After tonight's game it seems clear...

[maelfan]

that this year's team will be no worse than last year's team and IMO has a slightly larger upside.

Miraculously, due to Beilein's continued underrated coaching this team won some big games last year and were a couple minutes away from beating a very, very good Notre Dame team in the tourney.

Unfortunately due to an influx of only above average talent, at least at this stage in their careers, it does not appear we have enough difference makers in the returning group or newcomers to be a solid lean towards a sweet 16 team.

In summary, same old story. Our inability as a program to recruit better means a solid group of players with a lower ceiling than most of us would like will hopefully be massively coached up by Beilein and his staff in order to provide a chance at a very good year. How's that for vanilla.

 

[Reality Man]

Hopefully team is missing the contributions of MAAR but this looks a like a hodge podge of players with no real continuity for a particular system.

This is clearly going to be a transition year and a middle of the road BT record. Irvin, Donnal and Watson are not going to bring a title. Not bad players but complimentary guys on a good team.

The good news is Teske and Watson pass the BT look test. Simpson will need offensive support but add in Matthews, Poole, Livers and Brooks should give UM a pretty solid team but patience will be needed. JB is going need some good will to get past another couple of years. Better hope Manuel likes him because he came from a school with a big basketball program.




RM

 

[maelfan]

Hopefully team is missing the contributions of MAAR but this looks a like a hodge podge of players with no real continuity for a particular system.

This is clearly going to be a transition year and a middle of the road BT record. Irvin, Donnal and Watson are not going to bring a title. Not bad players but complimentary guys on a good team.

The good news is Teske and Watson pass the BT look test. Simpson will need offensive support but add in Matthews, Poole, Livers and Brooks should give UM a pretty solid team but patience will be needed. JB is going need some good will to get past another couple of years. Better hope Manuel likes him because he came from a school with a big basketball program.




RM

I do feel DJ Wilson has finally figured it out and is primed for a big year.

 

[Reality Man]

Want to see more of a sampling in Big Ten play to see how Wilson stacks up against down low power forwards but as someone else (I thought the exact same thing) but he looks like a Rodman style type of player.

When is the last time you can remember that UM had a guy who wanted every rebound. Don't count Walton . Loy Vaught was that type of player.

If Wilson can do what he is doing and let the other guys like Wagner score and then have Robinson come off the bench then clearly the team can function better. I thought UM played well but need to see more.

If you ask me...this team will go the way of Wagner. He is the star of this team and everyone else is a complimentary player for most nights. Tonight it clicked because Wagner played well and Wilson was able to clean up on the boards. It was a good matchup for UM but need to see more.

Player rankings in order of importance


1. Wagner
2. Walton
3. Wilson (didn't see that coming)
4. Irvin
5. MAAR
6. Robinson
7. Donnal
8. X
9. Watson