Michigan Wins - Sparty Is Mortal

Did You See This?

March Madness arrives early!  USC and Stanford each score with under 3 seconds left for what has to be the finish of the season to date.  Fast forward to the 2-minute mark to catch an ending for the ages. 

Great finish to a great game.

Michigan Handles the Illini

Games  – Dates – Time – Result - Record

Illinois(H)                  January 6^th               Noon                          WON  79-69              14-3

Purdue (H)                January 9^th               9:00 PM

Sparty (A)                   January 13^th              Noon

Maryland (H)            January 15^th            6:30 PM

Nebraska (A)             January 18^th              8:00 PM

Rutgers (H)              January 21^st             Noon

Purdue (A)                 January 25^th              7:00 PM

Northwestern (H)    January 29^th            7:00 PM

Minnesota (H)          February 3^rd             2:30 PM

Northwestern (A)      February 6^th              6:00PM

Wiscy (A)                   February 11^th            Noon

Iowa   (H)                   February 14^th           6:30 PM

Suckeyes (H)           February 18^th           1:00 PM

PSU (A)                      February 21^st            7:00 PM

Maryland (A)             February 24^th            Noon

Michigan more or less blue-collared the Illini on Saturday after starting out trying to beat themselves and overcoming what has to be the worst 10 minutes of officiating in College Hoops that I’ve seen all season. 

Livers had his coming out party at Iowa and continued the show at Crisler.  Between the dunks and the 3’s, this kid is going to be fun to watch this season.   Simpson is the best guard playing for Michigan right now and Matthews, when he’s not on the bench with silly fouls, is probably the best player Michigan has at this point.  Again, I think this team is “Right There” with respect to coming together and making everything “click” in unison.  The timing is nice and here’s to hopefully peaking in the middle of February – beginning of March.   

I know some other people watched the game, but in person, I guess it looked a lot worse as I didn’t get the feedback I was expecting regarding the officiating.  The Illini figured out how to shut Michigan’s perimeter offense down early in the game and was playing their style of offense on the opposite end.  Eventually, the Illini grew tired and Wagner was able to have his way with the vertically challenged team.  Not to mention that Michigan capitalized on turnovers and transition baskets.    

Michigan is tied for 2^nd in the B1G along with Sparty, behind undefeated Purdue who visits Crisler tomorrow, and the undefeated upstart suckeyes.  Then Michigan heads to the Breslin Center to take on Sparty for the only time this season. 

Speaking of Sparty, the suckeyes more or less pantsed Sparty at home last night in an in-explicable game that saw the suckeyes playing the type of defense that Sparty usually plays.  What was even more shocking was the suckeyes shooting percentage.  To say they were “on” is an understatement.  Holtman has these former Thad Motta misfits “BALLIN!”   If they can keep that up, they will certainly be one of the 4 teams that make it from the B1G into the Tourney. 

Michigan’s loss in Columbus is even more frustrating in the rear-view mirror as that would look like a solid victory at this point vs. a demeaning 19-point comeback loss that it is. 

At any rate, a lot of basketball in the next 6 days that will sort out some of the bottlenecks in the conference standings.  Personally, I would take 1-1.  2-0 would be fantastic, but 0-2 would put the Wolverines back on that damn bubble watch list.  I hate to say that the next two games are the season, but the next two games are kind of the season.  These are the only 2 ranked teams Michigan will play until they visit Purdue at the end of January.  Everything else will be schedule fodder and Michigan won’t move much in the RPI (currently sitting at 38) with victories over the middle and bottom of the B1G.  Michigan needs the wins as it has the worst SOS (143) of the 4 teams in the Top of the B1G.  The committee will be looking at that come tourney time.

Teddy Valentine Threatens Retirement

Hip-Hip-Hooray!!!

You need to watch this to see Teddy being an ass….

Anyone who knows me knows how much I hate this clown.  I really hope he does call it quits as I’ve never been a fan and any time fans know a referee’s name, it’s usually for bad reasons.  TV Teddy proved once again why he’s so hated, and justifiably so.  Ignoring a player and worse, disrespecting him should be punishable by the NCAA.  At least the B1G had the guts to pull him off two games that he was supposed to officiate.  Bravo to the B1G.  Here’s to hoping that is a permanent ban. 

More Teddy Antics below (includes the fan ejection from a couple of seasons ago):

TV Teddy is one of those guys who’s name we shouldn’t know.  But we do.  See ya’ Teddy and I really wish you all the best. 

The NC Game

Oh, there’s a football game on tonight.  I guess it’s the SEC Title game, again.  I’ll try to stay up for the entire thing, but I have a feeling I’ll be snoozing a little as this game won’t end until close to 1:00 AM. 

I could go on about stuff, but I’ll just get to the bets.  The Bowls took their toll and only left us with $553 in the bank.  Let’s gamble!

Bama vs. Georgia (+4  O/U 52.5):  Bama is giving Georgia points in Georgia’s own back yard.  However, Bama has been here, Satan has been here and I’ve learned to believe that Satan is a coach who’s best under the brightest lights.  It took a Watson for Clemson last season to pull off the upset.  Georgia has a frosh QB and I just don’t think they have the Defense that can shut down the Bama machine.   The 52.5 on the Over/Under seems a little high to me as both these teams pride themselves on Defense.  I foresee a 21-17 type game.  Therefore: 

Take Bama and lay the 4 for $250

Take the UNDER for $150

Two Way Parlay (4 to 1):  Take Bama and the Under for $150