BGleas

I think for now the rotation should be: Guards and wings (1-3): XJ, Galloway, Gunn, Cupps Forwards and bigs (4/5): Ware, Reneau, Mgbako, Banks Sparks as needed if we have to have some size.

They need to be better, completely agree. But, I'd also argue a bit that the system isn't really set up for them to do much currently. The lane is completely clogged. Our most used offense right now is to drop it to a big on the block and stand around while they make a move. There's not much space right now and we're running almost everything through 2 bigs in the paint. They definitely need to do much, much better on the defensive glass at minimum.

We're not that good in the halfcourt. Our 3pt defense sucks. Our pace is terrible. Reneau and Ware won't be nearly as effective or dominant when we're going against power 5 conference teams. What we're doing barely worked against FGCU and almost lost us a game to one of the worst teams in D1 basketball. Again, we don't need to lead the Nation I'm 3pt attemps, but we need to shoot more to compete once the competition gets better. Our bigs constistsly miss completely wide open shooters when double and tripled team all game long. There is absolutely no reason we can't and shouldn't shoot more.

Again, nobody said "jack 30+ 3's". If we continue to be sub-300 nationally in attempts we're not going to win to the level we all want.

Nobody is saying to take 3-pointers for the hell of it or to lead the nation in 3pt attempts. But, being ranked sub-300 in 3pt attempts isn't a winning strategy either.

I honestly have no clue what you're seeing or talking about? Have you watched him over 4 games (including the exhibitions) completely riding "supposedly quicker" guards up and down the court? Constantly making them change direction and almost never blowing by him. I mean, his defensive pressure literally changed the entire FGCU game around. He's probably our best defensive guard so far this season and that's on a team with XJ and Galloway. Defense and his ability to pressure at the point of attack is literally the reason he's gotten the minutes he has so far.

I think MM needs to get time at the 4. He clearly a college 4 and needs to be in that role. We're wasting his offensively by having him in the "Kopp stand in the corner role". On Cupps and Gunn we couldn't disagree more. Cupps has shown more in two games than Gunn has shown in 1 year and two games. It's not even close. Cupps has All-Conference potential. I'm don't want to write the kid off, but Gunn has massive, massive improvements to make.

I dont care who the better athlete is, I'll take Cupps defense over CJ Gunn's every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Cupps is going to be an excellent Big Ten player over his career and a key player this season. Granted we haven't played the good teams yet, but at this point in terms of staying in front of his man and creating defensive havoc, I'm the least worried about Cupps.

And just stupid! If he's really comparing basketball resumes, Woodson's towers over both of them. But what's worse is just this clown continuing to trash Woodson, IU players and IU recruits.

Dakich is straight trash!

Great breakdown, and the worst part is Donta Scott, a 5th year senior' trying to blame other guys after he single handedly screwed that entire defensive possession up.

I'm not really worried about rebounding, at least compared to last year's team. Ware is a 7-footer, Reneau is a big upgrade over Race interms of rebounding, Mgbako will be am upgrade over Kopp in terms of rebounding, Galloway is Galloway, and XJ is an upgrade over JHS in this area. Yeah, we lost the leading rebounder in program history, but we weren't really a great rebounding team last year, and we've improved at every other spot. Agree with most of your other comments.

Not sure specifically, but I'd be really surprised if they don't regularly have security talking to the team about how to be safe, etc., on a college campus, just like they have PR training.

My question would be, what would they have to do with this? It's not like athletes hangout as a team 24/7.

This is not a "sour grapes, we didn't want him anyways" post. I absolutely wanted Fland for both his talent, position and the perception of getting two 5*'s in one week against KU and UK. We need to be stacking high-end talent in these classes, and especially in the backcourt. I wanted us to land Fland. Just making it crystal clear. With all of that said, I am perfectly comfortable with a sophomore Gabe Cupps as our point guard next season. I was hoping to have Fland and Cupps together, but I'm perfectly comfortable with Cupps running the show next year. I'd even argue a sophomore Cupps has more potential to impact winning at the college level next year as a point guard than a freshmen Fland. Now, we need to add more talent in the backcourt. More playmakers, more creators, etc., but I'm good with Cupps

I can't stand Cal as much as the next guy, but Wall was a muti-time All-Star before suffering a slew of injuries. SGA was 1st All-NBA last year. Jamal Murray was the 2nd best player on the team that won the title last year. DeAaron Fox is the best player on the Sacramento Kings and got them to the playoffs (an amazing feat in of itself). Regardless of how ready all of these guys were coming out of high school, Cal's UK players have made over $1B in the NBA. Players don't look at it like, "well those guys were already good, who has he develop?"

I would love it if we had the guard/wing depth to play Mgbako at the 4 in smaller, more skilled and athletic lineup.

Subtle thing, but I like that these are pro basketball titles. Shows we're serious about creating an atmosphere to prepare these guys. That's attractive to the top players.

The bottom line is that at the end of the day this is absolutely not a team that will go into tournament play untested.

Meh! Lot's of way to build toughness, including playing numerous top 10 teams both neutral site and on the road. We have something like 4 games against the preseason top 5. One of those on the road and two in tournament style neutral site locations.

Couldn't care less about how many true road games we have in the non-conference. Would rather have neutral site games anyways. It's a smarter way to schedule. We'll have tons of tough road games in conference. Last time I checked the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament are neutral site, not road games.

Yeah it probably won't, though probably should at least for stretches.

I think Indiana is best suited to have more guys playing together that can handle, make plays, shoot, push the pace and defend multiple positions.

I doubt we'd do it, but I'd rather see: XJ TG Forbes MM Reneau/Ware

I dont really think that's it. They were horrible at the charge/block call before the semi circle was introduced in the college game. College refs reward the defense way too much for crappy defense. The benefit of the doubt should always go to the offensive player on those bang-bang block/charge calls. But college refs love to call charges.