Wow. That was one serious basketball game. Both teams came to play and brought a level of intensity you don't often see. I was thoroughly impressed with the energy and heart from both teams. Everything I love about college basketball was on display in this game.
Louisville was the better team, but Michigan pushed them in ways, quite honestly, I didn't think they were capable of. The team I saw was mature. They made the right decisions. They played both ends of the floor. They didn't settle for jump shots. They scratched and clawed for every single thing they got. There were a few times in the game that made the difference for Louisville:
1. When Burke picked up his second foul, he should not have sat for the half. You have to trust your best player in the most important game of the season. Michigan was in complete control of the game, and sitting him for 12 minutes completely killed the momentum, and allowed Hancock to get going with those 3 threes to close the gap. Louisville then did what they do in the second.
2. Because Albrecht shot out of his mind in the first half, he got the majority of Stauskas' minutes in the second half. Another mistake in the second half. Stauskas is the better player, and should have taken over when Albrecht got cold. Bench players don't win games; starters do, and Stauskas was capable of more than he was given.
3. Chane Behanan was a BEAST on the glass. He looked like a Big Ten player. He just wanted it more than anyone on the floor. Some of those rebounds, wow. Beyond impressed. him outplaying Draymond Green in last year's game was clearly not a fluke. That guy has an NBA motor. Period. Branden Dawson and he are the same height. Dawson has now seen what a guy with athletic ability can do in a high-stakes game.
4. McGary showed he has a way to go. As questionable as the officiating was, two of those fouls were a lack of experience. In some ways, he looked very much like the bench player he was earlier in the year. But most of that was Louisville - they were the more aggressive team. He will be back, and next year he's going to be a load for anyone and everyone. I love his fire. He's got talent and athletic ability. If he develops a post move and a counter, he will be the best post player in the Big Ten very, very quickly.
5. Hardaway did another of his disappearing acts. He was consistently guarded by a player four inches shorter than he was, yet Michigan took very little advantage. Part of this is the coaches fault (more on this in a second), but if you have someone smaller on you, take them into the post and go over them. My biggest gripe about Hardaway has been that he has all the tools to be a great player, but cannot consistently put it together game after game. Even though his dunk in the second half was SICK, this was the case tonight. People will remember the dunk, but I will remember the loss.
6. Beilein was out-coached tonight. Yes, it was by a hall of famer, but it was clear. Pitino's adjustments (the back door cuts, when to use the press, using Hancock at the right times) made a lot of the difference in the second half. The coaches decision to sit Burke, to play Albrecht over Stauskas, not to use Hardaway in the post, and not to foul quicker at the end of the game cost his team dearly.
7. There's not a team in America that wouldn't want Trey Burke on their team. Even Louisville. I hope Michigan realizes just how good he was this year, because his replacement will have HUGE shoes to fill. NBA lottery picks do not go back to school, people. Oh, and the play on Siva? You can't have a more clean block than that. And millions of people saw it. Yet, the three guys in stripes didn't?
I am very, very curious to see what the Wolverines and the Spartans look like next year. Because the route to the Big Ten Championship now goes through both East Lansing and Ann Arbor.
My plea to the NCAA - you're a billion dollar business. Hire full-time officials. Give them professional development. Pay them well. The integrity of your game is at stake. These players are too big, strong and fast. They need qualified people officiating their games.
Great season, capped by one of my finest memories of basketball: The Michigan game in East Lansing. Wow. That one should hold me over till November 2013 :).
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Capping a great season.....and some homework for the 2014 Spartan Basketball Team
I've taken a few days to digest Friday night's game against Duke, and seen some of the Elite 8 games in the meantime, including Louisville's convincing win against the Blue Devils. I remain more convinced that ever that the title is Louisville's to lose, even with the Michigan bandwagon ramping up and gobs of love being heaped on the Wolverines. Before I get to the Spartans, I should say a couple of things about the team from Ann Arbor, because even though I can't cheer for them, I can give them credit(or non-credit) in a few areas:
BIG POINT: First Final Four in 20 years. That's a heck of an accomplishment. The Florida game was impressive - Michigan's offense was simply far better than anything Florida could do. It was beyond pretty to see that kind of ball movement and quality offensive play. I love unselfish basketball, and Michigan was all about that yesterday.
1. Trey Burke is the player of the year. There is no question on this point. He understands how to be a point guard better than most of the players I've seen in college basketball in the last ten years. That guy could score 20 a game if he wanted and leave his teammates behind, but you see him passing up easy 15-foot jump shots to get his teammates layups. McGary wouldn't get nearly as many clean rebounds and looks at layups if the entire team wasn't focused on Burke and the other three point shooters. Michigan fans should enjoy him these last two games (yes, I pick Michigan to make the final), because he's gone to the NBA. No doubt on this. Would love to see him in New Orleans throwing lobs to Anthony Davis next year.
2. Nik Stauskas is going to be a ballplayer. That guy is going to be the best long-range shooter in college basketball before he's done. Still needs some strength, and more confidence in his drive at the college level, but that jumper is smooth like butter. Effortless. I bet he has 30-foot range (and that is very, very special). If Michigan's point guard play suffers in the next few years, I'd run screens for this guy all game - he will make those shots.
3. Hardaway's still an enigma - he could either go for 20 or 0-20. You never know. With his tools, he should crash the boards when his jumper's not going in - easy way to get to the line, make some free throws and regain confidence. He can be a big-time player, but he has to learn how to impact the game when he is not making a lot of shots.
4. Ah, McGary. The new darling. Everyone's talking about how unstoppable this guy is. He is making all his shots off putbacks and dunks. He is simply working harder than everyone on the court, and getting the benefits of that. If you play him with good post defense, it negates his productivity, and makes it easy for all that energy to result in cheap fouls. Now, don't get me wrong - I love energy on the basketball court. It's the only reason I still score regularly on kids half my age - they don't expect the older guy to be outworking them. But, Mitch needs a post game next year, because Burke will be gone, and all the attention will be focused squarely on him. Let's wait another year before we anoint him the second coming of Shaquille O'Neal.
AND NOW, TO THE SPARTANS:
Michigan State did not, at any point in time, ever act like the aggressor in this game. Duke looked like a Big 10 team, and we looked like the team from the ACC. For those of us that would say the refs screwed us by calling too many fouls, while I agree that too many touch fouls were called on both sides, it didn't cost us the game. many of the fouls we picked up were because:
1. We played defense with our feet instead of our hands
2. We were beat on plays and tried to slow them down
3. We weren't in proper rebounding position
4. We fouled jump shooters
And Duke made 24 of 26 free throws.
Seth Curry also made matters difficult - running through screens in a way that would make Neitzel or Respert proud. State simply didn't make the adjustments they needed to as he rained in points. By the time Harris had success defending him, it was too late. Combine that with the lack of adjustments Nix made with the double teams, and it was pretty much curtains for us.
So, what do we have to look forward to in 2014? Here's a brief analysis of all returning players that actually played this year, with homework assignments for each of them:
1. ADREIAN PAYNE: I've heard all the NBA talk. He isn't ready. He can't score, or even hold position consistently with his back to the basket. All the praise he gets for his three point shot takes away from his ability to crash the offensive glass. Just like last year with Draymond Green, you cannot have your best rebounder consistently spotting up for 15 footers and outside the three point line, even if he can make those shots. Athletically, he's exceptional. Which is why he should work on his dribble and a jump hook this summer, maybe a turnaround jump shot at the block (which would be unguardable, considering his height and length). I'd like to see him be the number one low-post option for a season, deal with those expectations, then test the NBA.
2. KEITH APPLING: YouTube footage from when Keith was a high schooler. He was a ridiculous scorer. He set the high school Breslin Center scoring record as a senior in the state championship game. His jump shot was fluid, elbow in, butter. Now, look at it. The MSU coaching staff has wrecked this part of his game. He's making a better percentage, but his mechanics suck. He has no midrange game other than a floater. He is still having trouble breaking down the defense and getting the ball to others in half-court sets. Because he is not, nor will he ever be, a point guard. One thing Appling is, beyond all others, is tough. Seriously tough. He needs to remember this next year, and play with that energy all the time. His homework this summer is to work on his midrange, changing speeds off the dribble, and clock/game management. Like it or not, he will run this team, and if he has games where he scores 16 points, but has no assists, we will lose more than we win. With that said, if you play basketball, you want a warrior like Keith Appling on your team. Every time.
3. GARY HARRIS: He's a pro. You can see it in his game. Fluid. Even when he's injured, he just moves like it. His homework is to stay in school and heal up. Those shoulders are a real concern, one that will only be corrected with rest and strength training. Without the weight room, this guy won't last in the NBA, because everyone will be bigger and stronger. Most of the improvement MSU needs centers around getting this guy the ball. He is the legit Big 10 player of the year if he gets 15 shots a game. His coaching staff needs to realize this and give him the ball. Appling's #1 target when he drives to the basket should be Harris on the wing.
4. BRANDEN DAWSON: Probably the player in the Big 10 with the highest ceiling athletically but with the most work to do. Cannot dribble or shoot at the college level. Still suffering from the affects of the ACL tear. Is fairly useless outside of 6-8 feet from the basket offensively. This guy's height and tools should allow him to be a beast. But he needs to work out 7 days a week on his game from now till when the season starts to have an impact on the game. I would make him dribble everywhere he goes - everywhere. As broken as Appling's jumper is, Dawson's is worse. Looks like a catapult. He needs to fix his form (bring the elbow DOWN), extend at a 45 degree angle, and work from 10 feet out to 15 feet, 500 shots a day. Once he gets the form fixed, he needs to shoot it after running a few miles, to get the repetition while tired. It's not rocket science. Just hard work.
5. MATT COSTELLO: In my opinion, the easy choice at this point for fifth starter. That's because you don't have to run plays for him yet; he just has to rebound, play defense and give energy. Basically everything McGary does for Michigan. The difference is, Costello's a little small. Needs at least 10-15 pounds of muscle to not get pushed around as much. For him, I'd also work on some back to the basket stuff, the side 15-footer, confidence with a spin move. He's got some ability, now it's just about playing regularly at high speed, and not turning the ball over on offense. But, I love his hustle and fire, and as his high school career proves, he can do some things on the basketball court.
6. TRAVIS TRICE: Needs to stay injury-free, and continue to work on breaking down defenders off the dribble, both for layups and midrange jump shots. He's great with the ball, and knows how to run a team. He can't change how short and small he is, but I'd like to see him get in the lane more - he can then get more teammates involved in the offense. The biggest thing is to stay injury free.
7. DENZEL VALENTINE: The best pure point on the team. By a mile. Understands where to get the ball to people, and sees the game a play ahead. His court vision is amazing. He is a joy to watch, as he makes difficult plays look easy. As he said after the Duke game, he needs to work on his quickness and shot. Absolutely correct. He needs to be able to create a jump shot for himself at this level off the dribble. The quickness improvement will allow him to be in the game more, because even with his height, he's not fast enough to guard point guards, which is why he most likely won't be the #1 point for Izzo's team, even though he's the best choice. He, other than Dawson (because he has so much room for improvement) has the biggest upside. Denzel's stat line as a senior could easily be 15 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds. He has that potential.
8. ALEX GAUNA: Took a step back this year, even with more experience than Costello. Even though he's almost as big as Nix, plays six inches smaller than his height. Everyone seems to want to anoint him as another Goran Suton, but people forget that Suton, in addition to having a great jump shot, was a true low post player, and a good rebounder. Gauna is neither, at least not at this level. He needs lots of defensive work, rebounding drills, and a go-to post move. He should be royally pissed that Costello is taking minutes from him - that's the sign of someone that wants to be great.
9. RUSSEL BYRD: Feel terrible for this guy. His confidence is shattered. Those three foot injuries cost him, and I hate to say it, and I could be wrong, but I think he won't be more than a spot player for this team. He simply doesn't have the time to improve enough to impact the game consistently. I hope I'm wrong, because we desperately need shooters, but I think he's the second coming of Isaiah Dahlman (who by the way, was destroying everyone in front of him in practice when I observed a few years ago). A nice guy who everyone roots for, but can't win you the game.
And, my last critique, is for the coaching staff. All know my respect, love and admiration for Coach Izzo. He epitomizes everything about MSU Basketball. The best of the best. And yet, there are things I saw this year that are part of this team's DNA that need changing:
1. We supposedly have 150 plays and set options. Yet, we can't ever seem to score more than 60 points a game unless we get a lot of transition baskets. With the athletes you have, you could run a free-flowing offense that puts the ball in the post AND frees shooters and slashers. Face it, our guys are too easily guardable, and don't adapt to defenses well. Our offense should look to clearly establish Payne and Harris, with Appling breaking down his defender. Dawson should be slashing from the weakside wing to the basket EVERY SINGLE PLAY; that's how he picks up the majority of his rebounds. Harris should be given a green light to shoot 15 times a game. Payne should flash the high post and get the ball there every time he's open - it's an easy jump shot, or two dribbles and a dunk. Costello's job is to clean up the misses. Simplify the offense, run downscreens for shooters (you know, like Duke did), and let your players create some offense at the end of a half sometimes. Running a set play all the time doesn't allow your players the freedom or confidence to adapt if they see something. Basketball is the most intuitive of commonly-played sports; we should treat it as such.
2. We should send three guys to the glass ON EVERY SINGLE PLAY. The best MSU teams simply outworked the other team on the glass. We've not been able to do that because we've had rebounders lately who were undersized or couldn't jump. MSU's heritage is to get great position, get the rebound, and score or re-set the offense. Period. With Appling and Harris penetrating, that's another dimension that will create rebounds. Rebounding the ball is who we are. Simple as that.
3. Our help defense used to be the best in the country. Now, we have guys getting beat routinely. Go back and watch tapes of Kalin's sophomore year - the defense was NASTY. We can get there again, because we have more athletes now. We had some really great games last year defensively, but make no mistake, defense can create offense. Look at Syracuse and Louisville. Defensive Juggernauts.
So, assuming no one takes the cash and leaves before they're ready, we have the makings of another Big 10 championship team. A lot is to be determined on that score (namely, if Trey Burke shocks everyone and stays), but it will be fun to see how everything develops.
Loved watching the Spartans this year; that Michigan game at Breslin goes down as my favorite basketball experience that didn't involve Michael Jordan. Wow. GO GREEN!!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Big Ten Tournament 2013 Primer
Tomorrow, Big Ten Tournament 2013 will begin. The only thing that has the potential to be an even more notable highlight to a regular season for the ages is all these teams playing in a condensed space over four days. I've watched Big Ten basketball for over 20 years - the field has never been this competitive from the top team to the middle of the pack. Any team could get on a roll and win this thing.
This column will focus on the top five seeds in the tournament, the teams with the most likely chance of winning three or four games in five days. We'll start at the back, and work our way up......
#5 - MICHIGAN
Kind of anticlimactic to win the player of the year award just after you miss the front end of the 1 and 1 to go ahead on Indiana in the final two minutes, and miss a final layup attempt when you had a clear path to the basket and instead of finishing the play, you tried to look for contact, only there wasn't a player that close? Look at the replay - that was, relatively speaking, one of the easier shots Burke had that night. With that said, at the end of the game, you want the ball in the hands of your top players. In both instances, Burke and Hardaway came up short. That can't happen on a neutral court, where you won't get the benefit of any home judgement calls. Michigan has been in the business lately of losing late leads - 10 points against MSU, 15 against Penn State, 5 against Indiana in the last two minutes. This team has not demonstrated that they can close teams out. Part of this is their style of play - all their sets are predicated on dribble penetration and down screens for three point shots. If your jump shots don't fall, the other team has both an easy chance for rebounds and a whole lot of chances at them. Burke is a singular talent, but he cannot carry this team against an entire defense designed to stop him. Michigan has to get help from their bigs, at least on the glass, so make a run in this tournament and have any chance of making noise in the NCAAs. If not, they will see a quick end to their season, and Burke will be preparing for the NBA draft. One last point - Michigan has the toughest road here, having to win four games in four days. With their lack of depth and overemphasis on jump shooting, winning this tournament doesn't seem possible, especially against having to face teams like Indiana, MSU or Ohio State in succession. All signs point to the Michigan bandwagon having a quick postseason.
#4 WISCONSIN
Never underestimate a Bo Ryan coached team. Period. I know they just laid an egg at home to Purdue. This team, by and large, doesn't beat itself. They run disciplined offense and chest to chest defense. If the other team matches their tempo, they have a great chance to win. They beat Indiana at home this year, a truly tough place to play. The challenge for them, as in most years, is generating enough offense to stay with another team that has scorers at multiple positions. This is the part of the game where their lack of athleticism shows loud and clear. They also are a bit young, particularly up front. They make mistakes on defense and closeouts this year that they haven't made in years. Lastly, they are missing senior leadership for the first time in a while. Wisconsin could sneak in the back door and win this tournament, but it would take four of the top five seeds to have bad offensive days against them. Not going to happen. If Wisconsin makes the sweet 16 this year, I would call that a great achievement. I also love that they never, ever give up. Lots of teams do less with more than this group has.
#3 MICHIGAN STATE
I have green blood in my veins; everyone knows that. I'll evaluate these guys the best I can in spite of that. This is one of the more emotionally fragile teams out there. If they're on a hot streak, I'm convinced they can win the national championship. If they don't believe in themselves for a seven minute period of the game, they will be beaten in a single-elimination tournament. The Spartans have almost everything you'd want in a college basketball team. They have significant athletic ability at almost every position. Skilled guard play. A solid post presence. They can play both transition basketball and half court. They are capable of stifling defense, even in man-to-man. They have only lost one double-digit game all year, and that was on New Year's Eve. Even though they didn't beat Indiana this year, you feel as if for a few brain farts, they could have, especially at home. So, what don't the Spartans have? Here's a few things:
1. A consistent knock-down shooter
Gary Harris will most likely be this guy next year. But this year, MSU does not have one player where you know if they take a jump shot, it will go in more often than not. Harris is the closest guy, and he is capable of a great deal. MSU guards need to hit their jump shots to keep single coverage on the post - one of their biggest strengths. Appling and Trice can help here, but neither is shooting it well enough to give me a lot of confidence.
2. Uncertain strategy at the end of games
Watching MSU in close games this year, even though they have won their share, you almost feel like they backed into some of those wins. At least on the floor, there seems to be confusion about assignments and responsibilities if the lead is less than four points. More often than not, the play is "get the hell out of Appling's way," but even that isn't the best strategy, as evidenced by his confidence lapses over the last month. Coach Izzo is also suspect here - it seems to be happening more regularly that when he calls time out to set up a critical play, the team either immediately turns the ball over or gets a bad shot, that you hear in the press conference is "not what we drew up." Basketball, for all the athletic ability and skill, is a simple game. Get the ball within 12 feet of the basket, and positive things happen. Appling has been able to do this a bunch this year, but in the tournament, teams will play him all sorts of ways. MSU needs to have 3-5 options AT MOST to get either Appling, Payne or Harris a shot with less than a minute to go. Those are your stars. You ride with them.
3. Attitude
This team is built to be mean. But, they only acted like it once (and you saw what happened during the Michigan evisceration). There is no one on this team that plays with a chip on their shoulder. They play very hard, but that mean streak, that "you are not winning this game" doesn't seem to be there yet. The floor slapping? Cliche'. Everyone does that now. MSU, no matter the skill level, will always be a blue-collar program. Defend, rebound the heck out of the ball, and then outwork the other team to score. The last time this team won the national championship, the best player wasn't Mateen. He just had the attitude. The best guy for this is Payne. Appling is not that guy. Harris is not that guy. Trice is too fragile to be that guy. Nix is not that guy - he's not good enough. Payne can be that guy.
One last thought on the Spartans. How in the hell did a Wolverine get all-defensive team over any player on the Spartans?! Jordan Morgan was hurt for part of the year, and averaged barely a blocked shot a game when he was in. That was ridiculous. You could have put any member of the Hoosiers, Buckeyes, Badgers, or Spartans on that list over a Wolverine. If they played defense they wouldn't have lost so many leads - they can't get a stop when the game's on the line. Complete BS.
#2 OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes have everything you'd want in a battle-tested NCAA tournament team - save one. They don't have a consistent #2 scorer. Their offense reminds me of the episode of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air when the whole team keeps passing the ball to Will Smith, and everyone else is scared to shoot. That's what happened most of the year with everyone looking for DeShaun Thomas. Who, by the way, is a great scorer and shooter - if he can get his shot off against the average NBA player, he could have a future in the league. Aaron Craft is exactly the kind of player I want on my team - you have to break his legs to get him to stop coming after you. One of the best on-ball defenders ever in the Big Ten (although he gets away with stuff in conference that he won't in the tournament). I say this with pride - he would be the perfect Spartan. But, he can't be the #2 scorer because his jumper is so suspect, and honestly, he expends every bit of his energy playing defense and running the team.
If this team can keep the score low (like below 60), they can put teams out - they all have bought into defense. They have a thin bench too, but the key for them is keeping Thomas out there and having him hit over 50% of his shots. If they do that, they can literally beet anyone. Ohio State scares me in a single elimination game.
#1 INDIANA
They are one of the few teams that have it all. Post presence. Guard play. Team defensive fundamentals. Dynamic offense at almost every position. Swag. Great coaching.
Wait a minute. Let's talk about that coaching for a second. They have a great philosophy, but watch all their close games - they make very, very few adjustments. In effect, they win those games because their players are so much more skilled and athletic than the opposition. Look at the MSU/Hoosiers game here in East Lansing. One reason they win. Oladipo decides that "I'm going to play like a top 5 NBA pick." Bam. Over. Why does Indiana close out the Wolverines? Well, the first reason is they choked. But the second reason is that Zeller hung 25 points and 10 rebounds on them, and they just played smart. The Wolverines basically ran clear outs for Burke while the other guys stood there praying.
But, just because you have the best team on paper doesn't mean you'll win the tournament. The recipe to keep the Hoosiers down (if you have the athletes) - play a hard man to man with a little 2/3 zone thrown in to contest their shooters. Make Oladipo shoot jump shots - he's much too quick and athletic to allow him in the lane. Limit Zeller's run outs - he gets at least six points a game this way. Make Chrisitan put it on the floor and be physical with him. Pick up Jordan Hulls at halfcourt on transition so he doesn't shoot a pull up 3 (he does this at least twice a game). On offense, you must make them work. Move the ball with the pass, not the dribble. Run Oladipo through screens to tire him out. Make Zeller play the post straight up (easiest way to get him in foul trouble). Beat them in the rebounding game. Get in the lane to draw as many fouls as possible. Don't try to match them transition for transition, but if you can run off a miss, you must get as many easy points as possible.
Now, what team in the Big Ten tournament is most qualified to do this and win the thing? Yup.
Michigan State.
Tournament Starts tomorrow!
This column will focus on the top five seeds in the tournament, the teams with the most likely chance of winning three or four games in five days. We'll start at the back, and work our way up......
#5 - MICHIGAN
Kind of anticlimactic to win the player of the year award just after you miss the front end of the 1 and 1 to go ahead on Indiana in the final two minutes, and miss a final layup attempt when you had a clear path to the basket and instead of finishing the play, you tried to look for contact, only there wasn't a player that close? Look at the replay - that was, relatively speaking, one of the easier shots Burke had that night. With that said, at the end of the game, you want the ball in the hands of your top players. In both instances, Burke and Hardaway came up short. That can't happen on a neutral court, where you won't get the benefit of any home judgement calls. Michigan has been in the business lately of losing late leads - 10 points against MSU, 15 against Penn State, 5 against Indiana in the last two minutes. This team has not demonstrated that they can close teams out. Part of this is their style of play - all their sets are predicated on dribble penetration and down screens for three point shots. If your jump shots don't fall, the other team has both an easy chance for rebounds and a whole lot of chances at them. Burke is a singular talent, but he cannot carry this team against an entire defense designed to stop him. Michigan has to get help from their bigs, at least on the glass, so make a run in this tournament and have any chance of making noise in the NCAAs. If not, they will see a quick end to their season, and Burke will be preparing for the NBA draft. One last point - Michigan has the toughest road here, having to win four games in four days. With their lack of depth and overemphasis on jump shooting, winning this tournament doesn't seem possible, especially against having to face teams like Indiana, MSU or Ohio State in succession. All signs point to the Michigan bandwagon having a quick postseason.
#4 WISCONSIN
Never underestimate a Bo Ryan coached team. Period. I know they just laid an egg at home to Purdue. This team, by and large, doesn't beat itself. They run disciplined offense and chest to chest defense. If the other team matches their tempo, they have a great chance to win. They beat Indiana at home this year, a truly tough place to play. The challenge for them, as in most years, is generating enough offense to stay with another team that has scorers at multiple positions. This is the part of the game where their lack of athleticism shows loud and clear. They also are a bit young, particularly up front. They make mistakes on defense and closeouts this year that they haven't made in years. Lastly, they are missing senior leadership for the first time in a while. Wisconsin could sneak in the back door and win this tournament, but it would take four of the top five seeds to have bad offensive days against them. Not going to happen. If Wisconsin makes the sweet 16 this year, I would call that a great achievement. I also love that they never, ever give up. Lots of teams do less with more than this group has.
#3 MICHIGAN STATE
I have green blood in my veins; everyone knows that. I'll evaluate these guys the best I can in spite of that. This is one of the more emotionally fragile teams out there. If they're on a hot streak, I'm convinced they can win the national championship. If they don't believe in themselves for a seven minute period of the game, they will be beaten in a single-elimination tournament. The Spartans have almost everything you'd want in a college basketball team. They have significant athletic ability at almost every position. Skilled guard play. A solid post presence. They can play both transition basketball and half court. They are capable of stifling defense, even in man-to-man. They have only lost one double-digit game all year, and that was on New Year's Eve. Even though they didn't beat Indiana this year, you feel as if for a few brain farts, they could have, especially at home. So, what don't the Spartans have? Here's a few things:
1. A consistent knock-down shooter
Gary Harris will most likely be this guy next year. But this year, MSU does not have one player where you know if they take a jump shot, it will go in more often than not. Harris is the closest guy, and he is capable of a great deal. MSU guards need to hit their jump shots to keep single coverage on the post - one of their biggest strengths. Appling and Trice can help here, but neither is shooting it well enough to give me a lot of confidence.
2. Uncertain strategy at the end of games
Watching MSU in close games this year, even though they have won their share, you almost feel like they backed into some of those wins. At least on the floor, there seems to be confusion about assignments and responsibilities if the lead is less than four points. More often than not, the play is "get the hell out of Appling's way," but even that isn't the best strategy, as evidenced by his confidence lapses over the last month. Coach Izzo is also suspect here - it seems to be happening more regularly that when he calls time out to set up a critical play, the team either immediately turns the ball over or gets a bad shot, that you hear in the press conference is "not what we drew up." Basketball, for all the athletic ability and skill, is a simple game. Get the ball within 12 feet of the basket, and positive things happen. Appling has been able to do this a bunch this year, but in the tournament, teams will play him all sorts of ways. MSU needs to have 3-5 options AT MOST to get either Appling, Payne or Harris a shot with less than a minute to go. Those are your stars. You ride with them.
3. Attitude
This team is built to be mean. But, they only acted like it once (and you saw what happened during the Michigan evisceration). There is no one on this team that plays with a chip on their shoulder. They play very hard, but that mean streak, that "you are not winning this game" doesn't seem to be there yet. The floor slapping? Cliche'. Everyone does that now. MSU, no matter the skill level, will always be a blue-collar program. Defend, rebound the heck out of the ball, and then outwork the other team to score. The last time this team won the national championship, the best player wasn't Mateen. He just had the attitude. The best guy for this is Payne. Appling is not that guy. Harris is not that guy. Trice is too fragile to be that guy. Nix is not that guy - he's not good enough. Payne can be that guy.
One last thought on the Spartans. How in the hell did a Wolverine get all-defensive team over any player on the Spartans?! Jordan Morgan was hurt for part of the year, and averaged barely a blocked shot a game when he was in. That was ridiculous. You could have put any member of the Hoosiers, Buckeyes, Badgers, or Spartans on that list over a Wolverine. If they played defense they wouldn't have lost so many leads - they can't get a stop when the game's on the line. Complete BS.
#2 OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes have everything you'd want in a battle-tested NCAA tournament team - save one. They don't have a consistent #2 scorer. Their offense reminds me of the episode of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air when the whole team keeps passing the ball to Will Smith, and everyone else is scared to shoot. That's what happened most of the year with everyone looking for DeShaun Thomas. Who, by the way, is a great scorer and shooter - if he can get his shot off against the average NBA player, he could have a future in the league. Aaron Craft is exactly the kind of player I want on my team - you have to break his legs to get him to stop coming after you. One of the best on-ball defenders ever in the Big Ten (although he gets away with stuff in conference that he won't in the tournament). I say this with pride - he would be the perfect Spartan. But, he can't be the #2 scorer because his jumper is so suspect, and honestly, he expends every bit of his energy playing defense and running the team.
If this team can keep the score low (like below 60), they can put teams out - they all have bought into defense. They have a thin bench too, but the key for them is keeping Thomas out there and having him hit over 50% of his shots. If they do that, they can literally beet anyone. Ohio State scares me in a single elimination game.
#1 INDIANA
They are one of the few teams that have it all. Post presence. Guard play. Team defensive fundamentals. Dynamic offense at almost every position. Swag. Great coaching.
Wait a minute. Let's talk about that coaching for a second. They have a great philosophy, but watch all their close games - they make very, very few adjustments. In effect, they win those games because their players are so much more skilled and athletic than the opposition. Look at the MSU/Hoosiers game here in East Lansing. One reason they win. Oladipo decides that "I'm going to play like a top 5 NBA pick." Bam. Over. Why does Indiana close out the Wolverines? Well, the first reason is they choked. But the second reason is that Zeller hung 25 points and 10 rebounds on them, and they just played smart. The Wolverines basically ran clear outs for Burke while the other guys stood there praying.
But, just because you have the best team on paper doesn't mean you'll win the tournament. The recipe to keep the Hoosiers down (if you have the athletes) - play a hard man to man with a little 2/3 zone thrown in to contest their shooters. Make Oladipo shoot jump shots - he's much too quick and athletic to allow him in the lane. Limit Zeller's run outs - he gets at least six points a game this way. Make Chrisitan put it on the floor and be physical with him. Pick up Jordan Hulls at halfcourt on transition so he doesn't shoot a pull up 3 (he does this at least twice a game). On offense, you must make them work. Move the ball with the pass, not the dribble. Run Oladipo through screens to tire him out. Make Zeller play the post straight up (easiest way to get him in foul trouble). Beat them in the rebounding game. Get in the lane to draw as many fouls as possible. Don't try to match them transition for transition, but if you can run off a miss, you must get as many easy points as possible.
Now, what team in the Big Ten tournament is most qualified to do this and win the thing? Yup.
Michigan State.
Tournament Starts tomorrow!
Monday, March 11, 2013
The Best Cupcake - CHICAGO
The Windy City. Most people come here for a taste of the big city life, and you can definitely find it in Chi-Town. This town is a home to all professional sports, great shopping, some of the best cultural and recreational activities in the U.S., and yes, the food here is something else.
But, we'll reserve the deep-dish pizza column for another time. This column is about cupcakes. The baked good to rule them all. Portable, yet luxurious. The opportunity for endless flavor profiles. A small enough dessert for lunch, yet two of them make a nice after dinner exclamation point. Good with both hot and cold beverages. Refrigeration not required (at least within the first few hours).
I've had cupcakes in three different bakeries in Chicago. Because of this, I feel that I've had enough samples to be able to judge the best cupcake in the city. My criteria are these:
1. Size
A cupcake should not require two hands to eat. Cupcake and cookie portions are downright RIDICULOUS in some places. If it has the same amount of calories as a club sandwich, we need to tone it down, people! On the flip side, it cannot be equal in size to a Hostess Mini-Muffin. That's just cruel.
2. Icing Coverage:
There needs to be enough icing to get a quality bite until the cupcake is gone. This is particularly problematic with homemade cupcakes. No one puts enough frosting on these. Some bakeries go to the opposite end of the spectrum and add more frosting than cake. This is also a fail. Roughly 1/4 inch of frosting height is appropriate.
EXCEPTION: Some vendors have chosen to fill their cupcakes with various custards, other flavors, fruit, etc. In this case, you need enough frosting on top of the cupcake to balance the filling, which may necessitate you exceeding the 1/4 inch requirement. The cupcake may also have to be slightly enlarged to allow for this filling. Bake and cakes, you screw this up on all your so-called "gourmet" cupcakes.
3. Flavor Profile
This is the deal breaker. The cake AND the frosting must be flavorful. I've had great icing on horrible cupcakes, and vice versa. I've had chocolate frosting that doesn't taste like chocolate (kind of like a chocolate milkshake that uses vanilla ice cream, but not enough chocolate sauce in the blend). The biggest miss for me in this area is cream cheese frosting. You want that "zip" in the frosting, but you don't want to eat Philadelphia Cream Cheese on top of your cupcake. If you want an example of this, go to Sugarshack in Frandor. Sad but true. Their mix is completely off.
So, Red Velvet is this super-popular cupcake, right? Essentially, it's a slightly-altered chocolate cake. No frills, that's it. Yet, I've had some of these that taste nothing like they're supposed to.
NOTE: We'll use this criteria in all cupcake analysis going forward.
So, without further ado, of the best cupcakes in Chicago, there are two varieties, both from the same vendor:
http://www.sprinkles.com/
These cupcakes have it ALL. A non-ridiculous size. Icing coverage is perfect. And the flavor profile is out of this world. Every bite pops. I've sampled at least ten of their varieties, and have enjoyed them all. Sprinkles prides themselves on using the best ingredients (my guess is that's how they rationalize charging 3.50 per cupcake). They also have invented a machine that sits in front of some of their stores and dispenses cupcakes at a swipe of your credit card. They call it, "The Cupcake ATM."
There are two varieties that stand out:
1. Red Velvet
The best red velvet cupcake I've had - ever. I've never eaten this cake in the south, but if it tastes better than this cupcake, I might pass out. The cake is so flavorful, it doesn't need frosting. And yet, the cream cheese frosting is the best ratio and flavor I've ever had. I would eat this cream cheese frosting on my morning toast. If they shipped this cupcake I would need to be on the elliptical 90 minutes five days a week just to keep my calorie count down.
2. Milk Chocolate (a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles)
They really show off the decadence with this cupcake Chocolate cake, with a milk chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles. You may think that much chocolate would be a harsh taste, maybe a bit bitter? Nope. Creamy, smooth, and lots of milk chocolate flavor. Like a cake version of hot chocolate. They use Belgian chocolate in these bad boys, and I tell you, I want to fly to Belgium to get some of this stuff! This was so good, I had to eat it without drinking anything, for fear it would dilute the flavor. I had coffee afterwards :). This tastes a whole lot like Brazilian fudge (Brigadeiro). Trust me, that's a compliment.
Sprinkles is a small bakery chain (there's 12 nationwide), so you may be turned off by that, or that it's very popular with the Hollywood set. Don't let that drive you away. Sprinkles is more of a boutique bakery, and when you walk in the store, it's very minimalist. The cupcakes are the star. As they should be. There are a lot of other more media-famous outlets (Crumbs, Magnolia Bakery), but trust me, I've had them. I've had A LOT of them.
Sprinkles kicks their tail. I look forward to the next time I eat one. Or three :).
But, we'll reserve the deep-dish pizza column for another time. This column is about cupcakes. The baked good to rule them all. Portable, yet luxurious. The opportunity for endless flavor profiles. A small enough dessert for lunch, yet two of them make a nice after dinner exclamation point. Good with both hot and cold beverages. Refrigeration not required (at least within the first few hours).
I've had cupcakes in three different bakeries in Chicago. Because of this, I feel that I've had enough samples to be able to judge the best cupcake in the city. My criteria are these:
1. Size
A cupcake should not require two hands to eat. Cupcake and cookie portions are downright RIDICULOUS in some places. If it has the same amount of calories as a club sandwich, we need to tone it down, people! On the flip side, it cannot be equal in size to a Hostess Mini-Muffin. That's just cruel.
2. Icing Coverage:
There needs to be enough icing to get a quality bite until the cupcake is gone. This is particularly problematic with homemade cupcakes. No one puts enough frosting on these. Some bakeries go to the opposite end of the spectrum and add more frosting than cake. This is also a fail. Roughly 1/4 inch of frosting height is appropriate.
EXCEPTION: Some vendors have chosen to fill their cupcakes with various custards, other flavors, fruit, etc. In this case, you need enough frosting on top of the cupcake to balance the filling, which may necessitate you exceeding the 1/4 inch requirement. The cupcake may also have to be slightly enlarged to allow for this filling. Bake and cakes, you screw this up on all your so-called "gourmet" cupcakes.
3. Flavor Profile
This is the deal breaker. The cake AND the frosting must be flavorful. I've had great icing on horrible cupcakes, and vice versa. I've had chocolate frosting that doesn't taste like chocolate (kind of like a chocolate milkshake that uses vanilla ice cream, but not enough chocolate sauce in the blend). The biggest miss for me in this area is cream cheese frosting. You want that "zip" in the frosting, but you don't want to eat Philadelphia Cream Cheese on top of your cupcake. If you want an example of this, go to Sugarshack in Frandor. Sad but true. Their mix is completely off.
So, Red Velvet is this super-popular cupcake, right? Essentially, it's a slightly-altered chocolate cake. No frills, that's it. Yet, I've had some of these that taste nothing like they're supposed to.
NOTE: We'll use this criteria in all cupcake analysis going forward.
So, without further ado, of the best cupcakes in Chicago, there are two varieties, both from the same vendor:
http://www.sprinkles.com/
These cupcakes have it ALL. A non-ridiculous size. Icing coverage is perfect. And the flavor profile is out of this world. Every bite pops. I've sampled at least ten of their varieties, and have enjoyed them all. Sprinkles prides themselves on using the best ingredients (my guess is that's how they rationalize charging 3.50 per cupcake). They also have invented a machine that sits in front of some of their stores and dispenses cupcakes at a swipe of your credit card. They call it, "The Cupcake ATM."
There are two varieties that stand out:
1. Red Velvet
The best red velvet cupcake I've had - ever. I've never eaten this cake in the south, but if it tastes better than this cupcake, I might pass out. The cake is so flavorful, it doesn't need frosting. And yet, the cream cheese frosting is the best ratio and flavor I've ever had. I would eat this cream cheese frosting on my morning toast. If they shipped this cupcake I would need to be on the elliptical 90 minutes five days a week just to keep my calorie count down.
2. Milk Chocolate (a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles)
They really show off the decadence with this cupcake Chocolate cake, with a milk chocolate frosting and chocolate sprinkles. You may think that much chocolate would be a harsh taste, maybe a bit bitter? Nope. Creamy, smooth, and lots of milk chocolate flavor. Like a cake version of hot chocolate. They use Belgian chocolate in these bad boys, and I tell you, I want to fly to Belgium to get some of this stuff! This was so good, I had to eat it without drinking anything, for fear it would dilute the flavor. I had coffee afterwards :). This tastes a whole lot like Brazilian fudge (Brigadeiro). Trust me, that's a compliment.
Sprinkles is a small bakery chain (there's 12 nationwide), so you may be turned off by that, or that it's very popular with the Hollywood set. Don't let that drive you away. Sprinkles is more of a boutique bakery, and when you walk in the store, it's very minimalist. The cupcakes are the star. As they should be. There are a lot of other more media-famous outlets (Crumbs, Magnolia Bakery), but trust me, I've had them. I've had A LOT of them.
Sprinkles kicks their tail. I look forward to the next time I eat one. Or three :).
The opening.....
As most people that know me can attest, I have many random thoughts and a pretty diverse area of interests. There's a lot about life that I find interesting. I also have a tendency to remember a lot of random facts. Wish that helped me more professionally, but there you go.
The title, "Dribbles with Cupcakes," represents a nod to my ongoing relationship with basketball, and what seems like a constantly evolving relationship with baked goods. Simply put, no matter how healthy I eat, I will be on the search for the perfect cupcake anywhere and everywhere. I will share my findings with you as I continue that journey.
Although my opinions are my own, I will try to write with an open mind, and make sound arguments towards why I feel the way that I do. So, let's just get this out there at the onset. I cannot and will not support any University of Michigan sports team, for any reason. There are some things that Spartans simply will not do.
I also think about basketball more than almost anyone. In fact, I probably think of it more than a lot of the people that get paid for it. This is the place I plan to get that stuff out of me. Someone told me some time ago, "the internet is written in ink," and I'll do my best to keep my thoughts at a PG-level with this thought in mind.
The title, "Dribbles with Cupcakes," represents a nod to my ongoing relationship with basketball, and what seems like a constantly evolving relationship with baked goods. Simply put, no matter how healthy I eat, I will be on the search for the perfect cupcake anywhere and everywhere. I will share my findings with you as I continue that journey.
Although my opinions are my own, I will try to write with an open mind, and make sound arguments towards why I feel the way that I do. So, let's just get this out there at the onset. I cannot and will not support any University of Michigan sports team, for any reason. There are some things that Spartans simply will not do.
With the Madness almost upon us and a great trip to an outstanding bakery in my recent past, there will be alot coming very soon. I look forward to getting to it!
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