Raise your hand if you thought by mid-December Michigan basketball would have beaten two top-five schools and likely be playing better basketball than Michigan State right now???
Yeaaa, didn't think so.
I felt enormously left out that I hadn't found a ticket to the Duke game, but as amazing as seeing that flood of maize rush the field - er - floor (have to remember this is M Basketball), I enjoyed watching it on national television almost as much...the last few times Michigan was on ESPN nationwide, Dickie V was in the house and they blew chances to win. But it was more satisfying knowing Bilas was sitting there with his shoe in his mouth.
Michigan also has an ace-in-the-hole come Christmas time...a gift from Santy Claus really:
Laval Lucas-Perry will be eligible to play on December 20th
Lucas-Perry is this guy. He left AZ when Lute Olsen bailed, and Beilen raves about his shooting skills. Only a three star recruit, but look what Beilein is doing with his current guys! Zack Novak, the kid who nailed all those clutch three-pointers is only a three-star guy, and a Scouts, Inc. ranking of 40. Huh!? Kid looked like freakin' White Glen Rice or something! Deshawn Sims, on the other hand, is a beast, and it only made me opine for Ekpe Udoh even more, because this team would be unstoppable with him in the paint and Sims nailing jump shots and backdoors.
And Kelvin Grady learned how to pass! OMG!
And looky what I found:
Men's Basketball - Michigan Wolverines (2008-2009)
RPI Rank: 11 SOS Rank: 5 Record: 6-2 (0-0)
RPI Rank: 11 SOS Rank: 5 Record: 6-2 (0-0)
Anyone who thought Michigan was going to have to wait until 2010 to break the NCAA Tourney streak, me included, has obviously underestimated how good a coach Beilein is. So long, NIT !
Random sidenote: Brandon Graham was on the floor with everyone jumping up and down. Haha
1 comment:
Brandon Graham is a good guy. He has all but guaranteed that he will be returning for his senior year, so the defensive turn-over will not be as bad as predicted. Even with the imminent exodus of a number of players, holding onto Graham for one more season is huge.
As far as the universe we live in, this should help. Early signs point to the return of basketball relevance in Ann Arbor. I might have to go see my first Michigan b-ball game this season!
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