***OFFICIAL MINNESOTA AT MICHIGAN IN-GAME THREAD!!!***

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We've taken more hard falls in this game than any I can remember. Do they have their ice rink under the floor or something?
 






Wow, just wow. I'm afraid they could drop tickets to $5 at the Barn with free parking and still not get 10,000 people to show up.
 


WindyCityGopher said:
Neither Ihnen nor Fox will have played a basketball game in more than two and a half years when next season starts, and Fox has never played higher than D2. Evans and Christie will be promising but raw college freshmen. People are putting WAY too much weight on these guys to turn things around next year.
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This. The expectations for Evans especially by some here are ridiculous. He's a big man. He's not going to change the world as a freshman. The single biggest thing that can make this team better is Battle playing much, much better. And they desperately need a Payton Willis equivalent from the transfer portal. If they don't get those two things, the amount of improvement we'll see has a pretty low ceiling IMO.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I think it’s more important to find a shooter. Cooper is a liability on defense for sure but I think he’s solid running the point if he actually has a guard playing with him that’s a threat to score.
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I know this isn't really adding much to the debate, but IMO we desperately need both.

We need another real ball handler to play with and along side Cooper. Cooper can play both guard spots. We also need a true wing who can shoot (Stephens type).
 



howeda7 said:
This. The expectations for Evans especially by some here are ridiculous. He's a big man. He's not going to change the world as a freshman. The single biggest thing that can make this team better is Battle playing much, much better. And they desperately need a Payton Willis equivalent from the transfer portal. If they don't get those two things, the amount of improvement we'll see has a pretty low ceiling IMO.
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Would 35 pictures of him change your opinion?
 

howeda7 said:
This. The expectations for Evans especially by some here are ridiculous. He's a big man. He's not going to change the world as a freshman. The single biggest thing that can make this team better is Battle playing much, much better. And they desperately need a Payton Willis equivalent from the transfer portal. If they don't get those two things, the amount of improvement we'll see has a pretty low ceiling IMO.
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He needs to be Akeem Olajuwon. Otherwise, we are f-----d
 


Bob_Loblaw said:
I know this isn't really adding much to the debate, but IMO we desperately need both.

We need another real ball handler to play with and along side Cooper. Cooper can play both guard spots. We also need a true wing who can shoot (Stephens type).
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Our shooting guard spot is currently the worst in D1

Samuels and Henley........holy shit!
 





It’s interesting how short the bench has gotten even with more injuries. I think Henley doesn’t get a single minute in this game if Carrington is healthy.
 

I just hope that Evans realizes he's a big man that needs to play inside and rebound and not wander around beyond the arc. The way we shoot, there's plenty of rebounds.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
I know this isn't really adding much to the debate, but IMO we desperately need both.

We need another real ball handler to play with and along side Cooper. Cooper can play both guard spots. We also need a true wing who can shoot (Stephens type).
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I think that the wing might be Christie. Need a speedy PG who can defend and break people down on offense.
 

Battle doesn't have the mindset of someone that expects to and is going to win, he gets tight and misses in tough situations. He played well today he just has never made the big plays. Not sure what got into his mind on that foul but that wasn't the key play.
 

jovs said:
Battle doesn't have the mindset of someone that expects to and is going to win, he gets tight and misses in tough situations. He played well today he just has never made the big plays. Not sure what got into his mind on that foul but that wasn't the key play.
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Without that play, we had a chance. That play ended it.
 

big10guy said:
I just hope that Evans realizes he's a big man that needs to play inside and rebound and not wander around beyond the arc. The way we shoot, there's plenty of rebounds.
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Maybe the coach will set him up at the arc to make handoffs and then hard hedge him on defense....:) I don't think it is what the player realizes so much as where the coach puts him. I agree though.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
I know this isn't really adding much to the debate, but IMO we desperately need both.

We need another real ball handler to play with and along side Cooper. Cooper can play both guard spots. We also need a true wing who can shoot (Stephens type).
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Ben needs the following next year:
  • True PG with elite foot speed
  • A highly touted, proven SG transfer
  • Another highly touted SG/CG for good measure
Cooper needs to play off the ball and be relieved of primary ball-handling duties in late-game situations, as he's a total liability on the line. Not to mention he's a liability handling the ball against heavy pressure.

You can win basketball games with raw but talented big men. That'll be our frontcourt next year (sans Garcia). You cannot win games with raw guards.

If Carrington, Henley, Ihnen, or Christe can earn meaningful minutes, I'll be pleasantly surprised and thrilled to see progress. However, if CBJ depends on those four to play impactful roles, next year is likely the end of the CBJ era.
 


bga1 said:
I think that the wing might be Christie. Need a speedy PG who can defend and break people down on offense.
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Agree, Thiam had the physical attributes to do that though, makes me wonder, was he just not coachable, did they decide he was never going to develop, or did he just decide it wan't a good fit. Ramberg is sitting on the bench, if Thiam had stayed would he be helping this team by now and is it just a casualty of the transfer portal and the times.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
I know this isn't really adding much to the debate, but IMO we desperately need both.

We need another real ball handler to play with and along side Cooper. Cooper can play both guard spots. We also need a true wing who can shoot (Stephens type).
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For sure. In a perfect world it’s a ball handler that can really shoot but imagine that will be hard to find. Of the two, I think a shooter is more important that a ball handler.
 

jovs said:
Agree, Thiam had the physical attributes to do that though, makes me wonder, was he just not coachable, did they decide he was never going to develop, or did he just decide it wan't a good fit. Ramberg is sitting on the bench, if Thiam had stayed would he be helping this team by now and is it just a casualty of the transfer portal and the times.
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I agree. It is crazy that he didn't/ couldn't keep Thiam who was a terrific athlete- considering that we left a scholarship unused.
 

topos said:
Ben needs the following next year:
  • True PG with elite foot speed
  • A highly touted, proven SG transfer
  • Another highly touted SG/CG for good measure
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They have zero open scholarships at the moment. It's reasonable to assume one will open up. How are you adding 3 players though?
 


bga1 said:
He lost the game for us.
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Without Battle it wouldn't have been a contest. One of his better D games and he kept us close with Garcia out. How about Garcia's 7 TO's and the guys missing lots of good looks.
 

howeda7 said:
They have zero open scholarships at the moment. It's reasonable to assume one will open up. How are you adding 3 players though?
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Samuels graduates, Thompson transfers, and Ramberg back to walk-on status.

I'd be shocked if there's not at least one other transfer/early departure. And if none of this happens, I'd expect CBJ to have some tough conversations because this is what the roster needs regardless of the current scholarship status/count.
 

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