1. I don't know what happened between Juwan and Turgeon, though I will say that I have never seen Juwan get that angry. Whatever happened, as JB just said on the BTN, you can't take this with you. It will become a thing when we first play Maryland next year, and perhaps as long as Juwan and Turgeon coach at Michigan and Maryland, respectively. Until then...
2. Our guards were fantastic. Obviously, Mike Smith had a ridiculous game on the offensive end--15 assists versus no turnovers, and 18 points to boot is just crazy stuff, but his play on the defensive end, where Ayala tried on several occasions to back him down without success was great too. And Eli Brooks, after a slow start, was just money on both ends.
3. I hope Isaiah Livers is OK. He didn't play during the last 15 minutes, and he didn't play effectively before that. We're going to need him in the NCAAs.
4. I didn't understand what Turgeon was doing on ball screen defense. Darryl Morsell is a terrific defensive player, but it's hard to stay with a very quick guy who is 8 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter than you, especially when you're going under every screen against a 40+% shooter from 3. Our size gave Maryland a problem, and I get starting Morsell on Smith, but at some point, when you're getting absolutely torched, you make an adjustment. Maryland never did. In addition, Maryland kept taking away Hunter Dickinson even before the post entry, leaving us playing a lot of 5 on 4 on the offensive end. That didn't work either.
5. I wasn't happy about the zone early on, principally because we're not good at it. Maybe we were protecting Eli and even Isaiah, though we kept in it after Isaiah went out. Maryland missed shots in the second half, so I guess it worked. Part of the problem against a team like Maryland is that when Hunter is out, Austin Davis, for as well as he played early on the offensive end, can't guard on the perimeter and can't rim protect off of spread drives--it was no accident that our big run to end the first half came after brandon Johns came in at the 5 and could guard on the perimeter. Speaking of which, great, great shift by Brandon on both endswhich turned the game around.
6. Franz Wagner was active Franz again, particularly after Juwan lit into him for getting posterized by Aaron Wiggins. When Hunter and Isaiah are non-factors offensively, we need that. Ditto Chaundee Brown, who hit some huge shots in the first half when the game was getting away.
7. We took care of the ball extremely well against a team which pressures it a lot. 8 turnovers, and 3 were offensive fouls called against Hunter, and a fourth was on that crazy call right before the Turgeon/Juwan dust-up where he was double teamed, the ball was slapped out of his hands and the ref awarded possession to Maryland.
8. Lots of action and drama for a quarterfinal BTT gane without a lot of import to either team in terms of the NCAAs. Good to see though that we're in post-season intense mode. It's the post-season--survive and advance.
2. Our guards were fantastic. Obviously, Mike Smith had a ridiculous game on the offensive end--15 assists versus no turnovers, and 18 points to boot is just crazy stuff, but his play on the defensive end, where Ayala tried on several occasions to back him down without success was great too. And Eli Brooks, after a slow start, was just money on both ends.
3. I hope Isaiah Livers is OK. He didn't play during the last 15 minutes, and he didn't play effectively before that. We're going to need him in the NCAAs.
4. I didn't understand what Turgeon was doing on ball screen defense. Darryl Morsell is a terrific defensive player, but it's hard to stay with a very quick guy who is 8 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter than you, especially when you're going under every screen against a 40+% shooter from 3. Our size gave Maryland a problem, and I get starting Morsell on Smith, but at some point, when you're getting absolutely torched, you make an adjustment. Maryland never did. In addition, Maryland kept taking away Hunter Dickinson even before the post entry, leaving us playing a lot of 5 on 4 on the offensive end. That didn't work either.
5. I wasn't happy about the zone early on, principally because we're not good at it. Maybe we were protecting Eli and even Isaiah, though we kept in it after Isaiah went out. Maryland missed shots in the second half, so I guess it worked. Part of the problem against a team like Maryland is that when Hunter is out, Austin Davis, for as well as he played early on the offensive end, can't guard on the perimeter and can't rim protect off of spread drives--it was no accident that our big run to end the first half came after brandon Johns came in at the 5 and could guard on the perimeter. Speaking of which, great, great shift by Brandon on both endswhich turned the game around.
6. Franz Wagner was active Franz again, particularly after Juwan lit into him for getting posterized by Aaron Wiggins. When Hunter and Isaiah are non-factors offensively, we need that. Ditto Chaundee Brown, who hit some huge shots in the first half when the game was getting away.
7. We took care of the ball extremely well against a team which pressures it a lot. 8 turnovers, and 3 were offensive fouls called against Hunter, and a fourth was on that crazy call right before the Turgeon/Juwan dust-up where he was double teamed, the ball was slapped out of his hands and the ref awarded possession to Maryland.
8. Lots of action and drama for a quarterfinal BTT gane without a lot of import to either team in terms of the NCAAs. Good to see though that we're in post-season intense mode. It's the post-season--survive and advance.
