Michigan Basketball

Football School? Michigan Basketball Tradition Restored

... you feel about Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, coach Steve Fisher and the Ed Martin scandal, their impact on college basketball was huge - and unforgettable. Even to some of Michigan’s legendary football players, basketball mattered. Bennie Oosterbaan was a basketball All-American, and coached the Wolverines in both sports. East Detroit’s Ron Kramer averaged 17 points and nine rebounds per game for the UM basketball team in 1950 s. And Tom Harmon started two seasons for the Michigan basketball team. Yes, he wore No.98. It’s just there was a lull after the Fab 5, and it was a long one. But obviously, that time is over. While Michigan’s run to the Sweet 16 of NCAA tournament this year was unexpected, it continued a recent trend. The Wolverines advanced to the NCAA championship game in 2013 before losing to Louisville. A year later, Michigan won the Big Ten regular season title before getting to the Elite Eight and losing to a close decision to Kentucky. The Wolverines had a couple ...

Complete Breakdown Of Michigan Basketball

... and finished with 7 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and one turnover. He played a good defensive game and, most importantly, seemed to have command of the offense. He made several excellent cuts to the basket and finished like an older, bigger man. A lot of Michigan players played well in this blow out win, so he got buried a little bit. However, this the game Michigan fans should have noticed they had some talent to look forward to. Honorable Mention. The 7-foot freshman Jon Teske does not usually play, but he could see some action if the starting bigs get into foul trouble, like they did against Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament. He's got good size and shot blocking ability, but he has not adjusted to the college game well and needs another year to actually contribute. Well, there you have them! The Michigan Sweet 16 Team! The only thing not included was the free throw percentage, but that's because it's so good, it's boring! Zak Irvin is the only player below 70% with 66%. All 8 Wolverine players shoot and they all share the ...

After Traumatic Plane Crash, Michigan Basketball Can't Lose

... to heavy winds that hit the area. (Photo: Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press). The idea of linking basketball performance to such a traumatic real-life event might seem silly if it wasn’t for this: Michigan has played exceptionally well since March 8. The Wolverines (25-11) eventually made it to the Big Ten Tournament and then won four games in four days, beating Wisconsin by 15 points Sunday to assure an NCAA bid that had seemed relatively uncertain just a few weeks before. After a hot-shooting 92-91 win over Oklahoma State on Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Michigan has won six in a row entering Sunday’s 12:10 p.m. NCAA second round game against Louisville (25-8) and is playing as well as any team still playing. “Obviously, a lot of people want to say that was a big moment in our season,” senior Duncan Robinson said. “I think it was, but I wouldn’t point at that as being the sole reason. I think before that we were playing well ...

A Sweet Sixteen From Not Too Long Ago

... Nothing compared to this game, though. Michigan hasn’t won an NCAA title in my lifetime, so the Kansas game is—in my mind—the pinnacle of Michigan basketball. Michigan would go on to embarrass Florida in the Elite Eight and squeak one out against Syracuse in the Final Four, but the Kansas game stands alone. It was the game when people finally realized that yes, Michigan could indeed exist as a basketball school, and that yes, Trey Burke was indeed the best player in the country, and that yes, if you’re downwind from fairy dust in March you can erase a ten point lead against the best team in the country in fewer than two minutes. It was March distilled into its purest form. Bottled in bond. Make no doubt about it, this year’s team is not the 2013 squad, but I like the team’s chances with a couple of sharpshooting wings, a big man or two that can play, and point guard that just seems to know exactly when it’s ...

Why This Sweet 16 Michigan Team Makes Zero Basketball Sense

... rebounding rate (percent of available rebounds grabbed) is by far the worst of any Sweet 16 team, which doesn’t bode well for a leisurely affair. Michigan has five players who shot better than 38 percent from deep in conference play at a relatively high volume, and that doesn’t include senior Zak Irvin, who’s made 44 percent of his threes in postseason play. Basically, every Wolverine who plays regular minutes is adept from beyond the arc. Derrick Walton has coincidentally done his best Steve Nash impression of late, leading the NCAA Tournament in total assists with 17. The senior point guard is also the only major conference player to average at least 15 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds per game since Feb. 1. MORE: Big Ten faces big test in Sweet 16. Michigan played a little faster (69 possessions) during a wild first-round win over Oklahoma State, in which they shot a sizzling 55 percent (16-of-29) percent from long range. They were slowed a bit to a pace of 65 against Louisville, making just ...

Duncan Robinson Is Full Of Questions

... remains curious 11 years later. Now a 6-foot-8 junior forward for the Michigan basketball team, Robinson has gone from Division III standout to settling in as Michigan's sixth man. The constant probing is likely to continue when U-M faces Oregon in the Sweet 16 on Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. (7 p.m., CBS). “He cares a lot,” said senior guard Andrew Dakich, one of Robinson's roomates. “He asks the most questions out of everyone. He’s like that kid in class who always raises his hands. He’s the nerd on the team. Sometimes, it’s obvious answers.”. The abundance of questions draws laughs from his teammates and occasionally forces U-M coach John Beilein to tell Robinson he can't answer questions. “It’s too many,” Dakich said. “We’ll say that.”. Shaking his head, senior forward Sean Lonergan laughs: “Sometimes you’ll be walking around in practice and ...

Michigan Basketball Typifying Total Team Effort In Ncaas

... the only numbers that really mattered were the ones at the end: 73-69, the final score. Everybody on this team knows that anyone can go off on any given game, which is what really makes this team so dangerous. Michigan Wolverines forward D. J. Wilson scores against Louisville forward Mangok Mathiang during the second round of the 2017 NCAA tournament Sunday, March 19 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, DFP). Now the team will prepare for an even bigger spotlight and new unknowns. The entire Michigan fanbase will be watching, even as spring practices get underway for football and the baseball team starts to emerge (ranked last week in the top 25). Free Press sports writers Jeff Seidel and Mark Snyder react to Michigan's 73-69 win over Louisville in the second round of the NCAA tournament Sunday, March 19 in Indianapolis. Video by Mark Snyder, DFP. But this is a team effort. Michigan basketball is carrying the torch ...

Oof! Michigan Basketball Loses Heartbreaker To Oregon, 69-68

... Kirthmon F. Dozier, DFP. Michigan Wolverines guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rakman defends Oregon forward Dillan Brooks during the second half of U-M's 69-68 loss in the NCAA tournament Thursday, March 23, 2017 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. Kirthmon F. Dozier, DFP. Michigan Wolverines guard Derrick Walton Jr. defends Oregon guard Dylan Ennis during the second half of U-M's 69-68 loss in the NCAA tournament Thursday, March 23, 2017 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. Kirthmon F. Dozier, DFP. Michigan Wolverines guard Derrick Walton Jr. drives against Oregon guard Tyler Dorsey during the second half of U-M's 69-68 loss in the NCAA tournament Thursday, March 23, 2017 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. Kirthmon F. Dozier, DFP. Michigan Wolverines head coach John Beilein on the bench during the second half of U-M's 69-68 loss to Oregon in the NCAA tournament Thursday, March 23, 2017 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. Kirthmon F. Dozier, DFP. Michigan Wolverines guard Zak Irvin ...