Post-game video of John Beilein discussing his team’s 75-66 win over Northwestern. Notes and quotes are after the jump. Also be sure to check out the player videos, with a guest spot from Assistant Coach Bacari Alexander.
- “I really loved the way we guarded in the first half. It was tremendous.” Michigan was able to force some turnovers but was also careless at times. “That kept them a little bit in the game … disappointed only in our guards’ turnovers today. Stu Douglass and Darius Morris are much better than that.”
- “We had to make big plays. We made them.”
- Jordan Morgan “made some difficult catches … I just love his development right now.”
- On Morgan’s defense: “He’s understanding how he can impact a game.” Said he’s got an NFL tight end’s body because he’s so big and he can run.
- “Most of the inside stuff was residual from pick-and-roll.” Didn’t go into the game thinking, ‘go inside to Morgan,’ just how Northwestern plays screens. Lots of switching, Michigan took advantage.
- Starting Stu was a game-specific decision, taking into account how well Jon Shurna played in Evanston. Evan Smotrycz doesn’t have much experience with perimeter defense, thought it would be better for him to come off the bench. Doesn’t know if Stu will start next game.
- On Jordan Morgan’s development: When he came here … he was overweight and then he had an injury right away.” Beilein said he noticed when Jordan was at Jesuit he had a fall birthday which would make him young for his grade “and he had a great body.”
- “It’s nice to be 5-7 in what could be the best league in the United States right now.” Believes Michigan is moving back into the middle of the Big Ten.
- Said players this year are still learning how to make big baskets, even the more experienced guys; last year, it was mostly DeShawn Sims and Manny Harris taking those shots.
- On Tim Hardaway Jr.: “As you could see on his one dunk there, he’s pretty athletic now.” Learning that he can get a lot done by going to the rim, both on offense and grabbing rebounds on defense.
