lillurk

They don’t. I think Rutgers, Notre Dame, and Wake are probably all out. Re: Rutgers…https://barttorvik.com/resume-compare.php?team=Rutgers&year=2022

The dream is half dead. But y’know what would be spicy? IU/PU rubber match.

Definitely robots. The game had a classic Big East aura, in the best way

Is it a shock to everyone that the conference tournament can be fun, or just me?

Would just update this to say: IU met my goal for this season, assuming they’re in. That they beat PU, ND, OSU, UM, U of I on the way there? Won two at least in the BTT? All gravy, as is everything else they do this season.

One way of splitting it: through the MSU game, adjusted efficiency of 1.06 points/possession, good for 92nd best in the country during that period, per Torvik. Since then, 1.11 adjusted ppp, up to 63rd during the span. Perhaps most crucially, scored more than 1/possession adjusted each game since then.

Yes, I know lots of Wisconsin fans and they’re almost all wonderful and fun. Their team, however? The pits.

Appears his father, Almany, played for Cal at Memphis 2002-2005 https://mobile.twitter.com/ukcoachcalipari/status/624257441400791041

USPS may know more specifics but I think IU wouldn’t promise a starting spot early.

Also one for the haters: the offense creates a bunch of open shots (even without many shot creators!). Just have to hit ‘em

1. Feel what you feel, post what you post, but the season’s not over. I understand the likely outcome, and I think everyone agrees the NIT would be a disappointment. 2. …but there are degrees of disappointment. Caring about a basketball team isn’t zero sum. The program is in vastly better position than it was a year ago. If IU misses the tournament it will be by a very small margin — flip a game here or there. And IU was in tons of close games. That’s a different sort of disappointment than getting run off your own floor by Indiana State on the first night of the season. 3. If you think IU’s failure to win close games 2019-present is reflective of some unchangeable character that infected the program, I understand being big mad. I think it’s more than likely just a couple things: bad luck, and less talent (especially at guard). 4. The luck, well, just shake your head. The talent can be fixed. IU is the sort of place where it can be fixed without miracles. And one of the big sources of the dearth of guard talent isn’t coaching anywhere right now. 5. This dovetails with the source of some other frustration, I sense: whataboutnextyear? A good question, of course. I don’t know the answer. But Woody did alright last summer, knows more of what to expect and what he needs this time around. IU had the best defense in the conference this year, and I think more guys CMW and co. pick will mean they get better on the other side of the ball.

Yeah, was going to say, their backup bigs were a combined like 4/4 from 3, Dickinson had maybe his best day from 3…no guarantee they shoot poorly to compensate this time. But if you want a little optimism, you can start there, and also, by rough stats profile, UM is a bit like PU, who IU outscored by a point in two games combined this year: great, large 5, very good offense, suspect defense.

I mean the argument is in my post which you quoted — didn’t play great but still led into the second half. Foul trouble, running out of gas, bad game from TJD…still took it down to the wire. No guarantee, of course, but doesn’t seem a stretch that Johnson specifically, and depth more generally, would’ve been the difference.

Agreed, and while we hang onto the bubble by a thread, while we wait to see what next year’s roster looks like, it’s worth saying that they players committed already in the next two classes are a foundation worth being optimistic about right now.

Without knowing the full histories and situation, including team rules, prior violations, etc. it’s hard for me to say definitively it was the wrong choice, and even if it was, the two UW games and @OSU loom as larger missed opportunities. (Yesterday’s game was a missed chance, of course, but unlike the three I mentioned IU just played well and lost a close one, didn’t blow a 90% or more win probability.) I may have posted this once but to me the question about the NW game is whether a serious but lesser punishment would’ve been adequate. Again, we may never know the situation well enough to be sure. But I wonder if the punishment had been sitting a half — at least in most cases, maybe someone who’d already sat a half for something earlier in the year sits all game — if we pull that out. IU was up four at the half, pushed it higher to start the second, and I assume having all the suspended guys (minus maybe PStew in my scenario) is enough.

Between this and the otherwise terrible start this half IU is very lucky to be within 7

If it was half bad (offense), half good (defense), we can go win this.

I’m feeling pretty zen about this, against my better judgment. This team has been frustrating but I love them, PU has been struggling, and it would be poetically sweet to punch a dance card in WL tomorrow.

Feels rare to hear a HS junior being recruited by high majors bring up defense unprompted like this

Alford would probably turn me away for good. And I tune in every game, etc.

Beilein gave two little-used seniors six minutes, combined, in the 2013 IU @ UM game the Hoosiers won by 1 to clinch the title and deny UM a share.

Agreed; think IU shouldn’t tempt fate. I have a glass-half-full take about this year and this team but I’m saving it for now.

I absolutely love watching Walton BECAUSE it’s fun and absurd. But I do wonder if the confusion statements like this cause more casual fans is a good trade for the entertainment.

Race could be back? I know he has eligibility but I thought the plan was to move on with life.

In the @ OSU game thread I said he wasn’t quite ready and the OSU game was proof that those calling for more time were wrong. I agree with you that he’s at least going to make the right call. And yes: what he can ultimately be isn’t flashy, but if he’s a low TO%, high 3 pt%, ball mover, good team defender? You can’t have enough of those around flashier guys.