Michigan-Clemson Live Blog

What's up everybody I hope everyone is ready for the biggest game for the Michigan basketball program in 11 years.  If you doubt the importance of this game, just look at the post below.  Michigan fans have been waiting for this for a long time, so let's get it.

Unofficially, I have recieved information from a reliable source that Ben Cronin said the team is "extra hype" today.  They'd better be.

19:34- Easy bucket for clemson followed by an airball.  Not a good start.

16:44- WAY TOO EASY dunk from Clemson.  You would think Michigan has mastered defending the pick-and-roll by now, but it's obvious they still have a few kinks to work out.

15:34-Not looking very good right now.  The team's body language is saying they're a little overwhelmed by the stage, which is understandable.  One thing they don't want is for this game to turn into a 3-point contest; their shooting is too inconsistent for that.  7-3, Clemson.

14:14- Huge 3 from Stu Douglass.  Hey, if we're hitting, there's nothing wrong with making it a 3-point contest.  You just wonder if they can keep it going the whole game.  Whoop, CJ Lee just made a 3.  I may be eating my words soon.  Hopefully. 

13:00- Michigan is having some serious trouble corralling rebounds.  Clemson just finished a possession in which they got at least 3 offensive rebounds.  That will be a problem as long as Zach Novak is guarding a power forward.

11:35- Terrible foul call on a clean Stu block.  How many of those is he really going to get?  And you take it away?  Way to be a collossal dick, ref.

10:13- Clemson is on a major shooting drought.  If I'm them, I take the ball inside instead of shoot a bunch of 3's; it seems like they're kind of playing into our hands.  Hope nobody on their coaching staff is reading this site as the game is going on... c'mon, it could happen.

8:03- Manny is looking great right now, specifically his 3-point shot.  If he stays hot the reast of the game, we're in business.  But really, Mich needs to get Sims involved.  He has been a non-entity so far.

6:28- Sims' first bucket, also his first non-airball.  Called that shit.  They need to keep him involved.

4:31- Wow.  Manny just got about as high as you possibly can without dunking.  He is officially pumped up, which says very good things.  Mich has definitley shed the initial bewilderment and they look very good.  Need to shore up their defense, though.  

3:02- Kelvin Grady, other than an airball 3, has played very well while he's been in.  Just drew a charge, so nice.

2:18- Manny Harris has officially stayed hot so far.  The dude is unconcious from 3 right now.  I really, really, really hope it continues.

0:28- In an attempt to draw contact, Novak just hit a horrendous bank shot.  I will take that any day of the week.  

HALF- Michigan is leading, 27-24.  Honestly, the game is going great.  Michigan is hitting its shots and Clemson, other than the first few minutes, has been missing.  Hopefully it continues, but if Clemson wanted to, they could go inside on Novak almost every time.  Our 1-3-1 is doing ok, but once Clemson crosses that threshold, it's pretty much been an automatic two points.  There isn't much Michigan can do because of their height (or lack thereof), but they still need to challenge their big men.  If Michigan is going to win this game, Sims needs to be more involved in the offense.  Manny is doing great, but he can't do it all himself.  Actually, maybe he can.  We'll see in the second half.  BREAK! 

19:16- OH!  Sick alley from Novack and a powerful oop from Sims!  Huge play out of halftime, big for Sims especially.  Sometimes getting an easy bucket can jump-start players.  We can only hope.

17:49- Dunk from Sims followed by a Stu Douglass dunk after a steal.  You don't see that very often, but when you do, it's something special.  Right now, we got all the momentum and we're up eight.  Let's keep it going.

17:20- Terrible foul call on this Clemson player, leading to a technical on Clemson's coach.  Awesome.  Also, the replay shows the player intentionally elbowed Stu Douglass.  Oh, wow, they're ejecting him.  Whoa.  Didn't think it warranted that, but I'll take it.  And a 3-pointer by Lee!  Let's get it! 

16:16- 16-2 run by Michigan.  Manny just got a fast-break dunk.  Clemson is in complete disarray.  We are better than these guys.  We are up, 43-29.

14:36- 3 by Novak.  We're up by 16.  Give us another five minutes with this lead, and the game could be over, for all intents and purposes.

12:25- That's six fouls on Clemson, Michigan is in the double-bonus the rest of the game.  Huge.  Our lead has been cut to 12.  Michigan needs to make sure they keep playing to win--not playing not to lose.

10:43- Clemson is seriously banged up right now.  We just took out our third Tiger of the game.  This reminds me of the football game a few years ago where Mich took out, like, three Penn State quarterbacks.  The more, the better.  Also, apparently Sims does not need to get involved.  We're doing fine, and he hasn't even broken double digits.

9:20- Big-time swing by Clemson, they're only down seven.  They just had a 5-point possession.  This...is not good.

8:04- Zach Gibson has kept this Michigan possession going for about three minutes.  He gets razzed a lot by a lot of people (including me), but he has really stepped up this game.  Good for him.

6:13- HUGE 3 by Sims to put us up by 13.  Everyone is stepping it up right now, very cool to see.  We are THIS CLOSE to putting this away.

3:33- 58-52, Michigan.  And in the blink of an eye, it's a tight game.  This sucks.  Michigan cannot give this game away.  It's their game to lose right now, and it's because Michigan has been playing not to lose on offense.  Defensively, the Wolverines can't do much about them hitting 3's.  They gotta buckle down right now.

1:20- 58-54.  If Michigan loses, it is all their fault. 

0:59- 58-55.  CJ Lee just threw the ball away.  He especially is experiencing a total meltdown.  Inexcusable.

0:37- MANNY HARRIS AND 1!!!!!  HUGE play by Manny, biggest maybe of his career.  He is looking very confident.  It's cool because it's like he's growing up before our eyes.  61-59, Mich.

0:13- Novak goes 1-1 on free throws, Mich up 3.

FINAL- Michigan Wins!  They almost gave it away, but they got it done.  Bring on (probably) Oklahoma.