Michigan Thursday: Doubles The Post with Michigan Basketball and Big Ten Week 11 Preview

Happy Veterans Day to all that served!  Thank you for your Service! 

Michigan Basketball opened the season with its young talented team and they looked young and talented.  They opened the game looking like a loaded UK, UNC, or Duke team that is just full of 5 stars and guys that are headed to the league.  Then a little turbulence hit on the way up and the Wolverines weathered the storm and beat a good Buffalo team. 

I love this team's athleticism, Houstan and Diabate have an incredible ceiling.   If you wanted to mold an athlete I think it would look a lot like Diabate.   He is still a bit raw still but has an unbelievable upside.   Houstan on the on hand is a bit more polished and ready for the bright lights.  He seems like a good shooter and can get some boards.   He is still young and at time can struggle on defense and got in foul trouble early.  

This team needs outside shooting and will need to see better scoring nights from grad transfer PG Jones, who looked good and a little off at times.  He only scored 7 points and missed a few free throws.   Hunter of course was great and scored 27 points and could of probably had 40 with a couple of bunnies missed.   I was also surprised to see Diabate and Hunter playing on the court at the same time.  

Hunter played like an All American but Terrance Williams was the game's MVP.  He scored 15 and hit a very important 3 to stop Buffalo's run and in what looked like a big comeback.  He played 29 minutes and was 2 -3 from 3 point land.   Michigan will need him to play a Chaudee Brown role on this team and it looks like he understands the assignment.   

Good win and lots to work on including:

• Free throws 18-30
• Outside shooting - Eli needs to be a bit more aggressive with his shot 
• Freshmen will be up and down, Michigan needs a plan for the down 
• The zone defense wasn't great 
• Need to get Jones more involved in the offense 

Big Ten Week 11 Preview

This is interesting match-up week for the Big Ten.  The giant killer is going against the Mountain from the Games of Thrones.   Wisconsin figured out it was good or found the easier portion of their schedule and Sparty looks to rebound at home against Maryland. 

19 Purdue @ 4 Ohio State (-21):  It seems Vegas is not buying the Spoiler-makers.  Which means they are not buying Iowa or MSU either.   I don't believe this is Ohio State from the last 10 years either.   This has to be a no punt game for Purdue if they are going to win.  Purdue will have to attack the OSU DB's all day.   Purdue 28 OSU 38

Minnesota @ 20 Iowa (-5.5):  Both teams just a few weeks ago were looking like good candidates for Indy and now we don't know anything about either.   I just can't get over that Minnesota got beat by Bowling Green and had a disappointing loss to Illinois last weekend.   Iowa was once thought to be one of the top few teams in the country.   Minnesota 7 Iowa 10 

Maryland @ 7 MSU (-13):   This is a perfect game for Sparty to rebound from a really bad week.  They lost to Purdue,  the Big Ten took some shine away from their Michigan win, and dropped in the CFP rankings.   Maryland always comes out of the gate hot and then moonwalks.   They're in the moon walk phase.  Kenny 41 Tua Two 30

Northwestern @ 18 Wisconsin (-24.5):  The Wildcats will not score in this game.   Wisconsin 30 NW 0

Rutgers @ IU:  No line = No watch   Total wins between the two teams = 6 - - Rutgers 14 IU 17

• Jim Mora Jr. has taken the UConn job.  Michigan plays UConn next season.