Amid the tepid base of fan support in the United Center on Thursday afternoon, Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois all churned out needed wins. Aside from the import of the victories, at least one cogent thought can be garnered from Day 1 (other than the importance of ensuring your car windows are closed before you walk away from a Southside parking lot): if Northwestern, Minnesota and Penn State are the worst teams the Conference has to offer, the Big Ten is on the cusp of being top to bottom competitive.
As demonstrated today in three losses, each team has a capable and talented roster that has progressed throughout the season yet still is missing one critical ingredient. If any one of them comes up with the missing element, they become a damn good team.
Minnesota Passes Away Game
In the remnants of a 49-40 victory over Minnesota and after the evidence presented by a record of 32 games, it’s clear Michigan basketball remains in search of an offense. Between players wandering around the perimeter, poor spacing, poor passing, poor shots, and the inevitable tripping over one another, Michigan basketball often resembled a made dash for the last chocolate glazed donut in the break room.
It’s a sad state of affairs for Wolverine fans when, at this point in the season, they have no organized idea of what to do on offense. Equally disturbing was Michigan’s on court demeanor, the passive body language which from the opening tip conveyed disinterest. That said, Michigan was the benefactor of running into a disheveled Minnesota team that also has great difficulty running its own offense. A team less forgiving than Minnesota of such deficiencies, Ohio State, awaits first thing Friday morning.
For the Golden Gophers, their failure to run an offense wasn’t for lack of effort but rather the enormous void of a point guard. Turnovers, confusion on offense and general insecurity deep sixed Minnesota today. Minnesota desperately needs a point guard and Lawrence McKenzie is not a point guard. Among other things, errant passes and a penchant for driving into the lane with no idea what to do once getting there prevents the former Oklahoma player and Kelvin Sampson recruit from helping his team. One wonders where and how Dan Monson planned to utilize him.
Despite their peck of losses, a more than decent nucleus of players exists for Minnesota, with Spencer Tollackson, John Williams, Abu-Shamala, and Dan Coleman, for Minnesota to be a competitive and winning team. When Williams and Tollackson play together on the floor, they present a very nice high low game that benefits considerably from Tollackson’s innate basketball sense. As he repeatedly demonstrated today, Tollackson’s a great passer with terrific hands and a player every team in the Conference could use.
With the entire team back next season, reasons exist for optimism in and around Williams Arena. However, unless one of the new recruits is able to run the offense, integrating the skilled post players into the game and holding onto the basketball, Minnesota is in for another disappointing and long season in 2007-08.
Spartans Move On
In a 62-57 win, Michigan State dodged a missile from a spirited and improving Northwestern team led by talented Kevin Coble. Watching the Spartans well-oiled offense and great, seriously great, team defense was a powerful counter to the Wolverine’s effort in game one. Despite a solid effort of every Spartan, they had their hands full with Northwestern’s 1-3-1 defense, which is substantial: it’s no aberration that they give up just 57 points a game.
Within Carmody’s system, however, the Wildcats’ margin of error is slight and as has been an issue all season, careless mistakes and too many blown layups prevents Northwestern from a major Big Ten breakthrough. Today, a pass with 11 seconds left that sailed through the hands of Craig Moore was the icing on a another near miss for the Wildcats. For Northwestern to escape the Big Ten Basement and start winning games against the Spartans. They’re close.
While Northwestern plays tough team defense and lacks good shooters, Michigan State plays great team defense and has at least one great shooter. Drew Neitzel has a beautiful jump shot. Every shot that left Drew Neitzel’s hand this afternoon looked as if it would find the bottom of the net, and most did. Running hard off screens all day, Neitzel worked tirelessly to find shots in Northwestern’s zone.
And Raymar Morgan continues to get better, which comes as no surprise to Spartan fans. Tom Izzo used every opportunity presented to teach Morgan, Walton and every other player within his reach. Not a moment was lost on Izzo and, like a father to son, he spoke to players who clearly respect and adore him. There’s a reason Michigan State players get better during their time in East Lansing.
Illini Survives
With a 66-60 victory over Penn State, Illinois once again relied on its earnest defense and an unconscious Chester Frazier to stave off white hot Mike Walker and Penn State. Illinois can thank not only Frazier’s unusual offensive production but Brian Randle’s defense for the win. Today, not only did Claxton have the broadest shoulders on the court but he also bears the imprint of Randle’s elbow in his back. After starting out strong and staking the Lions to an 11-2 lead, Bruce Weber made an adjustment, putting Randle on Claxton. Randle hounded Claxton all over the court, giving a defensive clinic.
When the Illini have a healthy Brian Randle, they are a different, and significantly better, team. Perhaps Bruce Weber has completely abandoned his motion offense in favor of Thad Matta’s fun and gun but for the first ten minutes of the game, Illinois didn’t see a three pointer it didn’t like, didn’t take with the impending and imminent fate of a brick.
Similar to Minnesota, Penn State’s lack of a point guard holds them back. Claxton and Cornley not only play inches taller than their listed heights, they are elite players. For Penn State to win, they need a smooth point guard that coherently and confidently gets the team into their sets and, most importantly, the ball to their post players where they can score.
The swing game between the Hooisers and Fighting Illini takes place in tomorrow night’s nightcap.
[…] the Minnesota cupboard was barren. On the contrary, as Hoopraker noted in the aftermath of the 2007 Big Ten Tournament, the Golden Gophers were one competent guard away from […]
Left by Hoopraker » Blog Archive » Basketball in The Barn on December 5th, 2007