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Nothing But ‘Net – Week #05 – 11/27/2023 – Paradise (Island) Lost

The University of Michigan men’s basketball team played three games this past week, and they won one and lost the other two.  On Wednesday (11/22/2023), they lost to Memphis 71-67, on Thursday (11/23/2023), they beat Stanford 83-78, then on Friday (11/24/2023), they lost to Texas Tech 73-57.  All three games were in Paradise Island, Bahamas, as part of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, where they finished in 6th place.  The win and two losses leave Michigan with a record of 4-3.

What Happened?

This is a very confusing time to be a Michigan sports fan.  The football team just completed a perfect 12-0 regular season, including a tense 30-24 win over Ohio State, but they’re under a dark cloud due to “Signgate”.  The men’s basketball team looked great in their first three games, and has looked helpless since then.  Am I happy or sad?  Both, I guess.

It’s hard to look at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament as anything but a disaster.  Yes, Michigan won one game, and sure, Memphis and Texas Tech looked good, but Michigan played very sloppy basketball in all three games, and they were lucky to win one of them.

Game Flow

The Memphis game started out OK, with a tie game (6-6) at the 15:16 mark, then with Memphis leading for the next 6 minutes, but never by more than 2-4 points.  With 8:55 left in the 1st half, Memphis was up by one point, 20-19.  That’s when UM went cold and allowed Memphis to end the half on a 17-6 run, to lead by 12 points (37-25) at halftime.  UM made a few runs at the lead in the 2nd half, but Memphis always answered and kept the lead around 10-12 points.  With 13:17 left in the game, Memphis was up by 12 points (48-36), when UM finally started clawing their way back into the game.  They got the deficit down to 3 points (51-48) at the 8:41 mark, and one point (59-58) with 4:12 to go, but they couldn’t “get over the hump”.  Memphis built the lead back up to 9 points (67-58) with 1:07 left, UM got back within 2 points (69-67) with 10 seconds left, but they couldn’t get any closer, losing by 4 points.  It was discouraging, since UM played from behind for almost the whole game.

The Stanford game was hard to watch.  UM led 2-0 early, and was only down one point (5-4) at the 18:07 mark.  Then the wheels fell off.  Michigan couldn’t buy a basket, and Stanford couldn’t miss, leading to a 18-5 run.  With 12:40 left in the half, Stanford led by 14 points (23-9), and it looked like they were going to run away with the game.  Fortunately, that’s when Michigan finally woke up, going on a 21-5 run of their own, to lead by 2 points (30-28) at the 6:31 mark.  The lead went back and forth for the rest of the half, with UM up by one point (45-44) at halftime.  Stanford started the 2nd half strong, but UM fought back, and the game was tied up (52-52) with 16:46 left.  It was Michigan’s turn for a run, and they led by 13 points (67-54) with 12:24 to go.  Stanford wasn’t done, going on their own run to tie it up (72-72) at the 4:43 mark.  Michigan led the rest of the way, by as many as 8 points, and won by 5.  The Stanford runs were scary to watch.  Michigan was helpless to stop them.  Fortunately, they had just enough firepower to pull off a few runs of their own.

The TTU game was close for the first 5 minutes, with TTU up by 2 points (8-6) at the 15:24 mark.  That was the last time it was close.  TTU pulled out to a 12-14 point lead for the rest of the half, leading by 14 points (35-21) at halftime.  Things only got worse in the 2nd half, as TTU expanded their lead to as much as 23 points.  Michigan got within 12 points a couple times early in the 2nd half, but TTU always answered the UM runs and got the lead back up near 20, coasting to a 16-point win.  Michigan looked helpless out there.

Stats

The game stats for the Memphis game were confusing.  Michigan shot poorly overall (24-for-61 = 39.3%), they shot 3-pointers decently (8-for-24 = 33.3%), and they shot free throws decently (11-for-17 = 64.7%).  They outrebounded Memphis by an astounding 50-28, but they lost the turnover battle badly, 18-11.  How did UM lose this game with such a huge rebounding edge?  Mediocre shooting and too many turnovers.

The game stats for the Stanford game were pretty good.  Michigan shot well overall (32-for-54 = 59.3%), they shot 3-pointers well (8-for-18 = 44.4%), and they shot free throws decently (11-for-16 = 68.8%).  They won the rebounding battle (29-27), and tied in the turnover battle (13-13).  They won this game with pretty good shooting and rebounding.

The game stats for the TTU game were miserable.  Michigan shot poorly overall (22-for-54 = 40.7%), they shot 3-pointers miserably (6-for-20 = 30.0%), and they shot free throws terribly (7-for-14 = 50.0%).  They were outrebounded badly (41-30), but they did win the turnover battle (8-9).  They lost this game with miserable shooting and poor rebounding.

Who Started?

The starters for all three games were Nimari Burnett, Dug McDaniel, Olivier Nkamhoua, Tarris Reed, Jr., and Terrance Williams II.

Who Looked Good?

Nkamhoua was the leading scorer for Michigan in 2 of the 3 games (Memphis, with 18 points, and TTU with 16 points).  He also had double figures (16 points) in the Stanford game.  He shot pretty well, and he had lots of rebounds.

McDaniel was the leading scorer in the only game that Nkamhoua wasn’t: Stanford, with 20 points.  He had 13 vs. Memphis, and 12 vs. TTU.  He didn’t shoot particularly well, especially from 3-point range, but he had a nice number of assists and rebounds.

Williams had 2 good games (17 points vs. Stanford and 10 points vs. TTU) and a horrible game vs. Memphis (2 points on 0-for-5 shooting).  He shot well in the Stanford game (5-for-8 overall, 4-for-5 from deep), but not quite as well vs. TTU (4-for-8 overall, 1-for-5 from deep).  He even grabbed a few rebounds in each game.

Burnett also had 2 good games (16 points vs. Memphis and 10 points vs. Stanford) and one horrible game (2 points vs. TTU on 1-for-10 shooting overall, 0-for-4 from deep).  He had lots of rebounds, a few assists, and not too many turnovers.

Reed also had 2 good games (8 points vs. Memphis and 11 points vs. Stanford) and one miserable game (4 points, all free throws, vs. TTU).  He had 12 rebounds vs. Memphis, and a total of 8 blocked shots during the tournament.

Tray Jackson had 2 decent games (7 points vs. Memphis and 5 points vs. TTU) an one miserable game (2 points vs. Stanford).  He shot fairly well, and grabbed a few rebounds.

Will Tschetter chipped in 3, 7, and 5 points, and grabbed a few rebounds.

Who Looked Not-So-Good?

George Washington III played in all 3 games, and failed to score.  He took one shot each in the Memphis and TTU games, but not in the Stanford game.  He is not contributing much so far.

Who Else Played?

Youssef Khayat played in the TTU game, and scored 3 points, shooting 1-for-2 from 3-point range.

Who Didn’t Play?

None of the Scout Team players (Ian Burns, Harrison Hochberg, Jackson Selvala, and Cooper Smith) played in any of the games.

Jace Howard and Jaelin Llewellyn are injured, and not playing yet.  They are both expected back “later in the season”.

What Does It Mean?

After a hot start (3-0), Michigan has settled down to where I expected them to be.  They appear to have a decent amount of talent, but the chemistry sure isn’t there.  They are also very thin at center and shooting guard.  Based on their performance so far, I’m thinking my prediction of 11-20 still looks pretty good.  They will win less than half of their “toss up” games, lose a few of their “should win” games, and lose most of their “should lose” games, with an occasional upset to keep things interesting.

What’s Next?

This week, Michigan only plays one game.  On Saturday (12/02/2023, 3:30 p.m., FS1), they play at Oregon.

Oregon is currently 4-2, with a win over Georgia and a loss to Santa Clara.  They don’t have any noteworthy players, but they do have some height: a 6’10” player, a 6’11” player, and a 7-footer.  This is a game that Michigan probably won’t win, especially if they continue playing the way they’ve been playing for the last 4 games.  If they can get their swagger back, maybe they can pull off the road upset.

Oh yeah, just so you aren’t surprised when you watch the game on Saturday, here’s what Oregon’s court looks like:

Pretty distracting, no?

Check back next week to find out what happened and why.

Go Blue!

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Michigan 30 Ohio State 24 – Game 12 Recap

GAME 12 PROJECTION vs. RESULTS

Final Score: 30-24, Michigan by 6 over Ohio State
SP+ Projection: Michigan by 6.1 (-0.1)
CD Projection: Michigan by 6 (!)

FIVE FACTORS

GAME 12 RECAP vs. Ohio State

Michigan’s offense vs. Ohio State’s defense shifted more than any other matchup when compared to the past two seasons. The Wolverines finished with a 46% success rate for the game, and averaged 5.8 yards/play. The Buckeyes succeeded in reducing their explosive play exposure. But, in the 2nd half when the game was decided, Michigan rushed for 122 yards and 5.8 yards per rush. The Wolverines posted a 64% success rate in the 3rd quarter, and 50% in the 4th. JJ McCarthy chipped in a 16-20 passing performance for another 148 yards and a touchdown to Roman Wilson.

Defensively, the Wolverines battled back-and-forth with a star-studded offense from Ohio State. All-world wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. caught five balls for 118 yards and a touchdown, while Emeka Egbuka also found the end zone. However, even though the Buckeyes established a much clearer commitment to rushing the football, they could not top Michigan. Tradition dictates the winner of the rushing battle wins The Game when Ohio State and Michigan clash. The Wolverines triumphed 156-107 on the ground.

The final slice of Michigan’s complementary football masterpiece came from the kicking game. Tommy Doman averaged 52.0 yards per punt, and James Turner looked rock solid on three field goals from 50, 38, and 37 yards. Jake Thaw also deserves a shout out for catching Ohio State’s punts in the air, often in heavy traffic. Michigan gained nearly a point of EPA per possession with their field position advantage.

Sherrone Moore continues his career ascension in Ann Arbor. He flourished as the offensive line coach and led his unit to back-to-back Joe Moore awards as the best in the nation. He added play calling duty in 2022 and improved the offensive output by 4.1 points per game. Now he lives forever as THE guardian of victory for stepping in during Jim Harbaugh’s November suspension. Enjoy the rivalry win boys, back to work on a B1G Championship tomorrow. Onward!

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THE GAME – Michigan vs Ohio State Football – Looking Back – 2003

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

By the early 2000s, the landscape had changed in the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry. Ohio State had suddenly claimed a National Championship, and reversing the Buckeyes’ momentum would be a tall order.

Enter John Navarre. Standing every bit of 6 feet, 6 inches, Navarre possessed a quiet persona, and had excellent leadership qualities. The other leader was running back Chris Perry, who fought through plenty of adversity during his time in Ann Arbor. At one point, head coach Lloyd Carr advised him to transfer, but a heart-to-heart conversation with his mother convinced Perry that his best move was perseverance. Perry matured significantly in the 2002 season, and by 2003, he was ready to produce serious results.

The fifth and final installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes us back to 2003 for the 100th game in the series. Despite the Wolverines’ offensive firepower, it was their defense that established the tone. Michigan safety Ernest Shazor’s tackle of Ohio State tight end Ben Hartsock prevented an easy first down, forcing the Buckeyes to punt. Then the Michigan offensive line seized the momentum. Perry gashed the Ohio State defensive line for sizable gains, and suddenly the Wolverines were at the Ohio State 3-yard line, facing a 3rd down and goal to go. Steve Breaston, usually a receiver, lined up at quarterback and scored a 3-yard touchdown to give the Wolverines the early lead. The Wolverines extended that lead when Navarre connected with Braylon Edwards for a 64-yard touchdown pass highlighted by a broken tackle. Once Edwards freed himself from the defender, he went all the way for the touchdown to give Michigan a two-score lead. Navarre and Edwards connected for a 23-yard touchdown pass later in the second quarter to give Michigan a 21-0 lead. The Wolverines had a comfortable cushion, or so they thought.

Ohio State kept plugging away, and after Lydell Ross scored on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines’ lead was only a touchdown. Undaunted, Michigan went back to basics. Perry completed a drive that lasted almost four minutes by scoring on a 15-yard run to make the final score Michigan 35, Ohio State 21. After another eight minutes, Michigan claimed victory over the Buckeyes, along with the 2003 Big Ten championship. For his efforts, Perry was named to both the All-America team and the All-Big Ten team. He was joined on the All-Big Ten team by Navarre, Edwards and offensive lineman Tony Pape.

The next season, the Wolverines welcomed a bumper crop of recruits, including running back Mike Hart, quarterback Chad Henne and offensive tackle Jake Long. But, for now, it was enough to revel in the 2003 Big Ten championship, a hard-earned victory that reestablished Michigan as the ultimate power in the Big Ten. Thank you to ABC Sports, WJR, and YouTube poster Jordan Swavel for the broadcast of this game. As always, we own nothing and we do not profit from this blog post, which is provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

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THE GAME – Michigan vs Ohio State Football – Looking Back – 1998

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

The fourth installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State takes us back to 1998. The late 1990s became the modern “golden era” of Michigan football, punctuated by Michigan’s victory over Washington State in the Rose Bowl, clinching a perfect season and the AP National Championship. On top of that, Charles Woodson won the Heisman Trophy and the regents chose to add 5,000 seats to Michigan Stadium, reestablishing it as the largest collegiate stadium in the country.

Unfortunately, problems frequently develop when celebrations last too long. The hunger that fueled the relentless drive Michigan felt the previous season was replaced by a dangerous feeling of satisfaction.

Michigan had suffered the usual departures due to graduation, and Charles Woodson left to continue his football journey in the NFL. The 1997 team had achieved impressive success, but it was a very different team that began the 1998 season.

The Wolverines opened the 1998 campaign with a pair of losses, but Ray returned by midseason, and dominant victories over Penn State and Wisconsin proved that Michigan was playing solid football again, just in time for the trip to Columbus.

The Wolverines were greeted by a typically ornery crowd at Ohio Stadium, to put it kindly. Ohio State jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on touchdowns by Michael Wiley and Dee Miller, putting Michigan in a deep hole. The Wolverines fought back gamely in the second quarter as Jay Feely kicked a 27-yard field goal and Tom Brady connected with Tai Streets for a 3-yard touchdown pass, but Michigan trailed at halftime, 21-10. Ultimately, Michigan lost, 31-16. A season that appeared to hold so much promise provided Michigan with a sobering reality: Glory is fleeting.

Still, there was reason for Michigan to be proud of its performance, even in defeat. After starting the season with two losses, the Wolverines rededicated themselves and persevered, producing some impressive victories along the way. The season ended with a 45-31 win over Arkansas in the Florida Citrus Bowl, the first of four consecutive wins over SEC opponents in bowl games. As the 1998 campaign ended, hopes were restored, and the following year would, once again, begin with considerable promise.

Thanks to ABC Sports, YouTube, and YouTube poster SteelBuck 6 for the highlight video of this game. We claim no ownership and do not profit from the video on this blog post.