Michigan Hoops: Through The Breech – Iowa and Michigan

Posted at 8:00am — 2/21/2011

Michigan Hoops: Through The Breech – Iowa and Michigan

At the start of the season I mentioned that Michigan would be fun to watch, but not to possess great expectations. Yesterday, at the end of a brutal and ugly get together at Iowa City, Michigan emerged victorious in overtime; the reason for the win is subject to conjecture, better athletes, luck, or mental toughness. More is forthcoming on that decision later.

There are games in athletics, especially college athletics, where beauty is obvious and appreciated as a mechanism of aesthetic value. There are games that the ugly, brutally ugly, elements overshadow execution, efficiency, and skill. The original ugliness came from Ed Hightower’s crew reinventing basketball officiating; the result was obvious hammering being ignored and tiny touches far from the rim becoming the flavor of the day. The result was confused players and predictably politicking coaches. In the end that part of the ugliness appeared to work itself out to a push. The last ten minutes saw turnovers forced more by focus and running out of gas than by the opponent. The last few minutes became a predictable foul shooting contest.

Yesterday certainly was an ugly game. It started out well with Michigan again testing the three point waters, and ended with two exhausted teams hunting a way to win. Sometimes a tough, evenly matched contest ends up coming down to one single moment, a moment of opportunity. Yesterday’s game was a long collection of moments that eventually ended up in Michigan’s win column.

As has been frequent this season, Michigan’s three-point barrage again fizzled for a long period of time, setting up a game of spurts. Michigan was on the ropes and everything was going Iowa’s way, then came what some would say was the single moment that turned the game; Ed Hightower waved off an apparent 50 foot shot that video showed was barely touching a finger when the timer hit 0:00 at the end of the first half. The result was less damage on the scoreboard and a minor mental victory at the end of a really ugly half of basketball.

The game settled down to two opposing strategies. Iowa used the Minnesota Plan; crush the opponent with an inside game that featured high-low passes, nice lobs when the inside man is fronted by the defender and a devastating display of pick and roll to the basket. Simply put, Michigan got crushed by the Iowa inside game. Iowa has two very good jumpers that are athletic and get off the floor quickly. While not being much off a threat outside of ten feet, both guys find a way to score inside, sometimes at will.

Michigan’s counter strategy was to send Morris to the rim and the points and fouls started to pile up, eventually Michigan crawled back into the game. The threes were put on hold. But then Tim Hardaway Jr. stepped up and pumped ice water in his veins, hitting nothing but net and taking charge of a game that had to be won.

Albeit ugly, there were indeed more positives than negatives that resulted from yesterday’s game. The “young” Wolverines had plenty of chances to fold and obtain another tough loss on the road to a conference bottom dweller, but the team competed and did not fold against an Iowa team that is playing better and has some promise for the future. Michigan showed the team now has two big time players, Morris and Hardaway. Simply put two very good options are better than one. Some of Michigan’s players ignored tough days and played for the one moment that might make the difference in the final outcome. Zach Novak did what he does every game, attempt to compete against much taller, more athletic inside guys of the Big Ten. He is a warrior, the type of player that every team needs. He mixes, slides over for charges (or blocks) and is nasty. He reminds me of the knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, who stated after having his arm cut off “A mere flesh wound.” His play at the defensive end sometimes exhausts his offensive game, as witnessed by the late missed lay-up. Jordan Morgan continues to give what he can to plug the inside deficiencies of Michigan.

So what were the big moments of yesterday besides the obvious win? Jordan Morgan, a mediocre foul shooter, stepped up to the line and with absolutely perfect form of proper bending and extending with a short release, buried two foul shots (net only) that were in the must category. Hardaway simple competed and took the shots that had to go in or else. Morris at times went one on three with little help and turned his work into tough points.

There were obvious and long since documented deficiencies that continue to hurt Michigan. First, this team will never get past the middle range of the Big Ten (4th to 7th) unless an inside presence is added. Jordan is a nice power forward; he plays hard, has some nice moves and continues to contribute. He needs help inside, both offensively and defensively. A guard driving the middle is an option and causes a defense to break down, but is not a true inside game. As a result Michigan never wins a tip, cannot defend against teams like Minnesota, and still has a tough road on 50-50 rebound opportunities. Michigan’s hands are weak and the feet are slow getting to the ball, indicating a need for more emphasis on rebounding practice and technique, something that historically Coach Beilein has maintained is overrated.

Second, while other options are working better, Michigan is still stubborn in adhering to the shoot threes as the first option of the offense. It is only after this option breaks down that Michigan looks to other options.

Third, Michigan still reacts poorly to the press. It is a wonder that teams do not press Michigan for forty minutes. Getting trapped in corners in the back-court is a goal of the press with a counter measure of reversing the ball to the middle being common. Another way of beating the press is to throw the ball over the top to a player one pass ahead. Tall players can accomplish this and smaller players usually have to lob the ball weakly over taller opponents that have them trapped. Another method is to have a tremendously quick guard who can simply beat the two guys pressing him deep in the back-court.

Next year Michigan adds two talented guards, Trey Burke and Carlton Brundidge, but so far no inside help is coming to Ann Arbor. Trey Burke is turning heads in Columbus and could provide rest for Michigan’s guards next year and help with the press. Brundidge will add more even more scoring power from the guard position. But for now it again appears Michigan will face teams with a good inside game short-handed. Horford has a long way to go and Evan Smotrycz appears content to launch 22 footers any time the ball touches his fingers.

Oh, by the way, the biggest factor in yesterday’s victory from this viewpoint was mental toughness, and that statement does not imply Iowa had none of this necessary quality.

Michigan is at 17 wins and the call here in preseason predictions was any total over 18 wins indicated clear evidence for a great job of coaching by the staff. The next three games will be tough to grab a win. Minnesota on the road is a tough go, especially concerning how Minnesota dominates inside. Wisconsin at home will require consistent play, not periods of on and off basketball that Michigan has exhibited. The season concludes with Michigan State, a team that is playing hard and playing a little better. By the time that game arrives, the scenario may be the winner remains on the outside looking in for the NCAA tournament and the loser starts preparing for the NIT, sans a Big Ten Tournament Championship. Twenty wins is probably the magic number to get into the tournament.

But, five months ago few thought Michigan would even be in the hunt or being discussed as a possible tournament team with three league games to go.

Written by GBMWolverine Staff

Go Blue — Wear Maize!