- Last night's game was impressive for a number of different reasons. Obviously we beat a very good team handily. I also liked how we didn't panic when NC got their early lead (they were on fire and we seemed a bit nervous). And the run we put on the second half to extend the lead to 20 was incredible. Our guys just played with incredible swagger and edge. The rejections by Teske and Matthews. The poster dunk by Matthews. Simpson finishing and getting fouled after jawing with an NC player. The score of the game did not tell the story of how we physically and psychologically dominated NC last night.
- We better enjoy Iggy while we got him. His ambidexterity and hands in general are amazing. Just watch how masterful he is at spinning the ball when finishing. He is incredibly strong. Has a great handle for a guy his size (which will get better). He's a guy who's going to be able to play guard and/or point forward at the next level. And he is going to develop into an elite 3 point shooter. He's already better than Wagner was last year IMO.
- Poole is still a bit raw but has a really high ceiling. His handle will improve and he already is very good at driving the ball to the basket (he may not be an explosive leaper but has incredibly long strides). He needs to get stronger. I've been very impressed with his defense. He has great instincts which allows him to get into passing lanes and get steals. I wish he got a little more elevation on him jumper.
- Teske's defense last night was incredible. He not only is very good at blocking/altering shots (without getting out of control or fouling) but is very good at moving his feet. When guarding NC guys away from the basket last night, nobody was driving the ball by him. Hopefully, the jumper develops. It's a bit unorthodox but at his height with the way he shoots it up high, it is impossible to block.
- We won last night getting very little from Livers. And I happen to think Livers is a guy who we could lose to the NBA after this year. Excellent shooter, defender, passer and rebounder. Plus athlete. When he's your six man, you know you've got a pretty good team.
- Matthews is a very valuable college player. He plays great defense, can rebound the ball, finishes at the rim, and has developed that very nice fade away jumper. But I still question how well his game will translate to the NBA. His jumper is inconsistent, he's only 6'6" and really does not have a strong handle for a player in his fourth year of college.
- It was masterful how Beilein utilized Simpson last night. He often used Poole to bring the ball up the floor (both to not overwork Simpson and to avoid that NC trap). I pray that his free throw shooting improves because we will need him late in close games and don't want that to be a liability. We really have no other strong point guard.
- Brooks is solid. I like his three pointer. But he doesn't finish strong at the rim. He's a guy that definitely needs to learn to finish with his left hand. Those right handed floating layups are not high percentage shots.
- Can we talk about MSU for a second? Last night Vitale was talking about how UM and MSU are the two top teams in the B10. I still don't see it from MSU. I actually think that so far this year that Izzo has maximized the return on the talent he has. MSU has virtually no pure athleticism in its starting lineup. I know on any given night in college basketball, there is no telling what can happen but on paper, MSU just doesn't matchup with us. Perhaps you can call our backcourt vs. their backcourt a draw (or maybe give a slight edge to MSU) . . . but you can't compare their front court with our's. Who do they have to matchup with Iggy, Teske, Matthews and Livers? I think Teske will be able to handle either Ward or Tillman defensively (both guys who can't do anything on the perimeter). MSU's other forwards will neither be able to score against or defend Iggy, Matthews or Livers. I don't recall such a talent disparity between the two teams since the mid-90's.
- The one thing that can derail the team is injuries. Let's hope we stay healthy. If so, it's going to be quite the season.
- We better enjoy Iggy while we got him. His ambidexterity and hands in general are amazing. Just watch how masterful he is at spinning the ball when finishing. He is incredibly strong. Has a great handle for a guy his size (which will get better). He's a guy who's going to be able to play guard and/or point forward at the next level. And he is going to develop into an elite 3 point shooter. He's already better than Wagner was last year IMO.
- Poole is still a bit raw but has a really high ceiling. His handle will improve and he already is very good at driving the ball to the basket (he may not be an explosive leaper but has incredibly long strides). He needs to get stronger. I've been very impressed with his defense. He has great instincts which allows him to get into passing lanes and get steals. I wish he got a little more elevation on him jumper.
- Teske's defense last night was incredible. He not only is very good at blocking/altering shots (without getting out of control or fouling) but is very good at moving his feet. When guarding NC guys away from the basket last night, nobody was driving the ball by him. Hopefully, the jumper develops. It's a bit unorthodox but at his height with the way he shoots it up high, it is impossible to block.
- We won last night getting very little from Livers. And I happen to think Livers is a guy who we could lose to the NBA after this year. Excellent shooter, defender, passer and rebounder. Plus athlete. When he's your six man, you know you've got a pretty good team.
- Matthews is a very valuable college player. He plays great defense, can rebound the ball, finishes at the rim, and has developed that very nice fade away jumper. But I still question how well his game will translate to the NBA. His jumper is inconsistent, he's only 6'6" and really does not have a strong handle for a player in his fourth year of college.
- It was masterful how Beilein utilized Simpson last night. He often used Poole to bring the ball up the floor (both to not overwork Simpson and to avoid that NC trap). I pray that his free throw shooting improves because we will need him late in close games and don't want that to be a liability. We really have no other strong point guard.
- Brooks is solid. I like his three pointer. But he doesn't finish strong at the rim. He's a guy that definitely needs to learn to finish with his left hand. Those right handed floating layups are not high percentage shots.
- Can we talk about MSU for a second? Last night Vitale was talking about how UM and MSU are the two top teams in the B10. I still don't see it from MSU. I actually think that so far this year that Izzo has maximized the return on the talent he has. MSU has virtually no pure athleticism in its starting lineup. I know on any given night in college basketball, there is no telling what can happen but on paper, MSU just doesn't matchup with us. Perhaps you can call our backcourt vs. their backcourt a draw (or maybe give a slight edge to MSU) . . . but you can't compare their front court with our's. Who do they have to matchup with Iggy, Teske, Matthews and Livers? I think Teske will be able to handle either Ward or Tillman defensively (both guys who can't do anything on the perimeter). MSU's other forwards will neither be able to score against or defend Iggy, Matthews or Livers. I don't recall such a talent disparity between the two teams since the mid-90's.
- The one thing that can derail the team is injuries. Let's hope we stay healthy. If so, it's going to be quite the season.
