Since Feb. 3rd, we've played in 12 "elimination" games to win the Big 12 or advance in the NCAA tourney. The closest of those 12 was a 7-point win in Aimes. I'm not too well versed on Tech athletics before the mid 90s. 08 football team had a pretty good start. And the 95 hoops team ran train on the SWC conference. But these last two months has to be the most dominant of a run as any Tech team, in any sport, that I've seen.
That was the 7th worst offensive efficiency game that Michigan has played in the Kenpom era. It was only the 7th best efficient defensive performance that we've played this year. Since the beginning of the year when we were holding everyone to under one point per possession, we've played historically good defense. As much as I've hyped our schematic advantage, I think we've reached the tipping point to where its being overblown. We lock people up because we have great individual defenders, who get whipped into a frenzy by Beard & co., and are dialed in with outstanding scouting reports. The schematic advantage just makes it that much harder.
But, as we know, that's not all that makes this team so special. Because we were really, really good defensively last year. This year's team can really shoot and Mooney/Culver/Moretti are difficult to defend off the bounce. Only 6 teams this year scored more than 1 PPP against Michigan. We did it in a huge spot.
I went to both of Michigan's games in the Final Four last year. Walking back to the riverwalk from the Alamo dome after both games, I couldn't help but think that we would've worked last year's Michigan team too. I was wearing a tech shirt, and many Kansas and Nova fans told me the same thing. The Meat Grinder is simply not a good match up for the Big 10, or any teams that don't have 5 knockdown shooters like Nova did last year.
That was the 7th worst offensive efficiency game that Michigan has played in the Kenpom era. It was only the 7th best efficient defensive performance that we've played this year. Since the beginning of the year when we were holding everyone to under one point per possession, we've played historically good defense. As much as I've hyped our schematic advantage, I think we've reached the tipping point to where its being overblown. We lock people up because we have great individual defenders, who get whipped into a frenzy by Beard & co., and are dialed in with outstanding scouting reports. The schematic advantage just makes it that much harder.
But, as we know, that's not all that makes this team so special. Because we were really, really good defensively last year. This year's team can really shoot and Mooney/Culver/Moretti are difficult to defend off the bounce. Only 6 teams this year scored more than 1 PPP against Michigan. We did it in a huge spot.
I went to both of Michigan's games in the Final Four last year. Walking back to the riverwalk from the Alamo dome after both games, I couldn't help but think that we would've worked last year's Michigan team too. I was wearing a tech shirt, and many Kansas and Nova fans told me the same thing. The Meat Grinder is simply not a good match up for the Big 10, or any teams that don't have 5 knockdown shooters like Nova did last year.
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