BTT (Big Ten Tournament)

 I am so engaged I'm watching the end of Michigan State - Wisconsin.

Game 3

 

It was milestone game for this team.

With about about two minutes left the camera caught Wisconsin coach Greg Gard and he looked worried.  He knows Michigan wins games like this.

But never before to be Big Ten champs.  May's biggest and perhaps only mistake was not filling out the roster.  Next year is one of those uncontrollable things.  This team team, all eight of them, is going to be tough to beat in the tournament.

Game 2

This was a game of peaks and valleys.  Maryland started by shutting-out Michigan; Michigan took the lead and for a while it was close until Michigan opened a big lead and started hot-dogging it.  Every play was a turnover and Maryland fought back to take the lead.  Then, back and forth a bit until Maryland seemed to win the clock battle.  Finally, it was a lasting five seconds of Trey Donaldson fame.

Why did Michigan win?  The Donaldson play.  It was not entirely new:  Michigan players go end to end (Jones, Wolf, Gayle, and Cason have done it recently).  Thus time was way more clutch.  Incredible composure, speed, and skill by Donaldson.

Purdue, Maryland, and soon to come Wisconsin are all top Big Ten teams.

Game 1

Purdue depended on their big two one game too many and is not the power they were in recent years.  But Michigan played its best game in weeks with the same lineup.  Everyone stuck to their role and played better than average.  Twenty-five assists and 6 turnovers is a huge and unexpected turnaround.

Goldin was the proverbial solid defender and scorer.  Wolf eliminated turnovers and dumb plays and played up to his best-game ability.  Even Roddy Gayle used his skills--jumping and free throw shooting.  The real key, however, is everyone contributed.  Donaldson, Jones, Cason, Burnett, already-mentioned Gayle, and Cheddar all contributed with their individual skills.

(Looks up spelling again), Tschetter was great.  Trey Kaufman-Renn is strong, physical, very good, and an absolutely legal bully.  Tschetter took the blows.  During one stretch he was in the seats or on the floor 3 times in about a minute.  Wasn't he Mr. Minnesota at one time?  Jones too, all these guys can shoot and I bet they make them in practice.  This game featured team play and assists.  

The players and all those assistants and analysts sitting on the bench in white Michigan communist (Dusty May) uniforms did great.  No one plays for Michigan unless they can handle the big time.  The team responded.

Wisconsin over State.  Earlier, Maryland made easy work of Illinois, and Michigan too.