mdn82

That a boy Jeremy!  Way to fight for that board!

Good D by Will out of the gate.  

Who in the hell is Noah Vanleh?

We need to find another shooter than Yogi.  Hopefully this is the first game of many we see improvement in that area.  

  Why do I envision a Happy Gilmore reference when I read this?  "You will never make it off of that island.  Just like you never made it to the NHL.  You Jackass!"

Yogi Troy Devin Noah  Luke   Will 1st one off of the bench.  Jeremy 2nd.  Evan 3rd.  Stan 4th.  Hanner 5th.

I hope he threw a chair at a picture of Gene Keady in the visitors locker room.  Then hopefully he had them count steps in AH.  That was the most pathetic half I have seen in years, and that is saying something.  We aren't as talented as Syracuse.  I expected us to lose by 10-15.  We didn't compete.  We played scared.  I love this team, and I still love the upside.  Still do.  But, hopefully he lit them up for that performance.  They better learn to compete for 40 minutes, or they are really going to have trouble in the B1G.  

  I will agree with that.  I don't think so either.  I think he could score 10-12, but it should be more efficient.  If Yogi shooting 15 times is the best we can do, we are in trouble.  That means we are getting out coached, and beat more times than not against better teams.  Atleast, it will be that way this year.  Yogi is no Jordan Hulls.  Even our best shooters didn't shoot this much.  They looked for the best shot.  Crean wants Yogi to do this.  I don't get that.  

Well, they handled us like most of us expected.  I think I guessed 66-54 or something close to that in the prediction.  A few obvious reasons this happened.  We don't have the shooters comfortable enough to take a shot if it is given to them.  Numerous times the shot was there.  The zone tonight was in position to take away the drive.  People see Syracuse's zone and think it is one dimensional.  If you watch Syracuse you will notice they switch things up.  Last year they got out on shooters, and sagged on Zeller.  We are more one dimensional this year than last.  They weren't going to let us drive at all.  On top of all of that, we just aren't good in half court games under Crean for a multitude of reasons.  Crean is good at getting us out quick, and the secondary break.  If that stalls, we aren't good.  Our offense is the transition game and getting to the line.     As a team, we got out-coached, out-manned, and all around outplayed for the last 20 minutes.  Honestly I am impressed by Beiheim every time I see them.  He takes something as simplistic as the 2-3 and adds wrinkles per team that usually work.  Vonleh is so physical, and that is how he was able to get to the line as much as he did.  We didn't turn the ball over any more or any less than normal with 16.  They out rebounded us by 1.  How did they beat us down then?  Difference was in the defensive philosophy, and intensity.  They shot over 50% against us.  In no universe should any team shoot that well against this team.  We are long, athletic, and quick.  Many teams will beat us, but that was unacceptable.  We shot just shy of 40%, which you would expect.  We will not beat any teams giving up that percentage, because against the best of teams we play, we can't match that.     Individually, the story was the disappearing act of Will Sheehey.  As a Senior, on the road, you have to show up.  You have to provide the guidance needed for Freshman.  Will Sheehey is a great leader, and I would be willing to bet this won't happen again.  Not 1-7 for 3 points and 1 steal.  That was it.  He is too valuable in that environment for that line.  Noah got to the line 16 times and hit 13 of them.  He also had 6 boards and 3 blocks.  Yogi hit 4 three pointers for 12 points.  Troy had a ridiculous put back that will undoubtedly be a highlight on Sportcenter tonight.    Well, for a conclusion there is no way to sugar coat this.  They beat us to the punch, and took away our only way of competing.  They took away the lanes, and dared us to shoot all night.  We hesitated, and made careless mistake after careless mistake against a zone.  It was ugly really from the beginning, even though we were really in it until like 2 minutes in to the second half.  Seriously, I didn't think it was possible for IU to go 12+ without a FG.  That in itself is impressive and sad at the same time.  Impressive for Syracuse, and sad for IU.  From here, we go back to cupcakes.  Hopefully they can get back on track, whatever that track may be.  

  Nah, Crean wants him to do what he is doing.  IMO, it is lazy as a coach to have a player take bad shots, because your offense isn't good enough to get better shots.  I am a huge Crean fan, but that is on him to get players in better positions.  Yogi is no Bracey Wright.  He is doing what he is told.  

  He has his plus and minus, but he really needs to figure out what he is.  He either is a scorer, or distributer.  As good as his vision is, I personally feel it is doing us a disservice having him chuck up shots like he does.  

  I missed out on time and a half for that.  I am working like 70 hours this week and left for that….  

  Lol, you are younger than 20?  No kidding?  Well Charlie, I was alive.  I was a kid then.  I remember being so pissed I couldn't see straight.  Coming off of the Henderson, Bailey, Cheaney years, it was depressing.  Games like this unfortunately happen.  Doesn't make them suck less, but they happen.  I honestly expect this to happen.  How could it not?  We have no shooters.  We can't play half court type of games under Crean, and especially without shooters.  We are a team who is in the top 25-35 teams.  We will win 20ish games.  It will be a year of peaks and valleys.  

I almost want Charlie to do the Rapid Reaction tonight…  I want a chuckle.  

  Since Charlie liked this, I will ask you and him what you guys thought of a ranked IU team losing to Minnesota in the mid-90s by 50 who was coached by Robert Montgomery Knight?  Did you feel he made a joke out of IU?  IU is losing to a top 5 team on the road.  Did you guys seriously not expect this?  We suck tonight.  No doubt about that, but my God.  Step away from the ledge.  The sun may rise for some of us tomorrow...

Crean needs shooters.  I am 100% believing that now for him to succeed.  

  Nah, I think Syracuse woke up.  Their defense wasn't near as active as what it is now.  This is what a team look like that can't shoot against the zone.  Especially top 5 team in the country.  

  We can't win in a shootout.  It has to start on the defensive side of the ball.  This better be the worst game of the year.  This is the ugliest game in probably 3 years.  No sugarcoating this.  I just caught up with the game.  Got off of work at 8.  Should have stayed.  

  Ha, you say that every game.  I will believe it when I see it.  

In some more interesting news than this game, Jacoby Ellsbury is a Yankee.  I dislike the Yanks as well.  

I will be late to the party probably.  I am hoping I don't get off at 8pm...  I will be pissed, because I will be playing catch up on DVR instead of on here.  If I get off at 7 it won't be too bad.  I will be about 15 min behind.  Damn work and greed!!! 

  This wouldn't surprise me.  Dude has the body, speed, and hands of a solid NFL player.  

1.  You have to play big and long against that zone.   2.  Get it to the middle and make them reactionary.   3.  Control the boards.  Syracuse is bigger than any team we will face this year.  We can't shoot well.  Our only chance to control the boards on both ends to make up for our 40% shooting.  

  Somebody who is actually in the MVP voting?

Wow…  If that is not KO of the night, I don't know what is.