Blue By Ninety - MICHIGAN BASKETBALL ALMOST WON ONCE AGAIN

Episode Date: March 3, 2023

Justin and Tanner discuss Michigan's heartbreaking double-OT loss to Illinois on the road, and where they go from here. It's truly must-win time for the Wolverines. 

This is the University of Michigan. Touchdown, Michigan! The beat of Michigan ball! And they caught extra pass. And it goes to the wind! The three-pointer by Jordan Poole! Down the sideline! Peebles-Jones!

Touchdown, Wolverines. This is a presentation of Blue by 90. Find us on Twitter at Blue by 90 and shop the merchandise at blueby90shop.com. All right. Welcome back to Blue by 90. I'm Justin, joined by Tanner tonight. We got a late night pod coming at you after God dang it. That is a tough loss, man. That I'm like, Oh, you feel obviously you had a million chances earlier in the season to not be in this position but then i don't know i like saw a different michigan team tonight that fought their asses off in a super tough environment and and like opportunities to win and so much and and then to lose that game in double OT when it meant so much.

It just – that was tough. That was really tough. Tough pill to swallow. Yeah, it stung. I think – yeah, that's Claudia, my wife. But the moment that they got the and one with Terrence Shannon to tie it and then, you know, I think he missed that free throw. But either way, I like was in the fetal position.

Like I just like curled up on the ground. It was just like I couldn't take it anymore. It was, you know, Michigan's up seven at one point, and they go on a 7-0 run. Terrible offensive foul call on Hunter, although Hunter probably got away with a travel earlier in the overtime. So, yeah, just the same sentiment, man. Just really frustrating loss.

But it's tough at this stage, right? Like, that's your season. You win that game, you're basically a lock. And if you can go beat Indiana on Sunday, you're riding high. As long as you don't, like, get upset somehow in the Big Ten tournament, yeah. I think you win that game, you're a lock. So, you know, and the fact that they're coming off of an overtime game on Sunday, shout out Spotted Cow.

I see that. Fantastic beer. Only in Wisconsin. We may need to link up after this. But, you know, the fact that they went to OT on Sunday, you know, I mean, it's Thursday, right? It's not that quick of a turnaround. But the fact that Hunter played 45 minutes, put up 31 points,

15-plus rebounds, I mean, he was a monster all game. And it just sucks that it didn't pay off for the guys. I mean, they just battled and battled and battled. And, you know, we can nitpick, right? And they should have won this game. But that's a really good Illinois team over there too. Terrence Shannon, man, you know, would have been nice to have him on our side. I'm glad I'm not the only person that's sitting there being like, we were... The whole game.

Whole game, bro. We were really close to having not only Terrence Shannon, but also Ty Rodgers. And it's like, I mean, obviously the Shannon thing is even more hurtful I think because he was a Wolverine for like a day or whatever.

And then it's admissions. My friends were just texting me about it and I was like yeah it's totally admissions and then i like put in parentheses i have no idea what the real story is you know but like um we all we all can read the message boards and you know i guess figure out what we think it is but either way like that dude can we talk about quick twitch to the rim holy shit i don't think he made a field goal uh until the second half and he still ended up with 21 7 he had 20 21 7 boards for assists i mean he was and from the free throw line automatic and unfortunately the two things that i will pick on for michigan in this game which is free throw shooting because they were in big moments. And again, Hunter played 45 minutes.

His legs are tired. I mean, he played probably 40 against Wisconsin, so I get that. And then also the rebounding, boxing out. Too many offensive rebounds for Illinois. That's how they got that second chance when Michigan had a shot to be down one with the ball. And then Jack has to foul out, and he knew it immediately. But, like like god dang it

box out one time just once i mean i mean this is a recurring theme it's a long rebound but like even there were multiple times the first half where it's like box out one time and we're good dude and you know honestly i here's here's the one thing i will never shit on Hunter for free throw shooting because he's probably one of the best free throw shooting bigs in the country if not the best absolutely right so like for him to be a seven foot one guy and still be a 75 plus percent free throw shooter like I will take that any day of the week you I mean, you obviously wish he makes the one to tie it for sure. That one wasn't as bad. I think it was just – and maybe it's just – you know, I was watching the game

through the lens of just like my heart beating 140 beats a second – or a minute, right? Like I'm like my heart shot in my chest. So like I'm watching it through that lens. I'm not really watching it through an analytical lens. I'll have to go back and rewatch it. I don't know if I'm going to subject myself to that. But, you know i will say to to to like answer you there not that you asked me a question but this i love answering people when they i'll just talk oh this is just i like this

out of my own voice that's why i work in sales that's why i'm on the pod you get it exactly yeah absolutely um but i uh no i i forgot what i was going to say What did you say again? I don't even remember man It took so much I felt like I played bro That game went what 50 minutes? I mean just an absolute battle It started at 7pm

It's 10 o'clock right now And it's only been done for about 8 minutes now But So yeah What I was going gonna say was that was the most invested i've been in in a michigan basketball game in quite some time i mean the wisconsin game i was very invested in um on on sat or sunday sunday yeah sunday sunday sunday afternoon and the msu game i was very invested in a few weeks ago, but like that felt like March,

man, that like, I mean, it is March, but, and you know, ah, shit.

It just, it just felt like it was right there, man. It was right. It was taking. And then when you're, you know, I don't know,

dude, when you're up seven and OT, it's like minute 45 left. Like I thought it was over. Like it was over. it was over gets the ball to a freaking guard and we yeah i would have loved to have burned a time out there i mean you know hindsight's 2020 i wish you would have taken the time out there reset regather just you know get the ball in the guards hands get it to a garden we'll even if it's a missed bucket if you

run off 30 seconds there and it's a whole different game, you know? Like, I don't know. I mean, I think, like you said, hindsight's 30. Hindsight's what? 20-20, I think. Maybe 20-10. I think that's perfect. I said, I don't know, man.

I got 20-20. That's all I know. Yeah. I don't know. That was a tough one because, like, that was a team I really enjoyed watching. Whereas I haven't been able to really enjoyed watching, whereas I haven't said that in a long time either. Well, you know, we haven't talked. What was the last time we had a podcast? I don't even remember what game. I think we haven't talked since the Rutgers or Wisconsin game. So, you know, overall context over the last week and a half and over the last month, I mean, Michigan 6-3 since the start of February, and all three games were so winnable. I mean, and then you think it's tough because I go back to early season struggles.

I mean, just grab one against Kentucky, UVA, North Carolina. Don't lose to Central. Don't collapse against Iowa. Beat Indiana. Like, we're sitting here as a 6-C. You know, that's the conversation. Like, oh, can Michigan move up to the four line with a solid performance in the Big Ten tournament

instead of can they even get in, or can they get off the 11 first four games seed line? You know, it's just there's been so many opportunities. And I know I've been really, really, really critical of Jawan, but I will say, you know, I'm in some group chats and I, you know, I follow people on Twitter and I've seen a lot of vitriol at Jawan tonight, man. I, I don't see any issues. He got, he got Hunter the ball with four seconds left. Hunter's getting, you know,

just hounded in the lane, misses it. Right. But then he gets, we got to talk to Jack about his boy, but he gets a wide open look when Illinois has to foul there. So I didn't think Jawan's coaching. I thought – there's nothing egregious for me tonight, and I thought people were overreacting a little bit on social media, as they do. Obviously, that's literally what social media is made for, right?

So that's always going to be the case. But, I mean, the timeouts was an issue in the first half. I'll say that. That is like kind of – I don't get it. I really – I'm a pretty casual basketball guy. Like I play basketball all the time, but like not like I played college basketball or anything. And I feel like I would understand, hey, if I have four timeouts,

maybe, you know maybe you hold them. But outside of that, I actually thought Juwan did really well with rotations in the second half specifically, including sitting his own kid Jet for a really long time when he needed to be set. He needed to be set, and he wasn't contributing much. He was, honestly, he was worsening the game at times because of turnovers and defensively and Juwan sat there and said you know what you're not the best guy to be in the game right now and he sat him and I applaud that and I thought there

were times where I was like all right this lineup we lineup, we need to ride this lineup. And he did. He didn't, like, go back to, you know, different lineups. And like you just said, that look that they got for Joey Baker, I mean, I love Joey Baker, and he's one of the nicest kids I've ever met in my life. So I would kill for him to make that. But that was probably the best, like, out-of-bounds play that Juwan's called in three years at Michigan.

I was – I mean, I threw my hands up, man. I look like – I tweeted it out, but I look like Carlton on Fresh Prince. I was doing the same thing, you know, and fortunately, I mean, it's a great look. And that's coaching, right? Like, that's the X's and O's part. And I think that's, like, where – sorry to interrupt again. No, you're good. But, like, I mean, at the end of the day, like,

that's all you can ask for, you know, in that situation is, like, you get an open look and it's almost 50-50, right? Like, maybe probably less than that, right? I mean, and, you know, Baker didn't – I mean, he didn't score tonight, but he hit a huge three in overtime against Wisconsin. So – and Baker's been playing really well. So, you know, look, you know, Baker didn't – I mean, he didn't score tonight, but he hit a huge three in overtime against Wisconsin. And Baker's been playing really well. So, you know, look, you go to your guys, right? Like, you know, you have him on the team.

He has a scholarship for a reason. He's made big shots this season. Like, he gets an open three, like, and he, you know, he air balls it, and it's just – but it's like – it's a good look. Like, I don't understand how we're going to place that on Jawan Howard's coaching abilities. He got an open – No, not's a good look like i don't i don't understand how we're going to place that on juwan howard's coaching abilities he got him not at all dude i don't get that that sentiment you know i i would say there are times in this season especially even in the last you know probably month that we have all said like okay that's coaching right or

you know um struggling on a on an inbounds play especially late in game that has been an issue it seems today was not one of those i thought today down the stretch even though you obviously blow a seven point lead in in the over in overtime i didn't think that was coaching either to be honest it's just some bad luck really really. I mean – Yeah, they made plays. You want to know – actually, you want to know what I was so happy about? I was just thankful that that Meyer kid didn't beat us because he chucked up 100 threes in overtime. He did have 24. So that still hurts.

Yeah. I thought he had a couple opportunities for daggers, and I was like, oh, there it is. And he bricked it. I thought that kid was was gonna be the dagger guy and i was especially after he drank five monsters playing fucking call of duty like what is he playing with him and kyler murray hanging out what do you drink five monsters you playing for 48 hours dude also hey bud don't admit that don't know that yeah you have diarrhea? I don't know. You make up something.

But he played well after, you know, obviously. I've never heard of caffeine poisoning. I'm going to be honest with you. Never heard of caffeine poisoning, bro. But also, like, I've never drank five monsters. You can only get a four-pack. Unless you're buying the 12-pack. But if you just, you know, you're going to buy a four-pack.

I don't understand, man. Like, why do you need that much caffeine? I don't get it. I don't get it either. That was, I've never, I don't get it all around. Why do you do it? Why do you commit to it? Why is it now a storyline?

Now, all right. Okay. I mean, the dudes, I will say, like, outside of that overtime, he was ice cold from three. Yeah. Like, that was why he just, I don't know. He's got the most annoying face on the team. I was like very.

I don't know. Hawkins. Hawkins is up there. Hawkins has never committed a foul in his entire life. He got 33 home on his head, and he was like, no, bro, not me. He somehow complained more than hunter dickinson and brad underwood like that's impressive to do we gotta talk about brad underwood i god he like fran mccaffrey gets a lot of hate but brad underwood like up there his team had how many free throws

did his team have for the day like 34 free? 34 free throws, and he was complaining on every single call. When they wanted a hook and hold on Hunter on that foul, that was hilarious. I mean, it was probably a flop or close to one, but it was definitely not a hook and hold. And he still hit him in the face too. Hawkins still hit Hunter in the face. I agree. Hawkins got abused and

you know he just couldn't take responsibility like every time was like hands up and like i don't i don't like that culture they they've you know they've had some good players come through there um and and i think he's a decent coach he's a solid coach but you know proof's in the pudding he's never made it past the streets he's never made it to the sweet 16 at illinois i don't i don't know i don't know he never did oklahoma state now i think he maybe had a run when he was at stephen f austin i think is a school that he kind of came to prominence at like i don't know like for him if he gets shit on like he to me is worse than mccaffrey i also oh well just an annoying like from an annoying perspective a thousand percent his face he's angry all the

time and their fans too like i got justin field season 12 in my in my twitter mentions like talking shit i'm like bro you have never seen your team make it to the sweet 16 i've seen my team in the last five years make it to five like what are we talking about i also i i i was texting with a couple friends during it and like i I don't understand it. Is it? I, okay. If you hate Hunter and that's it, I get it. A thousand percent. Hunter wants you to hate him. He's literally trying to get you to hate him.

But the whole Illinois hating Michigan thing, it's like we, I mean, and again, I'm not going to say this, this, this could like, somebody's going to probably go on YouTube and find this. Some Illinois fan's going to come on YouTube, find this clip, and be like, oh, they lost to us and then did this. Here's the reality of the Michigan versus Illinois matchup is Michigan 99% of the time doesn't care that you exist. That's the reality. You guys, this was your super bowl tonight

and you every every game against michigan is but and yes it's everyone's super bowl to beat michigan and i get it hunter is the the demon i get it we you know we won the the big 10 championship some somebody told me in a text and this was before I was live, but alive, but the 1989 when Michigan won the natty, like they beat Illinois on the way, even though Illinois had beat them twice. Yeah. I wasn't even aware of that.

Cause I was just a glimpse in my father's eye at the time. And so, I mean, but at the end of the day, I just – it's not a rivalry. Stop trying to make it a rivalry. No, and that was – it's weird. It's like I wanted Michigan to beat Illinois more because I wanted to come on here and just dismiss them.

I agree. Like they are like the little redheaded like step cousin like there were if there's ever a little brother not even not not even bro like you know you fight with your brother but like you know at the end of the day your family and you get it wrong like it's just some annoying kid that like somebody brought by like to your to your housewarming party that you're like i don't know who the hell this guy is so i gotta let me share this you know we got a puppy and um so this morning you know i was taking him outside and uh you know getting him potty trained and all those sorts of things and uh you know he went potty and i said oh that's a good boy that's a good boy

and then we we stayed out there because he needed to go he needed to go poop and so he needed to go number two right so he did and uh while i was getting the bag to pick it up, I accidentally stepped in it. That's how I feel about Illinois fans. That's what they are to me. Like, you're just a mild annoyance. Like, I got them on my Adidas, and I was like, damn it. And I just moved on with my life.

That's what Illinois sports is to me. I like that a lot because I agree with you. I'm going to struggle with this for like 24 hours ish they're gonna like flaunt the win for like probably 364 days or whatever 100 that's what they have and then brett beal well wait not 364 because we're gonna get to the fall and then brett beal is gonna retweet like bad things about michigan on Twitter as well. So we'll get to there. But the other thing about Brad Underwood too, and I don't mean this to be a shit on Brad Underwood podcast,

but I'm okay with it turning into that. I know we have a lot of talent at Michigan. Can we look at the talent on that Illinois team and say, wow, that team should be a lot better, should have a lot better record than they do. Terrence Shannon. His whole tenure. It is an absolute dog. Ty Rogers can get to the rim whenever he wants. Hawkins is very athletic for how big he is. So he should dominate pretty much everybody in the big 10, except for trace Jackson Davis and Zach Eady and Hunter Dickinson. Like outside of that, he should be

able to get to the rim anytime he wants to. And then Myers is a solid three point shooter. Like that's a very, very talented team that should be, I think they should have a much better record than they have right now. And you could say that about a handful of Big Ten teams, but I think they, more than anybody, are doing less with the most talent. Yeah, I mean, you had Donham Sioux and Coburn. And, I mean, as a one seed, they lost to – didn't they lose to Loyola Chicago? Yeah. You can't call yourself a serious – then they lose to Loyola Chicago. Yeah.

Like, you can't call yourself a serious contender and lose to Loyola Chicago. Yeah. I mean, especially if you're – We know. You're in the Big Ten. You play Loyola Chicago in the tournament. Like, you know, it's not so bad.

We know. They don't. Well, we know that. Yeah. Yeah. We also – I mean, the other thing is, like, you can't have a – like the seventh biggest school in your state beat you

if you're the biggest school in your state. Well, hey, we don't want to talk about that team up in Mount Pleasant. We got our own skeletons in the closet. It's a good call. Not the tournament anyways, okay? Central's the – they've got to be the third biggest, right? I don't know. That'd be a good –

It's got to be Michigan State Central, right? Eastern – well, Eastern might have some commuters. I don't know. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know. Oakland's maybe up there. I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know the schools. I don't know. I don't know. Good question. I mentally block out that Central Michigan game. I figured out that it ever happened. I couldn't know. I don't know the schools. I don't know. I don't know. Good question. I mentally block out that Central Michigan game. I forgot that it ever happened. I couldn't even watch it, bro. It was on Big Ten Plus. No. Well, I mean, and

I don't know if you were aware, but we were in the middle of a 13-0 run at the time and we're... Yeah, I was... We had just won a Big Ten championship in football, and so... I want to know what my... I was in Arizona with family, but also for the game.

As you know, we had some beverages out there, which was great. We did. I went broke. They were $17 a piece for a Bud Light. Went to Vegas this weekend as well. Even more expensive. You should go to Nashville next time. Go to Broadway. You'll probably get the trifecta.

I mean, Jesus Christ. It is like inflation. Holy shit. But yeah, the central game I was, I mean, I, I,

I'm a sicko. I'd love to see like my refreshes of like two, four, seven rivals on three. Like I'm a disgusting human being. Like I, you know, um,

so that's all I cared about at the time too. So, but now it's, now it's basketball season. And again, I mean, we, you know,

we're, we're down about tonight, and it sucks. It stings. But Michigan is still right there. You beat Indiana, and you get one in the Big Ten tourney. You're okay. You may have to play the play-in game, which I don't know.

I don't know. This is tough, because it's, again, hindsight, but that Iowa game, obviously Central, you know, like – UVA. UVA would be huge. If you beat UVA, you're in.

That's a huge win. Multiple of these games. I mean, we didn't have a quad one win three-quarters of the way into our season, you know. And so that's where it's like – Again, I'm going to spin zone this and say, like, the way into our season you know and so yeah that's where it's like i i again i'm gonna i'm gonna spin the spin zone this and say like i do applaud juwan howard that he does play his best basketball at this time like that they do the night looked really put together but you can't

go three quarters of the year not playing well right like? Like you're just not going to make the turn. And that's what's frustrating is I would take this team over a lot of teams right now. Like I would – I mean, I know they've lost tonight, but I would take this team over a bunch. All right. So that's where I think that's a good segue into not only Sunday at Indiana where I think that is a winnable game for sure.

100%. I think Trace Jackson Davis still will probably get his and Hunter. He dominates Hunter. Let's just be honest. Hunter just doesn't have the lateral quickness for that. I agree. Talk about quick twitch. That dude.

If they knew you had a jumper, he'd be a problem in the NBA. But the jumpers are going to hold him back. But he's a phenomenal college player. Also, I want Hunter to watch this so that he gets mad and then, like, plays harder too. But my point is, okay, between the game at Indiana, like, if you put that team that played on that court tonight in Champaign, in Chicagoago for the big 10 tournament like i'm pretty confident

in that team winning three plus games well they you know if they beat indiana they'd have a double buy so they'd only have to win three games to win the whole damn thing well and then that'd be i mean obviously like you know that's that's best case scenario but i wondering, like, if they do somehow win the Big Ten tournament, what's their seed? Do you feel like they've got to be an 8 or a 9, right, depending on the wins they get? I mean, that's the crazy thing. I almost hope that happens just so Joe Linardi, like, loses his shit.

Like, what do I do with Michigan now? I don't know, you know. I mean, yeah, it would steal a bid. You know, and a team, like, a little off-topic, but not really not really i mean a team like rutgers tonight loses a on the last second shot to minnesota so there's you know there's still some room for michigan um it just stinks because there's like you can look at their schedule and be like oh there's like literally six games and if you if you you know i mean you can do that with wins too right so it's like not fair but i mean you know let's just say for hypothetical sake you take six games and I can probably count them and probably get more.

But if you just take six games, I mean, they're sitting at 23 and seven, right? I think that would be their numbers right now. That's insane. At 20 and 10, you know. Yeah. Like that's a big, big difference. So, you know, and honestly, I think they put it up actually before the Wisconsin win was like, you know, our record this year with games decided by five points or less is not great.

Not great. And so, you know, that's an issue that, you know, obviously we want to keep an eye on. And it just I don't know why, but it feels like it's so classic for michigan just like i mean this was why why or why is it like this where it's all right we've got it we've got it we're you know you bring me back into it where oh two weeks ago three weeks ago i honestly couldn't have gave a shit now you bring me back into into it. I'm all in. You bring me to the very brink and then let down. That is Michigan fandom to a T. Is it not? It is. And I was, you know, and we've had some really good moments across all sports, but it's just,

obviously it's close. And it was, I was so excited to come in here and celebrate a win because I was, I mean, you should do, you shouldn't see me. Like I was so excited to come in here and celebrate a win because I was – I mean, dude, you should have seen me. Like, I was trying to not rile up our puppies, so I'm like just like random motions with my arms and my hands and like whispering like let's go. I had a couple silent screams as well. Yep.

Yeah. You know, we've got to be cognizant of the neighbors as well. Yeah. Yeah, just a tough one. But overall, I mean, Michigan has been playing really well. You know, like we said, won six of their last nine, dating back to the start of February. And you're right, they do play their best ball at this time of the year

under Juwan. I mean, you know, same thing in his first year. They kind of started off very hot, hit a lull, and then down the stretch before COVID ended the season were playing really well. And kind of the same thing last year, right? I mean, obviously the 2021 team was dominant all year long. But, you know, again, I've been critical of Juwan

and I've been critical of the coaching staff because it is little things. But I will say, like, you know, it's – man, it's just we're so close to having a really impressive season, especially when you consider Caleb Houston goes to the NBA, Moussa Diabate goes to the NBA, Jalen Llewellyn tears his ACL in December. Like, it's been really impressive how they fought. It's just got to win some more of these close games. I mean, the reality is that you had nine new players on this team this year. Like, people still don't talk about that enough.

You know, I know that you have uh you have hunter dickinson uh back i know that jet howard is like you know came on as a as a really good player but like you have that and you have uh your starting point guard go down and doug mcdaniel and kobe buff can have come on really strong so kobe man i mean i mean he was the reason that this was even a game he went on an 8-0 run by himself with two massive threes. And I thought he was struggling a little bit in the first part of the game, first half of the game. And I think he ended up with 23 points and was clutch.

I mean, he was getting to the rim at will, finishing strong, coming in high for rebounds. Second game in a row where I thought he is coming with huge rebounds at key moments and just has played his tail off. And unfortunately, I don't think we're going to see too much of him in Maize and Blue. I think he's probably going to play himself into maybe even a lottery pick. Kobe is the only reason, in my opinion, that Michigan is even in the tournament discussion.

That dude, which I agree with you, unfortunately for Michigan, he's like playing himself into a high draft pick because I never at the beginning of the season would have imagined that he'd be leaving. But, I mean, one more year fun for Kobe? Who's to say? I mean, I don't know.

I don't know who would even like coordinate that if that was a thing. I have no idea. I would be the Futurama shut up and take my money gift, just handing it. Please. I mean, because that's the thing about Kobe, too, is he's only – I think he's only 19. He's the age of a freshman, and he's a sophomore.

So, I don't know. That might – it's kind of a double-edged sword, right? It's like you're like, well, you can come back, but then also NBA scouts are probably salivating. I was going to say, the NBA scouts, they look at like a 22-year-old Hunter Dickinson. They're like, you might as well be 45. And they look at a 19-year-old Colby Buffkin.

They're like, oh, my God, he's 14 years old. He could grow 10 inches still. I have no idea. That's kind of how it goes. I think his game will blossom in the NBA. I think you've seen that with Franz. Just with the spacing in college, it's so much more difficult than the NBA and how

the game's played and the rule set. I think Kobe will be hot take. I don't know if this is that hot, but I think Kobe will be a better pro than Jett. Wow. That's a little spicy. As I said, as it rolled off off i felt like i was having some like hot chili oil with some ramen coming down that's why i see so i i really like jet's game in the way that it translates to the to the nba but i think kobe's more athletic and i think kobe

i think kobe is better off the dribble put it on the deck and get into the rim than jet is but i think i don't know it's gonna be i think they're both going to be really good pros, actually. I think I could see both of them having a Tim Hardaway Jr. type career, make $100-plus million over their career, be a really good role player, potentially a starter on a good team. The casualty,

the casualness that you had in saying making $100-plus million. Honestly, bro, and dude, Dylan Larkin just signed an eight-year, $ 69 million dollar deal and it's like i mean that's literally like the seventh like ninth man in the nba money you know i don't understand why is there so is it like i don't know revenue and and like tv splits and all that sorts of stuff and there's more players in hockey i think is probably has something to do with it too i i did. I saw the same thing. I was like looking at the numbers and I'm like, Duncan Robinson got 90 million.

Do you remember, do you remember the one year it was like, I think it was 2016 where the, like the cap raised and like Timothy Mozgov got like four years, 72 million, just like an absurd amount for like a trash player. So, I mean,

it's you which okay that's where like i mean i'm gonna flip it on you and say i think jet will end up with the the better career i mean it's i mean they're both i think both have really high ceilings which i also i think that's like the more safe pick if we're obvious if we're saying it like jet's been a lottery pick uh in the mock drafts for all year kobe's like playing himself into it but um the reason why i say it is because if duncan robinson can make 90 mil off shooting like for one year essentially for the heat in the bubble in the. Then Jet Howard, even though his defense – his shooting is phenomenal.

Like, it is – I mean, and he disappeared for the first half today, which sucked, and it's probably the reason why, you know, the game was what it was, but like, I, I, when he turns it on, man, there it's, it's pretty damn pure. I mean, I mean, he hit that three to tie it. Right. He hit, he hit some big shots. I mean, and he's also coming off injury. Right. So like the slow starts probably to be expected. Um, just, it just sucks. Like the little things, you know, like that's what, that's what Kobe does better. But in the NBA, maybe it doesn't matter.

But, like, you know. That's my thing is, like, I mean, I think if you can shoot the lights out, like, you don't have to play defense. The games are 150 to 147 right now. Yeah. Like, it is. It's an offensive game right now there was literally a regular season game that was 153 to 150 the other day eclipsing 300 points for the first time i go back and look at the the detroit pistons from 2004 and their games were like 70 to

67 we're double that in a decade. Yeah. I mean, I was watching SportsCenter today, and they had a statistic that the first 76 seasons of the NBA, they had five days in which I think five or six NBA players – I think it was five NBA players had 40-point games on the same day. There's been six of that this season. So I don't know what the hell is going on.

I mean, the guys are evolving, right? Athletes evolve and their abilities evolve. But it's a scoring man's league. And so Jet, I wouldn't be shocked at all if Jet has a better career. But I think Jet is kind of more of a finished product right now, which is a really good product in the NBA. But I think Kobe has some potential that he can tap into to take him over that, you know, from role player to, like, fringe superstar.

Like, I really think he has that in him. I would say Kobe has more tools to him, right? Like, I think he does a lot for Michigan. He's the smarts guy. He runs a lot of it because Doug McDaniel probably wasn't ready to run the offense right so Kobe had to do a lot of that and that is that in self is like a giant job that Jay Howard I don't think has like any involvement in no right well and he doesn't really handle the ball like that either no but I'm just saying that that that's more on

Kobe's Kobe's played as well uh when the ball went out i would yeah for sure but then like you know kobe as you said like he can hit the three but he can get to the rack he he's got a great mid-range great like his one bump his one dribble pull up to towards the baseline is damn near automatic uh for for that high of a degree of difficulty. So, I mean, he's got a lot in his bag. I think he's going to be a ball player in the NBA for a long time. Yeah, I agree. I just – you know what?

I'm going to keep the pipe dream alive. I'm positive vibes only, baby. You know, first of all, the dream of making the tournament, I thought that was like even though a sloppy first half that was like the most intense the most like in it that this team has played all year in a super tough environment like super tough and i just felt i was impressed that there were times this year before before that I thought, like, does this team even want to be on the floor right now?

That was not one of those games even a little bit. Not for one second of it. They were on the deck. I mean, they were hustling. I mean, it was – you know, again, box out, right? But, like, they were trying their ass off, which is what you expect. But it was elevated to a point that i hadn't really seen too many times this season maybe in a couple games maybe like the michigan state game but like they really i

mean they laid it on the line and they lost but uh i also think though like i don't know i mean i i don't know how much with like net coming into in quad one quad two coming into factors i don't know how much the eye test is even like a thing anymore but like if you go out and beat indiana at indiana plus a double overtime loss at illinois it feels like the eye test like has you in a good spot there right as far as the last you know and obviously you're looking at the full season that's's for sure. But if you look at how they – that would mean what? They would win seven out of ten with a double overtime loss at Illinois. What would be the other –

One point loss against Indiana at home and like a couple point loss at Wisconsin, who they beat a week and a half later. Right. Win at Rutgers and win against Michigan State in that time frame. I mean, they've got some solid wins. But I think to your point, I would say like the net, I think really – it's almost like the end-all, be-all.

And it's like – Why? I don't get it. I feel like that's how the committee treats it, right? Like Wisconsin is still projected to be in the tournament. They don't deserve it. Eight and 11 in the Big Ten. I don't – but they're non-conference, right?

That's where Michigan falls short again. We go back and it was like the Big Ten. I don't – but they're non-conference, right? That's where Michigan falls short again. We go back and it was like the Virginia game. I mean, Pitt is their biggest non-conference win, and Pitt just got smacked by Notre Dame. And it's just like – it's just so frustrating because you had so many opportunities. You know, you avoid the CMU loss. I think without the CMU loss, they're probably in pretty comfortably at this point. But I think, again, they look at the net so heavily,

that is really dragging them down because Central is a bad MAAC team. They're 10-12. Like, not great. I had no idea until somebody tweeted that at me today, and I was like, oh, shit. Michigan should stop scheduling directional Michigan schools. Eastern Michigan took them to the wire. Central beat them.

That was the Monty Super Bowl as well. But, yeah, man, I don't know. The reality is I think that there are still opportunities. This isn't all off the table. No, they're still in the mix. I mean, they were the first team out, and they lose by four on the road, double overtime against an illinois team that's probably on the eight or nine seed line right now you have a road game at india you

have to win against indiana otherwise if you don't you probably have to make it to the big ten tournament championship to have a chance to get in and even play in games but i'll say this if you've looked at the projected big Ten tournament bracket, the bottom half of that bracket is the most winnable section of a bracket I've ever seen. There's no team in the Big Ten that scares me. No. I mean, Purdue is the only one, right? And even then, I saw them lose by 10 to 12,

whatever they lost by to Indiana. Indiana won that game pretty comfortably. I will say this too. Hood Shefino is a stud. We'll talk about that with the Indiana game, I'm sure, coming up here in a couple minutes. But, like, that kid is a baller. He had, what, 30-plus against Purdue at Purdue?

I mean, that kid's tough. How about Indiana just, like, dominating Purdue twice this year in Purdue's best year ever? It's Matt Painter. It's Matt Painter. This is what they do. Start off extremely hot and then falter down the stretch and lose in the Sweet 16.

I mean, that right there, that is exactly how Michigan State fans felt last year for Michigan football. It's like, oh, it was your best year ever? We still beat you. That is exactly like Indiana fans can still hang their hat on that. It's a great feeling, and you have nothing to say as the Purdue fan in that situation. You're like, yeah, but I mean, I guess we're going to be better

in the tournament, but I don't know that. So I also will say, like, I don't know many teams that would sit there and be like, yeah, I'd love to see Michigan in the Big Ten tournament. I think a lot of people are, a lot of coaches are sitting there being like, shit, like, I hope I don't come across Michigan because that team, if they're playing like they did just now, which, again, we've seen them like that and like not that this year. So you never know which team you're going to get. But if they're playing like that, I think they can easily beat anybody in the Big Ten. Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't want to see them in the Big Ten tournament. I certainly wouldn't want to see them in the NCAA tournament,

especially as like a six or a seven seed, depending on if Michigan were to get in, like where they would be seeded. I certainly wouldn't want to see them as like a two or three seed, you know, maybe if they make a run, I mean, I, I wouldn't want, I wouldn't want to see them at all, but you got to get there, right. You got to get there and you got to make sure that, you know, these close losses, you know, stop becoming a habit. I mean, that's what it feels like um you know obviously you get one against wisconsin great win um get one against michigan state which i think ended up being a 12-point game game at the end but like you know that was that was a uh you know a tie game i think with like three minutes left so yeah you know you've had some wins in the close games but it's

just a unfortunately they just don't know how to close them out yet i guess and it's like you're you are you know you have chances but you're still running out of time so hopefully they can figure it out get these games down the stretch and you got to beat indiana starts it starts on sunday right i mean you know if they could have beat illinois you're thinking wow i mean this is this is pretty much gravy at this point um but if you can beat indiana and get one of the big 10 tournament i think they're comfortably in especially with some of the bubble teams losing recently so it's gonna be uh it's gonna be fun but hey you know what either way this is one of my favorite times of the year for sports march madness is electric so i'm excited

for all the upsets all the buzzer beaters you know and and uh we've got you know conference tournaments coming up some conference tournaments tournaments are already going on. This is great. Actually, did you see Zeb Jackson already won the A-10 championship? Wow, Zeb and Brandon Johns are going to the tournament. Good for those two. Actually, I was talking to somebody during this game, and we'll wrap it up here in just a second.

This will be the last thing but um zeb brandon johns you think about about musa caleb like there's a lot of talent that was running through this michigan program um that is not playing for this team right now i mean davante jones was a really good ball player by the end of the last year. Absolutely. You know, I mean, and that's the thing with the, with the Jalen injury. It's like,

who knows? I mean, he wasn't lighting the world on fire, but I also thought he wasn't playing bad basketball of any stretch of the imagination when he got hurt. So, you know, it's just,

again, it's, you know, I wish they had a few more of these under the belt so I could really applaud the job. The coaching staff has done. Cause I've been extremely critical, but I do think I do feel better today than I did a month ago.

I know that. I agree with that. I agree with that. Anybody who wants Joanna on the hot seat, we're not there yet. I'll say that. I'm very confident in saying that we're not there yet. I thought that after the central game, like I thought it, and then it immediately left my head.

I was like, that's stupid. Like, let's chill. Two years ago, this guy was coach of the year like but you know we'll see what happens this offseason with everything you know with guys moving in and out we'll see how he replaces a lot of this talent because that's the one concern i have if everybody leaves where do we go but transfer portal's there so as long as you don't get terrence shannon you might be okay jesus all right that was we'll end it on that. That was a perfect timing. For us, you can follow us at Blue by 90 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,

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