cappymo14

Well, I just returned home and have finished watching a dvr of the game. Where to start? The second half was impossibly hard to watch. Everything went wrong and we pulled it out. Made Dorsey look NBA quality. I assure you, he is not. That said, I see many consider Minny to be a "horrible" team. I will not agree or disagree with that. The record is just that but, is that team, well....horrible? They have been right there for the win in all but 3 conference games. Most losses by single digits and a couple by under 5. You may recognise some of the teams they nearly beat. They are MSU (-9), illinois (-5), Michigan (-4), Purdue (-4) and Indiana (twice). It is my theory, that IU did not so much "blow it" but held off a pesky, difficult to beat team, that is giving good teams problems. I'm not necessarily pumping the bright side in this thing either. The collapse after half is very disturbing to me. We have several players struggling. Troy, oh my, what is the plan here? It has suddenly changed, IMO. He cannot be allowed to initiate nor finish the offense from the top. Last two games he's been put in this position and consistently proven that his skill set is not suited to it. Like.. at all. I feel this is the coaches decision and again, IMO, it hurting the team and destroying any draft stock that the kid may have had. Outside of that, I believe good Troy will be back sooner than later...if he remains on the baseline or wing. I look at Wisky and Minny. Wisky runs the swing offense. This allows them to control the pace while hiding some of their inexperience and controls mistakes on both ends of the floor. This like the Gopher offense makes them appear to be un-athletic due to the slowed pace. Could that be the reason for recently forcing an athletic player like Troy from the top? Maybe. Either way it failed so the answer has got to be back-to-basics for him. Zeisloft. I've said it in several other posts. He is a natural set shooter, sure as I'm born. With his feet set the kid is money. Problems have arisen for his shot recently because he is simply not a catch and shoot man. His numbers plummet when he's popping on the move or when forced into a quick release. I feel like Nick has possibly been given a green light when in the game, and that has led to further problems, because he's now taking bad shots and missing them wildly. Nick can still get off 5-6 open set shots/game through ball movement like always. Needs to be on the floor for a while longer so he can get lost in the movement; however, no green light. It's the worst thing we did so far. Defensively, I can't...I really can't. Transition? Lay-ups? Please, don't make me talk about it. I still can't. I'll talk about it after Michigan. Can only go up from here. Jeez. Have to acknowledge some great individual performances from Thomas, O.G., and Max. O.G. did well with the increased minutes but did show some lack of experience. I feel if he gets that PT against Wisky, We take it. He's making a very good case for keeping and increasing those hard earned minutes. More confidence on offence could make the kid a monster. TB, awesome game. Took it on his back and willed us through. Very proud buddy, you are everything I hoped you would be. So games over, we won. That's what they were there for. That's what they did. 8-1 in conference. I'm looking forward to Feb. and this stretch of death everyone is talking about. No one ever said we had to win them all. Steal 3 from MSU, Mary, Iowa and Purdue while handling the rest? Puts us right there. Remember, none of those teams are crushing folks. All struggled to get wins over the same teams we did. A few lost to teams we beat. Play half way good d and we r right there. In my humble, yet nearly universally recognized opinion.

He got worked, and I mean WORKED by Hayes. Saying he got his ankles broken doesn't co.e close. Hayes took dudes spine out. The effort and IQ are there, the athleticism And talent are not. I too believe OG should get his shot for Hartman instead of TDUB.

He got worked, and I mean WORKED by Hayes. Saying he got his ankles broken doesn't co.e close. Hayes took dudes spine out. The effort and IQ are there, the athleticism And talent are not. I too believe OG should get his shot for Hartman instead of TDUB.

I was at the game sitting close enough to the action. Most of the calls on Hayes looked legit. We were frequently beat in the paint and forced to block from behind. A lot of body while in the air. I will say that YF was also getting bumped frequently on layup attempts and did not get the same result. It was quite clear from where I was sitting that our defense has improved but, is still not very good. Interesting, the UW fans I sat with all agree, if YF goes for contact on Hayes at the end of regulation, we win.

Yes 100%. Had him in the air, flying toward him. If he just jumps into Hayes and falls down.....Hayes was way in the air. Should have looked for the contact. Frankly surprised he didn't.

Having a few pre-game cocktails at The Nitty Gritty bar in Madison, half block from the Kohl Center. Getting ready to make the walk to watch tonight's Bucky beatdown. I tell you, the yocals seem very confident they will be victorious. I, in my IU hoodie, have been engaged in several conversations involving their winning ways VS. IU. Don't know about the team but, the fans have dismissed this as an auto-win for them. We are clearly the better team and they still think we are a joke. They are even talking smack about how many more charity shots they will get. Please hammer these BADgers back to the stone age. Come on IU!!! I need this so bad. I'm going to be loud and obnoxious again tonight. I want to hear myself screaming on the tube. Shut these people up Hoosiers......HARD.

Come on man, hop on the conspiracy train! Weather is warm, drinks are cold and the girls all have fake boobs and brains. Anyway, I think if you stop Hays, their O. Can't keep up. Hays is the key. Who guards him? Troy? Hartman? I say O.G. but I'm not sure on that either.

So, my son has an interesting theory about the state of the Wisconsin program. It's so bizarre, there could be some truth to it.... After their win over MSU, he says "I think the Badgers are way better than people think". "Bo leaves after a handful of poorly played games, handing the team over to his assistant, claiming that he wanted Guard to get time as the interim head coach right?" "Well what if he had the team intentionally playing possum early on, so that Guard takes over, and all of a sudden, the Badgers go on a "miracle" run down the stretch, making Guard look like the hero who saved the season? "That then forces UW to sign Guard as the permanent head coach, which is what Bo wanted all along." No fire there, but there is some smoke. I wouldn't put it past that old bastard. Either way, don't look past this team. They are better than anyone thinks.

[quote name="MartintheMopMan" post="235573" timestamp="1453581586"]One down and onto the next. Let's keep this streak going and show we aren't afraid of the Kohl Center anymore.   I hate Wisconsin more than anyone and I want to embarrass them.    Ummmm, I don't think so....I live and work in Madison, Wi. Trust me, I hate them wayyyy, way more.

Man, that would be huge. We steal one from any of those 3 and keep topping the others and I'd say it's a real good possibility.

You know, I said this in the game thread and I'm going to say it again.....One very popular criticism of this team, even among our own fans, is that it is impossible to get over excited about the team because we have only played teams considered to be the bottom - half of the conference. I say you're absolutely correct. We beat them all. We were supposed to win those games and we did just that. All of them. Can MSU say that? Can Purdue say that? Can Maryland? Can Wisky? No they cannot. All those teams lost to someone considered to be bottom-half. The formula for success in this league has always been, win the games you are supposed to and steal a couple from the teams your not and you are right there for the title. How is it possible, people are not bonkers over this start? We are doing exactly what we should be.

Anyone know the Maryland-NW score? Heard UM was down.

Z is sooo much better when he's set. Not the same guy on the move.

They can't miss.

Really playing at a high level right now.

Excellent half. Shooting the lights out and that putback slam from TB that was waived off was sick! J. WIL on the halftime show said he's not buying in on IU until they play somebody. This is somehow a popular criticism of this team. I say, yes we played the bottom half of the league and beat them all. We are supposed to win those games, so we did. Did MSU? Did Wisky? Did Purdue? Nope, all those teams lost to someone they shouldn't have. Great job this season IU!!!

I like OG as a surprise. Coming from limited minutes in the pre-season, he has proven himself to the coaching staff, and the fans, with relentless rebounding, shooting and defense. I wonder if in fact, he didn't sneak up and surprise the coaching staff as well. Nice job by the staff of recognizing the desire and raw talent in this kid. I wonder though, do we see it if JBJ stays healthy? Another surprise for me has been the consistent solid play of Max B. I never worry about the guy. Solid down low, shooter, solid D. Max won't lead the team in scoring but, I think he can be a leader. No doubt. Nick Z.... Nick is one of the best spot up shooters in the game. And that's just the thing. I saw NZ bury open 3's for 2 years. Thought he may never miss. Now, it looks as though he has been given the green light and is now pulling up quickly and often while on the move/off screens. He's forcing. I don't think that's his game. He's a deadly set shooter. I agree with having him shoot out of it, but not that way, not when he has to catch and Jack while on the move. If he's fading back or side at all, it's not going down. I don't have many player disappointments. I was never big on JBJ from the beginning. I guess I just don't see where the NBA hype comes from. Do I think we are a better team without him? Not really much, I think the focus on offense has just changed from outside to inside with TB being the stud we thought he'd be. I don't see us better or worse. We lost 15ppg, or did we? The inside game has absorbed that in my opinion. Defense has been better because it's team oriented now and the kids are starting to understand help side better. Troy, Good Troy...Bad Troy. I hate that. Troy can score. Most would agree the OSU game was good Troy because he scored without turning it over. I saw him get bailed out, totally wild, by a lucky foul call several times. Got lucky those were not 5 turnovers. I know what I'm getting with him. Love him. I think he needs touches from inside 17ft. Max. Do what you do. Not meant to handle from further out.

I agree, I think he will be very important in the near future. Hope he works it out because he can be a sparkplug for them on slow days. Announcers today said his release looked funny on more than one occasion. I think it's a head thing.

My goodness, what a game! Look at what this team can do when they play D and value the ball. If we have our typical turnover #'s, we are looking at a score closer to 75-70 if not closer. Very pleased with all the guys today.

Get back the intensity.

Don't get a chance to say this often so......Don't make any halftime adjustments. Just hammer!

What an excellent half of basketball. Fast, athletic, and under control. Very proud of this team on how they handled the early season criticism, defensive woes, and the loss of one of their leaders. I think these guys are really starting to get it. They are tough, tough, kids and they are beginning to believe in themselves.

The guys are really playing as a team. Never mind the score. We are playing team defense, team offense. Look at the result. I love it.

This is the best we have played in years.