mdn82

Congrats to Albers.  Everyone and their brother called him out, and he was right.  That said, I got Cuse on this. 

Yeah, I have been saying he should come off of the bench for a while now.  It didn't work 2 years ago when they tried it, and it isn't working now.  He just has trouble getting into the game when he starts.  I will agree there.

  I wouldn't say he was the worst player on the court.  He shut down their best player all night.  Offensively he is nonexistent.  

  He shouldn't have been on the court.  That said, he has to understand he can't do that.  I am not a fan of Crean keeping the starters in up 30 against Oakland.  Bad on both of them.  

Pacers up 5 with PG just getting his first bucket.  Wow, we got a good team.  

The only question left is if we get to 88 so I get extra points...

That rim is an ocean to Gordon the last couple of games.  Wow.  

Damn…  Just realized the game on Saturday is at 3:15.  I have to work.  That blows.  The DVR will be going for that one.  

This is a different lineup.  Not sure we have seen it all year.  

Sorry in advance guys.  I have one eye on the Heat Pacers game, and this game.  Obviously its HEAT vs. Pacers.  The Pacers are getting back into it so the Rapid Reaction will be a little choppy.  

Glad we are keeping an eye on Travis "Master" Bader.  

Yeah, I mean I would have loved for us to put up a fight, but if you can't understand why the game went the way it did, I really don't know what to say.  They are a top 5, veteran, defensively sound team playing against a young team for their first true road game that can't shoot.  Last year's game was far more of a shock and something that pissed me off.  They were in it for 20 minutes and then didn't show up in the 2nd half.  It isn't like Crean forgot how to coach from half to half.  That is an intensity and focus issue.  That isn't coaching.  If they would have done that to us the whole game, ok, I can see a gripe.  Don't know what to tell Charlie on this one. 

  My new favorite journalist.  

  Not really.  They had the type of players with the type of game needed to win against the zone.  Slashers like Burke and Hardaway that can hit shots from all over.  A shooter like Stauskas that can keep that defense honest.  A big like McGary who can stay at the rim when his defender jumps at Burke or Hardaway.  Then you have an athletic player in Robinson who can come off screens and cut.  As a team they didn't turn the ball over.  Type of team that beats a zone.  

  We do, but we have no way to truly attack it the way you have to.  Why would any zone stay on the shooters for IU?  All they have to do is follow and attack in groups the ball.  Last year it was simple.  If Jordy or Christian were in your area stay out.  If Yogi or Vic got the ball, they were driving.  If Cody got the ball he was going to the rim.  In the zone you have to have a player that can go mid-range who can make decisions.  We don't have that.  Neither year.  Last year it should have been Cody, but he was so one dimensional, it was easy.  I know you think that is overly simplistic and it comes down on the coach completely.  Most definitely he is a part of it.  At some point your players have to play smart and make plays.  Zone offense is being patient and taking care of the ball while having the ability to hit shots.  We don't do that.  There isn't some magical offense that wins against that defense.  If there was, Boeheim wouldn't have a job.  

  Lol, so a team who lost looked lost and a team who won looked good?  No kidding?  They hit shots.  That is how you beat the zone.  We drove into the zone.  For a team full of smart players last year, they played stupid.  Even if they were coached wrong, you as an athlete sense what they are giving you.  Who cares if TC had an entire game to watch.  That is a top 5 team on their court against freshman.  The other stuff is debatable.  Look at that statement, and look at what we went into man.  Big difference with similar results.  You really couldn't have more different teams.  There was no chance we weren't getting blown out.  We can't shoot.  We are freshman playing first road game against top 5 team.  That type of team that plays sound defense will always give us trouble.  Not just a zone.  Wisconsin will do the same.  If we played Louisville, they would do the same.  On the flip side the team you were singing their praises we beat them twice last year.  Bad matchup man.  No more, no less.  

  Sounds like Davis is doubtful for tomorrow, and Coach Crean says he hasn't thought about Sheehey coming off of the bench.  I disagree with that, but it is not my team.  

That was more like it.  I am not talking about the final score.  I am talking about the effort.  The intensity.  On Tuesday, we played like a team expecting to lose.  Tonight, we played like a team expecting to handle another cupcake.  We had some truly solid games from Jeremy, Evan, and Stan.  I could go on and on with Luke, Noah, and Hanner.  It was truly a team effort.  Hopefully this is a springboard game towards consistent effort.  Someone needs to tell the kids they have to bring this intensity against a name opponent to win.     As a team it was mostly solid.  For the first and maybe the last time this year we had more assists (17) than turnovers (11).  We also had 9 steals and 4 blocks as a team.  The steals more times than not led to breakouts.   The blocks led to breaks.  The assists were more times than not at the rim.  Stan had a couple in the 2nd half that were truly beautiful.  He made plays we expect Yogi to make that for whatever reason has not happened.  I know I normally bring up individual performances next, but a big part of this game, and this team effort was from the effort Evan and Jeremy brought throughout this game.  They are normally content with being in the background, but brought an effort we haven't seen.  This effort was very infectious for a team looking for a reason to play with some enthusiasm.     All year long we have been waiting for Will to be that 3rd scorer behind Yogi and Noah.  Tonight we were able to see Evan Gordon put in his best game of the year with 15 points and 4 boards while going to the rim with a purpose.  Coach Crean made it a point to get Jeremy going running the offense through him a few times early in the game.  It worked.  He was active.  He dove on the ground for loose balls.  He was aggressive defensively.  He scored 12 points.  Yogi wasn't efficient, but had 14 points and 7 assists.  Noah had his typical double-double with 13 and 11.  Is it too early to coin the phrase, "Vintage Noah"?  Hanner had a very solid game with 8 points.  Still would like to see more out of a Senior Will "Tom" Sheehey.  He scored 6 points, but was virtually non-existent for the most part.  Maybe I expected too much out of him, and this is the real Will Sheehey.  I hope not.  After 3 years of rooting hard for him, I hope he makes that big play that just infuriates the other team like he has for the last few seasons.     All in all, you have to start somewhere.  The season is a large puzzle, and hopefully we have placed the first piece in a consistent puzzle.  With a team as young as ours, we will find games like Tuesday.   Then follow it up with games like this.  I think at this point we need a team with a name where we bring this effort.  In both of the UConn and Syracuse games it seemed we were scared of the name across from us.  We need to carry this effort forward.  Lets hope Oakland is the 2nd piece to a consistent puzzle that leads us to the B1G schedule on the right foot and erase the memory of a lifeless team at Syracuse.  

Ha, you use UTEP as an example of the best zone offense?  I am sure the level of play for UTEP is a strong one, but let me know the strongest type of zone they have faced.  Syracuse level?  IU's zone offense looks good against the level UTEP is looking good against.  Look.  I understand your hatred of our offense against the zone.  One thing you need to understand why ours struggles against that level.  Our offense is not mechanical.  Our offense is our transition.  Quick shots is where we score.  A sound defense will make us struggle.  One that gets back and limits transition, will make us struggle.  One that is long and can match us athletically, will make us struggle.  It is easy to say what can beat a zone.  A legit one.  Not the one UTEP is beating.  Shooting.  If you have a team who can shoot, take care of the ball, and get into the middle of the zone.  You can beat a zone.  We didn't do 2 of those 3 last year, and can't do 2 of the 3 this year against a top 4 team in the country at their place.  It is what it is.  

88-67 IU

If this dude is scoring 39 against LN, he is going to average close to 40.  They really only have a couple of tough games on their schedule.  That is nuts.  

Oh, and I love the changes made to my profile.  Lol

    Me too.  I hope he improves on the defensive end.  Vic was good defensively as a freshman.  Troy just doesn't seem to know how to use his athleticism on that end yet.  Him and Vic are opposite there.  Troy is more offensive than Vic was.  

  I thought it was a good shot to take.  Just didn't hit it.  Same as Vic as a Freshman.  He takes good shots.  He will probably only hit around 30% as a Freshman.  Glad he recognizes good shots.  I would have been more worried if he would have drove into the defense and got a charge.  He has to keep taking that shot.  He just needs to put up shots every day and he will be fine.  

Stan has also had a good run today.  Will is the only Hoosier that has played extended minutes I can think of who I can say hasn't had a good game.