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 :).
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