from the outside and he'll develop the leadership skills over time. Both he and Hardaway will have their moments of being invisible and moments of scoring in bunches.

All and all, I don't think you can look down on them for losing that game...they hung in when the Hoosiers looked ready to pull away on two occasions. They're becoming battle-tested and the early season success in the NIT and winning games in Champaign and Minneapolis shows they can win tough road/neutral court games against quality opponents.

[WolverineSteve]

Is there a more annoying player in the league than Jordan Hulls? God, I hate that fucker.

True.

[Shoalzie]

Something about his dumb shot release I hate...plus, he's got the douchy Kyle Korver hair.

Zeller has a bit of a Tyler Hansbrough vibe to him but he's not nearly as annoying.

I really like Oladipo but Vitale throwing around MJ comparisons...ick. He's got the crazy length like Rondo or Luol Deng plus he's got the huge vertical.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Something about his dumb shot release I hate...plus, he's got the douchy Kyle Korver hair.

Yeah, his "look" is annoying, but it's just the fact that he's that fucker who will drill that timely three from 35 feet, fading away, with a hand in his face, then won't play any defense on the other end. He's one of those guys you can't stand unless he's on your team.

I really like Oladipo but Vitale throwing around MJ comparisons...ick. He's got the crazy length like Rondo or Luol Deng plus he's got the huge vertical.

Eh, Deng's got 4 or 5 inches on him (settle down, Irie). But yeah, similar games.