Liveblog: Michigan vs. Minnesota, Big 10 tournament 1st round

We're in Chicago, at a mostly empty United Center, for Minnesota vs. Michigan with Brent Mussburger, Steve Lavin, and (w00t!) Erin Andrews.

Brent says the Wolverines need a couple of victories. No kidding...

Minny shoots! And sticks the ball between the hoop and backboard... Lavin thinks it's a bad omen.

We now have a closeup of Brent Petway's absolutely marvelous Wolverine helmet inspired winged hair-do. Do the kids still call them hair-do's?

Lavin says it's cold outside. Good to know, as it is Chicago in March...

3 minutes in, 3-zip good guys in the lead.

Right now, Minny can't buy a hoop. Not that Michigan is playing much better. Brent says this game is not destined for the basketball time capsule. I doubt any Tommy Amaker coached game is going to end up memorialized in anything other than a trash can.

A TV time out, Michigan still up 3-0. Brent goes for the obvious Little Brown Jug reference.

Back from the break, and Brent sticks with the football analogy, saying the Wolverines are up thanks to a Garret Rivas field goal. Enough already!

Lavin says it's cold in the building too! It guess those years out West cheating for UCLA thinned his blood...

A shot of Amaker looking pensive, thinking about what to say on his resume, I'm guessing.

6 minutes in, 7-4 Michigan. So far, it's been an ugly, ugly game.

Courtney Sims on the bench with 2 personals. I'm not sure if that's good or bad for the Wolverines.

Brent and Lavin are talking about everything but the game at this point. I don't blame them, as most anything (Lavin's hair, the weather, what they did last night) is more interesting than what's currently happening on the court.

Now Petway sits with 2 personals... Minny up 9-7 with 12:00 left in the 1st.

A Flip Saunders going to the Gophers rumor is being discussed. All I can say is Minnesota best be careful of what they wish for, they just might get it. Ask any Pistons fan.

TV TO. Michigan is 3-13 from the floor, yet still in the game down 9-7. This game is exhibit 1 to the NCAA selection committee as to how awful much of the Big 10 is this season. It's not a ringing endorsement for the Wolverines NCAA hopes. The NIT, on the other hand...

Minny's Williams with the HUGE rejection, swats Abram's shot 10 rows deep into the stands.

Brent blames Michigan's awfulness on having a hangover from the close tOSU loss. Personally, I think it's due to the fact that Michigan just isn't all that good.

Both teams shooting 29% from the floor, 12-11 Minny with 7:39 left, we have a TV TO. I have to ask, why am I doing this?

Lavin calls Duke coach Mike Kzcjestyidfski (Boy, that's an easy joke) the "Mariano Rivera" of coaching. The way Coach Kzeritvmndjtgski whines, Rivera should consider that an insult.

Under 6 minutes to go, 12-12, both teams have to be shooting under 25%. Minny's on a 5 minute long scoring drought.

Woo, they go to Erin! Damn, it's just her voice...

Dion Harris with 4 straight points! 16-12 Michigan, as we go into commercial with just over 4 minutes left. Thank God, as I need a break from the outright suckitude on display.

Minny with 4 straight, ties the game, Amaker calls for a TO!

Brent chimes in with the illuminating stat, no Big 10 team with a winning conference record and 20 wins overall have ever missed the NCAA's. He then lists the handful of Big 10 teams that meet the criteria this year. I don't think that going to be true after this season, Brent.

Back to the action, 3:25 left, 17-16, maize and blue. I've seen better shooting in most high school games.

Brent says Lavin was into the red wine last night. Figures. We all know Brent's a beer guy...

Brent with more football analogies. He's loves his Big 10 football, obviously.

Abram with the offensive foul. It's the most offense I've seen from him all game.

Harris with the trey! Brent says what we all are thinking, "Finally!"

Minny with the last shot, after getting their own board on a missed one and one. Minny does what they have done all game, miss that final shot. Michigan up 20-16 at the half.

Jesus Christ, that was a horrible display of what's supposed to be big time college basketball.For a bubble team that has to impress the NCAA selection committee, this isn't what Michigan needs them to see. Hell, the NIT has to be having 2nd thoughts of inviting Michigan...

And we're back... Minny and Michigan on the floor for another exercise in futility.

And I'm back again after a browser crash! 23-21 Michigan! 16:50 left. Gophers continue to miss shots. A nice graphic was shown, both teams had 3 scoring droughts of more than 3 minutes each. Wonderful display of hoop today for any Big 10 wanna-be recruits...

Minny's coach Jim Molinari gets T'ed up! Even he's getting fed up with the back and forth awfulness on the court. As the Gophers are now down 8, and shooting blanks, he's already in desperation mode. The Wolverines convert both freebies, 31-21 Michigan with 15:40 left.

Petway with the drive, score! Michigan with the steal, foul on the Gophers. Michigan is starting to pull away. Brent says it's a 10-0 run for the good guys. 35-21 Michigan.

Brent is already talking about a Michigan vs. tOSU game in the 2nd round. ESPN whips out the Wolverines resume, Lavin brings up the atrocity that was Michigan's out of conference schedule, which is the main reason they are such longshots for the NCAA's. Double Duh.

Petway drives, fouled, makes 2. Minny is getting in deep foul trouble, and down 14. What a game...

Dion Harris with the pretty drive! And he misses the layup... That is this game in a nutshell.

Lavin brings out the "Playing in a foreign arena is causing the bad shooting" platitude. That's one that we hear during every badly played tournament game. Please, don't try to make excuses for such awful play. The actual reason the shooting is so poor is due to the fact that both Michigan and Minnesota just aren't that good.

12 minutes left, Michigan up 15. Yawn.

Michigan misses 2 shots, Minny gets the board, comes down, and misses. Lord help me, this is nit a good game. (NIT? Is that misspelling a Freudian slip?)

Erin's back, pimps the upcoming Sparty-Northwestern game. That matchup can't come soon enough... 10 to go, Michigan still up 15. Once again, Lavin and Brent talking about everything but the game at this point.

Brent can't wait to see Drew Neitzel! Basically says if he can't shoot, maybe Lavin's on to something.

Minny with the 3 ball! Brent wakes up, says Minny has a "Glimmer!" Petway with the hoop in response, Brent back to sounding bored.

Lavin brings up Flip Saunders again, and talks about Minnesota's coaching woes. Pimps the interim coach, Molinari. This game isn't exactly a resume builder, Steve...

Michigan with the turnover. TV TO, 7:54 left. Minny is only down 10. If Michigan blows this game, after the choke job in last years tournament... Well, it's going to be ugly in A2. No way Amaker can come back. Can he?

Brent is confused. Ends up saying, "Whatever, Michigan by 10!" Both teams are shooting under 30% from the floor. No wonder Brent is so testy...

Minny with the nice pass and the hoop. Gophers down 8... Michigan turns it over! Hoop for Minny, 11-3 run, only down 6!

Amaker has to be nervous... Ron Coleman with the Michigan 3 ball. Amaker feels a tad better. Minny with a 3! Lavin is in shock! "2 3 pointers?!"

Payton fouls out for Minny with 0 points. 4 minutes left, 43-37 Michigan. Harris on the line, makes both. Amaker has to be sweating bullets... No he's not, I forgot that Lavin said it was cold in the building... Brrrr.

Inside 4 minutes, Michigan running some clock, Lavin likes the strategy. Again, duh.

Michigan continues to run some clock, but misses the shot. Coleman goes up for the board, gets accidentally low bridged, comes down HARD on his hip/wrist! That's gonna leave a mark. And another TV TO...

We finally get a good replay, that fall looked as if it was damn painful, Coleman's wrist took the brunt of it... Not looking good for his return.

Minny down 7, we see a full court press. All the while, Brent is talking up MSU, and their need to not be upset by the Wildcats. Lavin says "Put everyone's on the bubble in the Big 10!" Damn straight.

1:39 left, Michigan up 7. Abram commits a silly personal, and fouls out in the process. Wonderful.

Minny mises both freebies. Amazing... Michigan is giving them every opportunity to get back in the game, and the Gophers say, "No thanks!"

Michigan is fouled, make 1 of 2. 1:20 left, up 8. Minny misses from the floor, Michigan gets the board and is fouled. Brent pretty much declares the game over. Watch it Brent, we're talking an Amaker coached team here...

Brent pimps Lavin for the open Minnesota job. Now he's just being silly...

Brent and Steve also start pimping tomorrow's Wolverines-Buckeyes matchup. This one's all but over...

The Gophers get a final garbage time hoop, and the torture is finally over. 49-41, the Amaker led juggernaut that is Michigan moves on to the next round. Unfortunately, I don't think tOSU is all that worried...